The evolutionary consequences of interactions between the epigenome, the genome and the environment

作者：Pierre Baduel, Iris Sammarco, Rowan D. H. Barrett, Marta Coronado‐Zamora, Amélie Crespel, Bárbara Díez Rodríguez, Janay A. Fox, Dario Galanti, Josefa González, Alexander Jueterbock, Eric Wootton, Ewan Harney · 发表于：Evolutionary Applications · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1111/eva.13730 · 被引用次数：20 · 研究领域：Chromosomal and Genetic Variations、Plant Disease Resistance and Genetics、Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics

The epigenome is the suite of interacting chemical marks and molecules that helps to shape patterns of development, phenotypic plasticity and gene regulation, in part due to its responsiveness to environmental stimuli. There is increasing interest in understanding the functional and evolutionary importance of this sensitivity under ecologically realistic conditions. Observations that epigenetic variation abounds in natural populations have prompted speculation that it may facilitate evolutionary responses to rapid environmental perturbations, such as those occurring under climate change. A frequent point of contention is whether epigenetic variants reflect genetic variation or are independent of it. The genome and epigenome often appear tightly linked and interdependent. While many epigenetic changes are genetically determined, the converse is also true, with DNA sequence changes influenced by the presence of epigenetic marks. Understanding how the epigenome, genome and environment interact with one another is therefore an essential step in explaining the broader evolutionary consequences of epigenomic variation. Drawing on results from experimental and comparative studies carried out in diverse plant and animal species, we synthesize our current understanding of how these factors interact to shape phenotypic variation in natural populations, with a focus on identifying similarities and differences between taxonomic groups. We describe the main components of the epigenome and...