NoN-GeNetic iNheritaNce Abstract David W. Pfennig*, Inheritance is crucial to the evolutionary process. Although most Maria R. Servedio evolutionary biologists assume that inheritance occurs exclusively through changes in DNA base sequence, it has long been known that inheritance can also occur through epigenetic mechanisms, such as chromatin Department of Biology, marking, maternal effects, parasite transmission, or learning. In recent University of North Carolina, years, the possibility that such transgenerational epigenetic inheritance Chapel Hill, NC, USA mechanisms can mediate long-term evolutionary change has received increased attention. Here, we consider the potential contribution of speciation. As we describe, a growing body of theoretical and empirical studies suggests that epigenetic inheritance can accelerate the likelihood that genetic change will occur and thereby facilitate speciation. Additionally, inherited environmental or learned effects, completely independent of any changes in DNA base sequence. Generally, clarifying whether (and speciation remains a key frontier of evolutionary biology. Keywords Received 30 May 2013 © 2013 David W. Pfennig et al., licensee Versita Sp. z o. o. Accepted 21 July 2013 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- NoDerivs license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/), which means that the text may be used for non-commercial purposes, provided credit is given to the author. sensu Epigenetic effects Inheritance Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance: a challenge Isolating mechanism for evolutionary biology sensu 1.1 The importance of inheritance for evolution Phenotypic plasticity On the Origin of Species 5 Speciation Species sensu Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance * E-mail: [email protected] Unauthenticated | 65.87.174.230 Download Date | 8/18/13 12:20 PM D.W. Pfennig, M.R. Servedio Reproduction; inheritance Variability Struggle for Life genetic inheritance is a prerequisite mechanism of th inherited these acquired changes were then inherited by the individual’s offspring all th genetic expression genetic 1.2 Forms of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance between Unauthenticated | 65.87.174.230 Download Date | 8/18/13 12:20 PM reduced Wolbachia propagated in the absence of any changes in DNA sequence Linaria vulgaris ] or 55 The possible role of epigenetic inheritance in Gryllus pennsylvanicus Unauthenticated | 65.87.174.230 Download Date | 8/18/13 12:20 PM D.W. Pfennig, M.R. Servedio inheritance 2.2 How epigenetic inheritance may facilitate occurs indirectly genetic rapidly genetic directly an alternative inheritance system on which evolution can unfold indirectly by itself Unauthenticated | 65.87.174.