Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Inheritance of Chromatin Structures03:17

Inheritance of Chromatin Structures

7.8K
Epigenetics is the study of inherited changes in a cell's phenotype without changing the DNA sequences. It provides a form of memory for the differential gene expression pattern to maintain cell lineage, position-effect variegation, dosage compensation, and maintenance of chromatin structures such as telomeres and centromeres. For example, the structure and location of the centromere on chromosomes are epigenetically inherited. Its functionality is not dictated or ensured by the underlying...
7.8K
Inheritance01:25

Inheritance

1.9K
Gregor Mendel's pioneering work on the principles of inheritance fundamentally transformed our understanding of how traits are transmitted from generation to generation. His experiments with pea plants laid the groundwork for the discovery of genes, discrete units within organisms that control heredity.
Each gene exists in pairs, and the combination of these genes from both parents forms an individual's genotype. This genotype is a blueprint of potential traits. Examples of genotype...
1.9K
Epistasis Analysis01:09

Epistasis Analysis

6.2K
Although Mendel chose seven unrelated traits in peas to study gene segregation, most traits involve multiple gene interactions that create a spectrum of phenotypes. When the interaction of various genes or alleles at different locations influences a phenotype, this is called epistasis. Epistasis often involves one gene masking or interfering with the expression of another (antagonistic epistasis). Epistasis often occurs when different genes are part of the same biochemical pathway. The...
6.2K
Epigenetic Regulation01:46

Epigenetic Regulation

34.2K
Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
34.2K
Epigenetic Regulation01:37

Epigenetic Regulation

4.1K
Epigenetic changes alter the physical structure of the DNA without changing the genetic sequence and often regulate whether genes are turned on or off. This regulation ensures that each cell produces only proteins necessary for its function. For example, proteins that promote bone growth are not produced in muscle cells. Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
X-chromosome...
4.1K
Epigenetic Regulation01:46

Epigenetic Regulation

26.2K
26.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Access denied: Plato's cave and the epistemic limits of cellular life.

Bio Systems·2026
Same author

Fitness benefits of genetic rescue despite chromosomal differences in an endangered pocket mouse.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2025
Same author

A biogenic principle within the constructal law: The flow of information in biological systems.

Bio Systems·2025
Same author

Biological mechanisms contradict AI consciousness: The spaces between the notes.

Bio Systems·2024
Same author

Symbiogenesis redicts the monism of the cosmos.

Progress in biophysics and molecular biology·2024
Same author

Biology in the 21st century: Natural selection is cognitive selection.

Progress in biophysics and molecular biology·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 18, 2026

Author Spotlight: RNAi Inheritance and ChIP in C. elegans
10:28

Author Spotlight: RNAi Inheritance and ChIP in C. elegans

Published on: May 5, 2023

4.9K

Phenotype as Agent for Epigenetic Inheritance.

John S Torday1, William B Miller2

  • 1Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA. jtorday@labiomed.org.

Biology
|July 12, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Phenotype actively shapes evolution by acquiring epigenetic marks in response to the environment, challenging traditional Darwinian views. This Lamarckian inheritance mechanism influences development and explains the return to unicellularity in eukaryotes.

Keywords:
DarwinLamarckepigeneticgermlinelife cycleniche constructionphenotype

More Related Videos

High-throughput Screening for Protein-based Inheritance in S. cerevisiae
08:12

High-throughput Screening for Protein-based Inheritance in S. cerevisiae

Published on: August 8, 2017

6.8K
Stable Isotope In-Vivo Labeling for Mass-Spectrometry Identification of Paternal Metabolites Transferred from Sperm to Oocyte During Fertilization
05:55

Stable Isotope In-Vivo Labeling for Mass-Spectrometry Identification of Paternal Metabolites Transferred from Sperm to Oocyte During Fertilization

Published on: June 17, 2025

935

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 18, 2026

Author Spotlight: RNAi Inheritance and ChIP in C. elegans
10:28

Author Spotlight: RNAi Inheritance and ChIP in C. elegans

Published on: May 5, 2023

4.9K
High-throughput Screening for Protein-based Inheritance in S. cerevisiae
08:12

High-throughput Screening for Protein-based Inheritance in S. cerevisiae

Published on: August 8, 2017

6.8K
Stable Isotope In-Vivo Labeling for Mass-Spectrometry Identification of Paternal Metabolites Transferred from Sperm to Oocyte During Fertilization
05:55

Stable Isotope In-Vivo Labeling for Mass-Spectrometry Identification of Paternal Metabolites Transferred from Sperm to Oocyte During Fertilization

Published on: June 17, 2025

935

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genetics
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Traditional evolutionary theory emphasizes Darwinian mechanisms (mutation, natural selection).
  • Lamarckian inheritance, involving environmental influences on heredity, is increasingly recognized.
  • The role of phenotype in evolution requires re-evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore phenotype's active role in acquiring epigenetic marks.
  • To propose phenotype as a dominant evolutionary mechanism through niche construction.
  • To re-evaluate the reproductive phase within an epigenetic inheritance framework.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of evolutionary and genetic principles.
  • Integration of research on Lamarckian inheritance and epigenetics.
  • Exploration of physiological constraints on epigenetic inheritance.

Main Results:

  • Phenotype actively directs epigenetic mark acquisition in response to environmental cues.
  • Phenotype acts as an agent in niche construction, driving evolution.
  • Epigenetic inheritance, influenced by phenotype, shapes development and is constrained by physiology.

Conclusions:

  • Phenotype is an active participant in evolution, not just a passive outcome.
  • Lamarckian inheritance via epigenetic marks is a dominant evolutionary force.
  • Physiological limits on epigenetic inheritance provide a basis for the unicellular return in eukaryotes.