On the evolution of epigenetics via exaptation: A developmental systems perspective

Abstract

Evolution and development are interrelated processes influenced by genomic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. Epigenetic processes serve critical roles in development and operate as intermediaries that connect the genome to the rest of the world. Therefore, it is of interest to consider the evolution of epigenetic processes. The developmental systems perspective offers a distinctive, coherent, integrative way to understand the relationships between evolution, epigenetics, development, and the effects of experienced contexts. By adopting this perspective, this paper draws attention to the role of exaptation in the evolution of epigenetics in the RNA world and addresses the role of epigenetics in the later evolution of developmental processes such as cellular differentiation, learning, and memory. In so doing, the paper considers the appearance and functions of epigenetics in evolutionary history—sketching a pathway by which epigenetic processes might have evolved via exaptation and then contributed to the later development and evolution of phenotypes.