Final answer:
The replicative transposition mechanism is responsible for leaving a copy of the transposon in its original position while copying it to a new site involving the enzyme transposase in the process.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of transposition mechanism that leaves a copy of the transposon in its original position and copies the transposon to a new position is known as replicative transposition. Unlike cut-and-paste transposition, where the transposon is completely excised and integrated elsewhere, replicative transposition involves a process where the original transposon remains intact and a new identical copy is inserted at a different site within the genome.
This mechanism uses the enzyme transposase to facilitate the process, which includes nicking and trimming DNA at the insertion site, holding the transposon ends together, and replicating a new copy that integrates into a new site.