Bridging Genomes and Phenotypes: Evo-Devo, Epigenetics, and the Reshaping of Evolutionary Theory
The Modern Synthesis, or Neo-Darwinism, forged in the mid-20th century, provided a framework for understanding evolution by integrating Darwin's theory of natural selection with Mendelian genetics and population genetics. Its core tenets emphasized the primacy of genes as the units of inheritance, random genetic mutation as the sole source of novel variation, and natural selection acting on populations as the primary engine of evolutionary change. For decades, this gene-centric view dominated evolutionary biology. However, emerging fields, particularly Evolutionary Developmental Biology (Evo-Devo), have brought forth phenomena that challenge the sufficiency of the Neo-Darwinian framework, necessitating a broader perspective often termed the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis (EES). Evo-Devo's focus on the interplay between development and evolution, significantly bolstered by insights into epigenetic mechanisms, offers crucial contributions to ...