Another term for this is:
Genetic recombination is the breaking and rejoining of DNA strands to form new molecules of DNA encoding a novel set of genetic information. Recombination can occur between similar molecules of DNA, as in the homologous recombination of chromosomal crossover, or dissimilar molecules joining. Recombination in organisms with an adaptive immune system is a type of genetic recombination that helps immune cells rapidly diversify to recognize and adapt to new pathogens. Recombination is a common method of DNA repair in both bacteria and eukaryotes.