Systems genomics analysis centered on epigenetic inheritance supports development of a unified theory of biology.
New discoveries are increasingly demanding integration of epigenetics, molecular biology, genomic networks and physiology with evolution. This article provides a proof of concept for evolutionary transgenerational systems biology, proposed recently in the context of epigenetic inheritance in mammals. Gene set enrichment analysis of available genome-level mammalian data presented here seem consistent with the concept that: (1) heritable information about environmental effects in somatic cells is communicated to the germline by circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) or other RNAs released in physiological fluids; (2) epigenetic factors including miRNA-like small RNAs, DNA methylation and histone modifications are propagated across generations via gene networks; and (3) inherited epigenetic variations in the form of methylated cytosines are fixed in the population as thymines over the evolutionary time course. The analysis supports integration of physiology and epigenetics with inheritance and evolution. This may catalyze efforts to develop a unified theory of biology.
CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Sukhdev Vihar, Mathura Road, New Delhi 110025, India abhaysharma@igib.res.in.
Abhay
A
Sharma
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005111:Extrachromosomal Inheritance; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000502:physiology; D008322:Mammals / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics; D049490:Systems Biology
D035683:MicroRNAs
DNA methylation; Gene expression and networks; Histone modification; MicroRNA