# Epimutations: raw material for evolution?

## TL;DR

The paper explores whether epigenetic changes, called epimutations, can contribute to evolution by influencing genetic diversity and being subject to natural selection.

## Contribution

The paper evaluates the properties of epimutations and their potential role in evolutionary processes, particularly in animals like C. elegans.

## Key findings

- Epimutations can be inherited across generations and may contribute to individual diversity.
- The paper compares epimutations to DNA mutations in terms of their rate, distribution, stability, and evolutionary impact.
- C. elegans is highlighted as a model organism for studying epimutations in evolution.

## Abstract

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.

The potential of epimutations to influence evolution.