Evidence that epigenetics can be involved in evolution has been demonstrated by Crews et al. They have shown that an inherited epigenetic mutation i.e. DNA methylation, influences sexual selection in rats, thus impacting on evolution. Exposure to the fungicide vinclozolin, an endocrine-disrupting chemical, causes a mutation within the epigenome that leads to a disease phenotype in successive generations of offspring. Tests were conducted using rats from a lineage that was three generations removed from the original generation that was treated with vinclozolin. Both treated and untreated female rats showed a significant preference towards untreated male rats vs. treated male rats. These results were shown to occur prior to the onset of the disease phenotype and it was not found how the female rats were able to distinguish between treated and untreated males. The type of sexual selection that these rats demonstrated was female preference. Female preference has long been recognised as a mechanism of evolution. For example, female choice is the main mechanism of evolution of extreme tail length in the male widowbird (Andersson 1982). Female choice in the rat population selected against the disease phenotype, based on the presence or absence of an epigenetic mutation.
By: 41195105
References
Main Article: Crews D, et al 2007 "Transgenerational epigenetic imprints on mate preference" PNAS. vol. 104, no. 14, pp. 5942-5946
Secondary Link: Andersson M, 1982 "Female choice selects for extreme tail length in a widow bird" Nature, no. 299, pp. 818-820
