Nongenetic Information and Evolution

Nongenetic Information and Evolution investigates the origin and nature of nongenetic information and its role in the mechanisms of evolutionary change. The book opens with an introduction to the theoretical background and forms of nongenetic information, alongside its relationship with genetic information. It then explores nongenetic information across the biological kingdoms, including animals, non-neural organisms, plants, and unicellulars. It also covers epigenetics as a form of nongenetic information, exploring DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling and miRNA expression in this context. The book closes with a discussion of nongenetic information in evolution, considering evidence demonstrating its inheritance and hereditary impact. This book provides a detailed overview of the origin and evolutionary impact of nongenetic inheritance, delivering a basis for further understanding the occurrence of hereditary phenomena and transgenerational phenotypic changes that do not involve genes. This is a useful reference for researchers in the field of epigenetics, evolutionary biology, developmental biology, and cellular and molecular biology.