# gst: evolution of robust cell differentiation mechanisms under epigenetic feedback

<< In multi-cellular organisms, cells differentiate into multiple types as they divide. States of these cell types, as well as their numbers, are known to be robust to external perturbations; as conceptualized by Waddington's epigenetic landscape where cells embed themselves in valleys corresponding with final cell types. >>

<< How is such robustness achieved by developmental dynamics and evolution? To address this question, (AA) consider a model of cells with gene expression dynamics and epigenetic feedback, governed by a gene regulation network. By evolving the network to achieve more cell types, (They) identified three major differentiation mechanisms exhibiting different properties regarding their variance, attractors, stability, and robustness. >>

<< The first of these mechanisms, type A, exhibits chaos and long-lived oscillatory dynamics that slowly transition until reaching a steady state. The second, type B, follows a channeled annealing process where the epigenetic changes in combination with noise shift the stable landscape of the cells towards varying final cell states. Lastly, type C exhibits a quenching process where cell fate is quickly decided by falling into pre-existing fixed points while cell trajectories are separated through periodic attractors or saddle points. >>

AA << find types A and B to correspond well with Waddington's landscape while being robust. Finally, the dynamics of type B demonstrate a novel method through dimensional reduction of gene-expression states during differentiation. >>

Davey Plugers, Kunihiko Kaneko. Evolution of robust cell differentiation mechanisms under epigenetic feedback. arXiv: 2503.20651v1 [physics.bio-ph]. Mar 26, 2025. 

https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.20651

Also: evolution, noise, in https://www.inkgmr.net/kwrds.html 

Keywords: gst, evolution, noise, epigenetics, epigenetic feedback, differentiation

# gene: parental 'memory' could be inherited across generations (2); the happiness project.

<< In public talks and interviews, Mansuy (Isabelle Mansuy) says she's careful not to promise too much. As confident as she is in her mouse model, she says, there's lots more work to be done. "I don't think the field is moving too fast,"  Mansuy says. "I think it's moving too slow." >>

Andrew Curry. Parents’ emotional trauma may change their children’s biology. Studies in mice show how. Science. doi: 10.1126/science.aay7690. Jul. 18, 2019.    https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/07/parents-emotional-trauma-may-change-their-children-s-biology-studies-mice-show-how  

Andrew Curry. A painful legacy. Science. Vol. 365, Issue 6450, pp. 212-215. doi: 10.1126/science.365.6450.212. Jul 19, 2019.     https://science.sciencemag.org/content/365/6450/212

Jocelyn Kaiser. The Epigenetics Heretic. Science  Vol. 343, Issue 6169, pp. 361-363. doi: 10.1126/science.343.6169.361.  Jan 24, 2014.    https://science.sciencemag.org/content/343/6169/361   

David Grimm. The happiness project. Science. Vol. 359, Issue 6376, pp. 624-627. doi: 10.1126/science.359.6376.624. Feb 09, 2018.    https://science.sciencemag.org/content/359/6376/624  

Also

parental 'memory' could be inherited across generations. FonT. Jul 22, 2019.  http://flashontrack.blogspot.com/2019/07/gene-parental-could-be-inherited-across.html

'magic string'.  In: FonT.    https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=magic+string

# gene: parental 'memory' could be inherited across generations

AA << tested the possibility that environmentally triggered modifications could allow 'memory' of parental experiences to be inherited. In Drosophila melanogaster, exposure to predatory wasps leads to inheritance of a predisposition for ethanol-rich food for five generations.  Inhibition of Neuropeptide-F (NPF) activates germline caspases required for transgenerational ethanol preference. Further, inheritance of low NPF expression in specific regions of F1 brains is required for the transmission of this food preference >>

<< Given the conserved signaling functions of NPF and its mammalian NPY homolog in drug and alcohol disorders, these observations raise the intriguing possibility of NPY-related transgenerational effects in humans. >>

Julianna Bozler, Balint Z Kacsoh, Giovanni Bosco. Transgenerational inheritance of ethanol preference is caused by maternal NPF repression.
eLife doi: 10.7554/eLife.45391.001. Jul 9, 2019.

https://elifesciences.org/articles/45391

Study finds that parental 'memory' is inherited across generations. The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. Jul 9, 2019.

https://m.phys.org/news/2019-07-parental-memory-inherited.html   

Also

"Neuropeptide-F"

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/?term=Neuropeptide-F

http://flybase.org/reports/FBgn0027109.html 

https://www.wikigenes.org/e/gene/e/42018.html