The Epigenetic Imperative: Anticipatory Adaptation and the Challenge to the Modern Synthesis
The traditional view of evolution, enshrined in the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis (MS), posits that adaptation occurs over long timescales primarily through changes in gene frequency—driven by random mutations and natural selection. This perspective emphasizes a one-way street of information flow: from the immutable DNA to the resulting phenotype the Central Dogma. However, the emerging concept of anticipatory adaptation, particularly when mediated by epigenetics, introduces a far more flexible, rapid, and directed mode of evolutionary change, thereby presenting a profound challenge to the strict tenets of the MS. Understanding Anticipatory Adaptation Anticipatory adaptation, or transgenerational phenotypic plasticity, refers to the phenomenon where the environmental experiences of a parent (or even grandparent) induce changes in their germline (sperm or egg), which then prime the offspring to be better adapted to an environment they have yet to encounter. Classic Genetic A...