The Epigenetic Caterpillar: An Alternative to the Neo-Darwinian View of the Peppered Moth Phenomenon
- ISBN-10
- 1782803882
- ISBN-13
- 9781782803881
- Category
- Science
- Pages
- 90
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2014-12-07
- Author
- Maria B O'Hare
Description
Industrial melanism of peppered moths is a famous case of what has often been described as: 'Darwinian evolution via selection in action'. This little book offers an alternative, yet light hearted approach, to this rather controversial topic, based upon the most recent and cutting-edge biological scientific discoveries of our present time. This alternative explanation gives us an insight into past evolutionary speciation (how one species becomes another) in real terms, hence the use of an epigenetic caterpillar analogy as a caterpillar via metamorphosis, turns into a butterfly: a distinctly different animal, yet, irrespective of whether it is in its caterpillar or a flying insect form, its genes remain identical. This is explicable by environmentally-driven epigenetic processes as it is the change in the expression of the genes that are triggered by the environment, which can cause a profound and rapid change in the species and these changes can be inherited. The genes themselves or the DNA sequence do not alter. Therefore, the epigenetics form of evolution is at complete odds with the Neo-Darwinian explanation of the cause of the variation seen in peppered moths and indeed, evolutionary change (speciation) in general, as epigenetic means that it operates above the genes, (the epigenetic caterpillar) and the really interesting part is that in principle, Charles Darwin would have agreed with this environmentally-driven epigenetic explanation.
Get the book
Similar books
-
Epigenetic Caterpillar: An Alternative to the Neo-Darwinian View of the Peppered Moth Phenomenon
By Maria B O'HareEpigenetic Caterpillar: An Alternative to the Neo-Darwinian View of the Peppered Moth Phenomenon
-
The Epigenetics Revolution: How Modern Biology Is Rewriting Our Understanding of Genetics, Disease, and Inheritance
By Nessa CareySurveying the twenty-year history of the field while also highlighting its latest findings and innovations, this volume provides a readily understandable introduction to the foundations of epigenetics.
-
Epigenetics Book: The Most Comprehensive Exploration of the Practical, Social and Ethical Impact of DNA on Our Society and Our...
By Roy CarrollSo if you've been exposed to the concept of epigenetics as a novel way of understanding disorders, inheritance and evolution and wondered what it's really all about and how it's related with environmental exposure and different therapy ...
-
Epigenetic Epidemiology
By Karin B. MichelsThis book covers the basic concepts of epigenetic epidemiology, discusses challenges in study design, analysis, and interpretation, epigenetic laboratory techniques, the influence of of age and environmental factors on shaping the epigenome ...
-
Epigenetic Technological Applications
By Yujun George ZhengEpigenetic Technological Applications is a compilation of state-of-the-art technologies involved in epigenetic research.
-
Specific Gene Expression and Epigenetics: The Interplay Between the Genome and Its Environment
By Kasirajan AyyanathanThis new volume on gene expression and epigenetics discusses environmental effects related to specific gene expression. The book also shows methods for bioinformatic analysis of the epigenome.
-
Epigenetics
By Lyle ArmstrongIntroduction to the study of epigenetics -- The basis of the transcription process -- DNA packaging and chromatin architecture -- Modifying the structure of chromatin -- DNA methylation -- Post-translational modification of histones -- ...
-
Epigenetics for Intermediate: The Most Comprehensive Exploration of the Practical, Social and Ethical Impact of DNA on Our Society and...
By Frank BrownHow exactly do epigenetic therapies work? How does DNA affect epigenetic changes? How can we exploit epigenetic mechanisms to understand life better and improve it? If you have these and other related questions, this book is for you.
-
The Epigenetics Revolution: How Modern Biology Is Rewriting Our Understanding of Genetics, Disease, and Inheritance
By Nessa CareyTaylor and Jones (1979), Cell 17: 771–779. 4. Jones (2011), Nature Cell Biology 13: 2. 5. Jones and Taylor (1980), Cell 20: 85–93. 6. Santi et al. (1983), Cell 33:9–10. 7. Ghoshal et al. (2005), Molecular and Cellular Biology 25: ...
-
Epigenetic Landscapes: Drawings as Metaphor
By Susan Merrill SquierThis initially elusive term came to life for me at a performance by the artist Andreas Greiner and the composer Tyler Friedman at the Import Projects Gallery in Berlin in 2015. As I listened in the dark to their collaborative light and ...