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Nongenetic inheritance and multigenerational plasticity in the nematode C. elegans
- Source :
- eLife, Vol 9 (2020)
- Publication Year :
- 2020
- Publisher :
- eLife Sciences Publications Ltd, 2020.
-
Abstract
- A rapidly growing body of literature in several organisms suggests that environmentally-induced adaptive changes in phenotype can be transmitted across multiple generations. Although within-generation plasticity has been well documented, multigenerational plasticity represents a significant departure from conventional evolutionary thought. Studies ofC. eleganshave been particularly influential because this species exhibits extensive phenotypic plasticity, it is often essentially isogenic, and it has well-documented molecular and cellular mechanisms through which nongenetic inheritance occurs. However, while experimentalists are eager to claim that nongenetic modes of inheritance characterized in this and other model systems enhance fitness, many biologists remain skeptical given the extraordinary nature of this claim. We establish three criteria to evaluate how compelling the evidence for adaptive multigenerational plasticity is, and we use these criteria to critically examine putative cases of it inC. elegans.We conclude by suggesting potentially fruitful avenues for future research.
- Subjects :
- 0301 basic medicine
QH301-705.5
Science
Genomics
Adaptive change
Plasticity
Biology
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Transgenerational epigenetics
transgenerational
Epigenetics
Biology (General)
Phenotypic plasticity
General Immunology and Microbiology
General Neuroscience
Inheritance (genetic algorithm)
adaptive
General Medicine
Phenotype
030104 developmental biology
Evolutionary biology
plasticity
intergenerational
Medicine
030217 neurology & neurosurgery
multigenerational
epigenetic inheritance
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Volume :
- 9
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- eLife
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....38a1199c3145c67efad1679ab020d99e