"Epigenetic phenotypic plasticity challenges the core assumptions of NeoDarwinism."

"Epigenetic phenotypic plasticity challenges the core assumptions of NeoDarwinism."


In his article: "Epigenetics and Developmental Plasticity Across Species" by Sean B. Carroll,

Carroll discusses the role of epigenetic mechanisms in developmental plasticity, and how these mechanisms can lead to homology between species. He begins by defining epigenetics as "the study of heritable changes in gene expression that are not caused by changes in DNA sequence." He then goes on to discuss how epigenetic mechanisms can be influenced by the environment, and how these changes can be passed on to subsequent generations.

Carroll then discusses how epigenetic mechanisms can contribute to developmental plasticity. He notes that developmental plasticity is the ability of an organism to change its phenotype in response to environmental changes. He argues that epigenetic mechanisms can play a role in developmental plasticity by altering the expression of genes in response to environmental cues.

Carroll then discusses how epigenetic mechanisms can lead to homology between species. He notes that homology is the similarity between structures or genes that is due to common ancestry. He argues that epigenetic mechanisms can contribute to homology by providing a common molecular pathway through which environmental experiences can shape development.

In conclusion, Carroll argues that epigenetic mechanisms play an important role in developmental plasticity and homology. He suggests that future research should focus on understanding how epigenetic mechanisms interact with environmental cues to shape development.

Here are some of the key points from the article:

  • Epigenetic mechanisms are heritable changes in gene expression that are not caused by changes in DNA sequence.

  • Epigenetic mechanisms can be influenced by the environment.

  • Epigenetic mechanisms can contribute to developmental plasticity.

  • Epigenetic mechanisms can lead to homology between species.

Here are some ways that epigenetic phenotypic plasticity challenges NeoDarwinism:

  • Phenotypic plasticity can lead to rapid evolution. NeoDarwinism predicts that evolution occurs slowly, over many generations, as a result of random mutations that are then selected for or against. However, epigenetic phenotypic plasticity can allow organisms to rapidly adapt to new environmental conditions, even without any changes to their DNA sequence. For example, studies have shown that plants can rapidly alter their growth patterns in response to changes in temperature or nutrient availability. This suggests that epigenetic phenotypic plasticity could play a role in rapid evolution, even in the absence of genetic changes.

  • Phenotypic plasticity can be inherited. In some cases, epigenetic changes can be inherited from parents to offspring. This means that the offspring can inherit the ability to express a particular phenotype, even if the environment in which they are raised is different from the environment in which their parents were raised. This challenges the NeoDarwinian view that evolution is driven by changes in DNA sequence, as it suggests that epigenetic changes can also be a source of heritable variation.

  • Phenotypic plasticity can obscure genetic variation. Phenotypic plasticity can make it difficult to distinguish between genetic and environmental effects on a phenotype. This is because the same phenotype can be produced by different genotypes under different environmental conditions. For example, a study of mice showed that the same phenotype of increased body weight could be produced by different genotypes, depending on whether the mice were fed a high-fat diet or a low-fat diet. This suggests that phenotypic plasticity can obscure the genetic basis of a phenotype, making it difficult to study the role of genes in evolution.

Overall, epigenetic phenotypic plasticity challenges many of the core assumptions of NeoDarwinism. It suggests that evolution can occur more rapidly than previously thought, that epigenetic changes can be inherited, and that phenotypic plasticity can obscure genetic variation. These challenges are still being debated by biologists, but they have the potential to significantly revise our understanding of how evolution works.


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