What do we call a permanent, inheritable change in genetic information?

A permanent, inheritable change in genetic information is referred to as a mutation. Mutations can occur in various forms, such as point mutations, insertions, deletions, or larger chromosomal alterations, and they can be passed on to offspring if they occur in germ cells. This genetic change can lead to variations within a population, which is a fundamental aspect of evolution and can have significant implications for the traits and behaviors of organisms over generations.

In contrast, transcription is the process of synthesizing RNA from DNA, which does not involve any permanent alteration of the genetic code itself. DNA replication is the process by which a cell duplicates its DNA before cell division, ensuring that both daughter cells receive an identical copy of the genetic material. Genetic drift refers to the random fluctuations in allele frequencies within a population over time, often due to chance events, but it does not specifically refer to changes in the DNA sequence itself.