Safeguards and spurs

摘要

One of the biggest challenges facing twenty-first-century biologists is understanding how genes are connected to the traits seen in whole organisms. At a basic level, we know that the overall appearance and behaviour of an organism are determined by the interaction between its genes and the environment. Yet this interaction is incredibly complicated. For instance, some kind of developmental buffering seems to ensure that similar traits are produced despite genetic changes (mutations) and environmental perturbation. A better understanding of this buffering effect, known as canalization, could change how we think about evolution and development.