Mapping Biological Transmission: An Empirical, Dynamical, and Evolutionary Approach

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary Biology
• Genetics
• Theoretical Biology

Background:

• The study of inheritance is expanding beyond DNA to include non-genetic factors.
• Existing frameworks often focus on transmission direction (vertical, horizontal) and variation storage.
• A unified conceptual framework is needed to integrate diverse transmission modes and their evolutionary impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an inclusive evolutionary conceptual framework for tracing various forms of transmission.
• To analyze the interplay between transmission dynamics and evolutionary dynamics.
• To provide a basis for qualitative and quantitative analyses of transmission and evolution.

Main Methods:

• Proposed three key distinctions for transmission analysis: two channels, two temporal dynamics (durability and residency), and two factor types (selectively relevant and neutral stable).
• Developed a conceptual framework mapping transmission forms based on these distinctions.
• Focused on building a framework rather than proposing a new inheritance model.

Main Results:

• The framework integrates diverse transmission forms by considering their dynamical features across a continuous space.
• It offers a comprehensive view of transmission, grounded in empirical observation and evolutionary theory.
• The distinctions allow for mapping and analyzing different transmission tempos and modes.

Conclusions:

• The proposed framework provides an inclusive conceptualization of transmission, essential for understanding evolutionary dynamics.
• It facilitates the study of the interplay between the dynamics of evolution and multiple transmission forms.
• This approach is crucial for advancing theoretical and empirical investigations in evolutionary biology.