Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 13, 2026

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
Published on: February 3, 2023
Epimutations: raw material for evolution?
Nabeel S Ganem1, Peter Sarkies2
1Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
None:
Epigenetics is fundamental to cell differentiation as it enables cells with identical genomes to adopt distinct fates. Some epigenetic information can also be transmitted between generations, in a process known as transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. This means that potentially epigenetic differences between individuals could contribute to diversity and thus be acted upon by evolution. These epigenetic differences are termed epimutations by analogy to the well-characterized DNA sequence mutations that underpin the standard model of evolution. Here, we evaluate the properties of epimutation, discussing their rate, genome-wide distribution, stability, and effects. Focusing on epimutations in animals, particularly the nematode C. elegans, we explore how epimutations compare to DNA sequence mutations in their potential to influence the processes of drift and natural selection that characterize evolution.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Exon Recombination
Exon shuffling follows “splice frame rules.” Each exon...
Mutations in Microorganisms
Eukaryotic Evolution
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...
Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift
Viral Mutations

