The Price Equation and Extended Inheritance

Helanterä, Heikki; Uller, Tobias

doi:10.3998/ptb.6959004.0002.001

Cited by 56 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 76 publications

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“…Such epigenetic variation could be adaptive if parents can predict the offspring environment to some extent, and the effects of epigenetic variation increase both parental and offspring fitness with low cost (Herman et al, 2014). In contrast to environment-directed epigenetic variation, which is expected to show the same pattern in different individuals with the same genotype when exposed to the same environment, stochastic epigenetic variation can contribute to heritable variation that is shaped by natural selection (Shea et al, 2011), and thus will be indistinguishable from genetic variation in a standard heritability analysis (Johannes et al, 2008;Helanter€ a & Uller, 2010;Tal et al, 2010). When organisms are maladapted or in stressful environments, stochastic epigenetic variation has the potential to facilitate short-term adaptation by producing phenotypically diverse offspring.…”

Section: How Stable Is Transgenerational Epigenetic Variation?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Epigenetics in natural animal populations

Barrett

2017

J of Evolutionary Biology

137

127

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Phenotypic plasticity is an important mechanism for populations to buffer themselves from environmental change. While it has long been appreciated that natural populations possess genetic variation in the extent of plasticity, a surge of recent evidence suggests that epigenetic variation could also play an important role in shaping phenotypic responses. Compared with genetic variation, epigenetic variation is more likely to have higher spontaneous rates of mutation and a more sensitive reaction to environmental inputs. In our review, we first provide an overview of recent studies on epigenetically encoded thermal plasticity in animals to illustrate environmentally-mediated epigenetic effects within and across generations. Second, we discuss the role of epigenetic effects during adaptation by exploring population epigenetics in natural animal populations. Finally, we evaluate the evolutionary potential of epigenetic variation depending on its autonomy from genetic variation and its transgenerational stability. Although many of the causal links between epigenetic variation and phenotypic plasticity remain elusive, new data has explored the role of epigenetic variation in facilitating evolution in natural populations. This recent progress in ecological epigenetics will be helpful for generating predictive models of the capacity of organisms to adapt to changing climates.

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Section: How Stable Is Transgenerational Epigenetic Variation?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Epigenetics in natural animal populations

Barrett

2017

J of Evolutionary Biology

137

127

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“…Given that the transmission of heritable variations has been considered as a key ingredient for the transformation of natural populations (Lewontin 1970, p. 1;Sober 1984, p. 151), many studies have been dedicated to the impact of extended inheritance on evolutionary processes (Helantera and Uller 2010;Bossdorf et al 2008;Jablonka and Lamb 2005). However, very few of them have been coupled to a genuine conceptual reassessment.…”

Section: Epistemological Implications and Furthers Challengesmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…These models include both genetic and non-genetic processes responsible for trans-generational patterns of phenotypic similarities. Besides, many articles have been dedicated to the consecutive challenge posed to evolutionary biologists by the possibility to integrate pluralistic frameworks in their studies (Helantera and Uller 2010;Bossdorf et al 2008;Jablonka and Lamb 2005). In this paper, I argue that an operational account of extended inheritance should first delimit a relevant range of inherited factors and outline the boundaries of biological systems transmitting a set of traits to offspring, before new insights into the impact of non-genetic inheritance on evolutionary trajectories can be provided.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Extended inheritance from an organizational point of view

Pontarotti

2015

HPLS

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In this paper, I argue that the increasing data about non-genetic inheritance requires the construction of a new conceptual framework that should complement the inclusive approaches already discussed in the literature. More precisely, I hold that this framework should be epistemologically relevant for evolutionary biologists in capturing the limits of extended inheritance and in reassessing the boundaries of biological systems that transmit traits to their offspring. I outline the first elements of an organizational account of extended inheritance. In this account, the category of inherited factors is neither restricted to genes nor extended to stable resources related to trans-generational similarities. Instead, it includes persisting constitutive elements appearing as difference makers for heterogeneous organizational constraints, namely for heterogeneous constitutive parts whose specific role is to harness flows of matter and energy across generations of clearly delimited extended organized systems. This both inclusive and restrictive framework opens an additional way to apprehend how extended inheritance may affect evolutionary trajectories.

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“…Recently, there has been increasing evidence for non-genetic inherited information without DNA sequence substitution by various mechanisms such as DNA methylation, non-coding RNA, self-sustaining feedback loop of gene expression and maternal effects [3][4][5][6]. Accordingly, the heritability concept has become expanded to incorporate non-genetic inheritance, and has been unified in a general quantitative genetics model that accounts for the various mechanisms of inheritance [7][8][9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cytoplasmic inheritance of parent–offspring cell structure in the clonal diatomCyclotella meneghiniana

Shirokawa

Shimada

2016

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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In cytoplasmic inheritance, structural states of a parent cell could be transmitted to offspring cells via two mechanisms. The first is referred to as the hangover of parent structure, where the structure itself remains and faithfully transmits within offspring cells; the second is structural inheritance, wherein the parent structure functions as a template for development of new offspring structure. We estimated to what extent the parent structure affects the development of offspring structure by structural inheritance, using a clone of the diatom Cyclotella meneghiniana. The cell has two siliceous valves (a cell wall part at both cell poles): one is inherited from the parent and the other is newly formed. We estimated cytoplasmic heritability by comparing valve traits (central fultoportulae (CTFP), striae, central area, and cell diameter) of parent and new offspring valves, using single-cell isolation and valve labelling. Parent-offspring valve trait regressions showed that all traits, except CTFP, were significantly correlated. We formulated a quantitative genetic model considering the diatom inheritance system and revealed short-term rapid evolution compared with other inheritance systems. Diatom structural inheritance will have evolved to enable clonal populations to rapidly acquire and maintain suitable structures for temporal changes in environments and life-cycle stages.

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The Price Equation and Extended Inheritance

Cited by 56 publications

References 76 publications

Epigenetics in natural animal populations

Epigenetics in natural animal populations

Extended inheritance from an organizational point of view

Cytoplasmic inheritance of parent–offspring cell structure in the clonal diatomCyclotella meneghiniana

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