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The causes of evolvability and their evolution.

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Biological evolvability, the capacity for heritable, adaptive variation, is increasingly studied at the molecular level. Research highlights genetic mechanisms, system robustness, and landscape topography as key drivers of this evolutionary capacity.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Evolvability, the generation of heritable and adaptive phenotypic variation, has been historically theoretical.
  • Recent experimental work investigates the molecular underpinnings of evolvability.
  • Key areas include cancer drug resistance and vertebrate gene regulatory network evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent experimental progress on the molecular causes of evolvability.
  • To synthesize findings across diverse biological systems.
  • To discuss the evolution of evolvability itself.

Main Methods:

  • Review of experimental studies on evolvability.
  • Analysis of research on drug resistance in cancer cells.
  • Examination of transcriptional regulation circuit evolution in vertebrates.

Main Results:

  • Identified three major themes: diverse genetic/non-genetic variation mechanisms, genetic system robustness, and adaptive landscape topography.
  • Found mounting evidence that evolvability can itself evolve.
  • Highlighted the importance of these factors in generating adaptive phenotypic variation.

Conclusions:

  • Molecular mechanisms, system robustness, and landscape features are crucial for biological evolvability.
  • Evolvability appears to be a trait that can be subject to evolutionary processes.
  • Further research is needed to determine if evolvability evolves adaptively.