Emergence biases in molecular evolution

TL;DR

This paper introduces the concept of emergence bias, a molecular predisposition influencing the acquisition of new functions during evolution, supported by synthesis of previous studies and speculation on underlying mechanisms.

Contribution

It formally defines emergence bias in molecular evolution and synthesizes existing studies to support this new concept, highlighting its potential role in evolutionary innovation.

Findings

Emergence biases influence the likelihood of gaining new functions.

Previous studies on promoters, enhancers, and proteins support the existence of emergence bias.

The paper provides a unifying framework for understanding these biases.

Abstract

Biases in molecular evolution can significantly influence evolutionary trajectories. They have been described in a variety of contexts such as development and mutation, but not for acquiring new functions (i.e. emergence). Here, we formalize the term, emergence bias, as the molecular predisposition that, upon mutation, biases a genetic sequence towards or against gaining new functions or causing new phenotypes. These biases have been observed in previous studies for the emergence of promoters, enhancers, and de novo proteins, but never formally characterized as such. In this Perspective piece, we describe these studies and synthesize their findings through the prism of a unifying term, emergence bias, to provide support for this new concept , and speculate on its molecular underpinnings. We believe that emergence biases may play an important role in evolutionary innovations.