Final answer:
Transposition differs from site-specific recombination in that transposons, using either cut-and-paste or replicative mechanisms, move within the genome, introducing genetic diversity, whereas site-specific recombination is a more precise mechanism of exchanging DNA at defined locations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Transposition is different from site-specific recombination because in transposition, genetic elements called transposons move within the genome either by a "cut-and-paste" mechanism or through replicative transposition.
Cut-and-paste involves the excision of the transposon from its original location and its insertion into a new location in the genome. On the other hand, replicative transposition involves the transposon making a copy at a new site without being removed from its original location, resulting in a cointegrate which is then resolved by recombination processes.
In contrast, site-specific recombination involves the exchange of genetic material at specific sequences in the DNA, often mediated by enzymes that recognize these specific sites. Site-specific recombination can result in the precise integration or excision of DNA segments, without the random insertion characteristic of transposons.