TY - JOUR

T1 - Heredity determined by the environment: Lamarckian ideas in modern molecular biology

AU - Тиходеев, Олег Николаевич

PY - 2020/3/25

Y1 - 2020/3/25

N2 - Inheritance of acquired characteristics (IAC) is a well-documented phenomenon occurring both in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. However, it is not included in current biological theories, and the risks of IAC induction are not assessed by genetic toxicology. Furthermore, different kinds of IAC (transgenerational and intergenerational inheritance, genotrophic changes, dauermodifications, vernalization, and some others) are traditionally considered in isolation, thus impeding the development of a comprehensive view on IAC as a whole. Herein, we discuss all currently known kinds of IAC as well as their mechanisms, if unraveled. We demonstrate that IAC is a special case of genotype × environment interactions requiring certain genotypes and, as a rule, prolonged exposure tothe inducing influence. Most mechanisms of IAC are epigenetic; these include but not limited to DNA methylation, histone modifications, competition of transcription factors, induction of non-coding RNAs, inhibition of plastid translation, and curing of amyloid and non-amyloid prions. In some cases, changes in DNA sequences or hostmicrobe interactions are involved as well. The only principal difference between IAC and other environmentally inducible hereditary changes such as the effects of radiation is the origin of the changes: in case of IAC they are definite (determined by the environment), while the others are indefinite (arise from environmentally provoked molecular stochasticity). At least some kinds of IAC are adaptive and could be regarded as the elements of natural selection, though non-canonical in their origin and molecular nature. This is a probable way towards synthesis of the Lamarckian and Darwinian evolutionary conceptions. Applied issues of IAC are also discussed.

AB - Inheritance of acquired characteristics (IAC) is a well-documented phenomenon occurring both in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. However, it is not included in current biological theories, and the risks of IAC induction are not assessed by genetic toxicology. Furthermore, different kinds of IAC (transgenerational and intergenerational inheritance, genotrophic changes, dauermodifications, vernalization, and some others) are traditionally considered in isolation, thus impeding the development of a comprehensive view on IAC as a whole. Herein, we discuss all currently known kinds of IAC as well as their mechanisms, if unraveled. We demonstrate that IAC is a special case of genotype × environment interactions requiring certain genotypes and, as a rule, prolonged exposure tothe inducing influence. Most mechanisms of IAC are epigenetic; these include but not limited to DNA methylation, histone modifications, competition of transcription factors, induction of non-coding RNAs, inhibition of plastid translation, and curing of amyloid and non-amyloid prions. In some cases, changes in DNA sequences or hostmicrobe interactions are involved as well. The only principal difference between IAC and other environmentally inducible hereditary changes such as the effects of radiation is the origin of the changes: in case of IAC they are definite (determined by the environment), while the others are indefinite (arise from environmentally provoked molecular stochasticity). At least some kinds of IAC are adaptive and could be regarded as the elements of natural selection, though non-canonical in their origin and molecular nature. This is a probable way towards synthesis of the Lamarckian and Darwinian evolutionary conceptions. Applied issues of IAC are also discussed.

KW - Acquired characteristics

KW - Epigenetic inheritance

KW - Genotrophic changes

KW - Intergenerational inheritance

KW - Transgenerational inheritance

KW - Acquired characteristics

KW - Dauermodifications

KW - Epigenetic inheritance

KW - Genotrophic changes

KW - Intergenerational inheritance

KW - Transgenerational inheritance

KW - INDUCTION

KW - YEAST

KW - CAENORHABDITIS-ELEGANS

KW - EVOLUTION

KW - HERITABLE CHANGES

KW - DNA

KW - MUTATION

KW - VERNALIZATION

KW - TRANSGENERATIONAL INHERITANCE

KW - REPRODUCTION

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85078817119&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/39270494-6dce-3610-8586-e8ab79025673/

U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135521

DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135521

M3 - Review article

VL - 710

SP - 1

EP - 12

JO - Science of the Total Environment

JF - Science of the Total Environment

SN - 0048-9697

M1 - 135521

ER -