Epigenetic Inheritance

[Wolfhnd]

What is your opinion? Is it established science or will other explanation win out?

[Delta1212]

It's a real thing that doesn't mean what most people who make posts about it in the Speculations forum think it means.

[Wolfhnd]

It's a real thing that doesn't mean what most people who make posts about it in the Speculations forum think it means.

 

Fair enough I guess I left the question kind of vague on purpose. What bothers me is that there seems to be a bit of a backlash from scientist who think the general population is going to be mislead into thinking it equates with Lamarckian Evolution. While there may be some quacks out there trying to sell cure all remedies based on some sort of connection to epigenetics I don't see the public caring one way or the other about the science. People believe whatever they want to.

 

The question about mammals still seems to be unsettled see the below quote.

 

 

End the Hype over Epigenetics & Lamarckian Evolution

 

"However, Heard & Martienssen are not convinced. In their Cell review, they admit that epigenetic inheritance has been demonstrated in plants and worms. But, mammals are completely different beasts, so to speak. Mammals go through two rounds of epigenetic "reprogramming" -- once after fertilization and again during the formation of gametes (sex cells) -- in which most of the chemical tags are wiped clean.

They insist that characteristics many researchers assume to be the result of epigenetic inheritance are actually caused by something else. The authors list four possibilities: Undetected mutations in the letters of the DNA sequence, behavioral changes (which themselves can trigger epigenetic tags), alterations in the microbiome, or transmission of metabolites from one generation to the next. The authors claim that most epigenetic research, particularly when it involves human health, fails to eliminate these possibilities."

http://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2014/03/end_the_hype_over_epigenetics__lamarckian_evolution.html

[Endy0816]

I think it simply wouldn't make sense for evolution to ignore the chance to pass on shorter term information to the next generation.

 

Most of what I've seen looks like coding for quality control and environmental info. Nothing too ridiculous to pass on via the equivalent of metadata or by utilizing the temporary connectivity between mother and child.

[Wolfhnd]

I think it simply wouldn't make sense for evolution to ignore the chance to pass on shorter term information to the next generation.

 

Most of what I've seen looks like coding for quality control and environmental info. Nothing too ridiculous to pass on via the equivalent of metadata or by utilizing the temporary connectivity between mother and child.

 

I have been reading studies for years now and I'm still not sure when it comes to mammals. The mother fetus connection seems to be one of the alternative explanations which is why many researchers are focusing on the male contribution.