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Phenotypic plasticity: linking molecular mechanisms with evolutionary outcomes

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Schlichting, Carl D. Smith, Harry
Copyright Year	2002
Abstract	We argue that phenotypic plasticity should be broadly construed to encompass a diversity of phenomena spanning several hierarchical levels of organization. Despite seemingly disparate outcomes among different groups of organisms (e.g., the opening/closing of stomata in leaves, adjustments of allocation to growth/reproduction, or the production of different castes in social insects), there are underlying shared processes that initiate these responses. At the most fundamental level, all plastic responses originate at the level of individual cells, which receive and process signals from their environment. The broad variations in physiology, morphology, behavior, etc., that can be produced by a single genotype, can be accounted for by processes regulating gene expression in response to environmental variation. Although evolution of adaptive plasticity may not be possible for some types of environmental signals, in many cases selection has molded responses to environmental variation that generate precise and repeatable patterns of gene expression. We highlight the example of responses of plants to variation in light quality and quantity, mediated via the phytochrome genes. Responses to changes in light at particular stages of plants' life cycles (e.g., seed germination, competition, reproduction) are controlled by different members of this gene family. The mechanistic details of the cell and molecular biology of phytochrome gene action (e.g., their effects on expression of other genes) is outlined. Plasticity of cells and organisms to internal and external environmental signals is pervasive, and represents not just an outcome of evolutionary processes, but also a potentially important molder of them. Phenotypes originally initiated via a plastic response, can be fixed through genetic assimilation as alternate regulatory pathways are shut off. Evolution of mechanisms of plasticity and canalization can both reduce genetic variation, as well as shield it. When the organism encounters novel environmental conditions, this shielded variation may be expressed, revealing hidden reaction norms that represent the raw material for subsequent evolution.
Starting Page	189
Ending Page	211
Page Count	23
File Format	PDF
ISSN	02697653
Journal	Evolutionary Ecology
Volume Number	16
Issue Number	3
e-ISSN	15738477
Language	English
Publisher	Kluwer Academic Publishers
Publisher Date	2002-01-01
Publisher Place	Dordrecht
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Human Genetics Evolutionary Biology Plant Sciences
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

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