Evolutionary Biology: Evolution Unlocked by Genomics
Written by Koji Akasaka, Shokabo, October 2021, 304 pages, 3200 yen (excluding tax)
Based primarily on the latest findings in genomics and evolutionary developmental biology, this book provides a concise and detailed explanation of the evolution of eukaryotes, multicellular organisms, sexual reproduction, and terrestrial plants and animals. This book is ideal for undergraduate and graduate students aspiring to study genomics and evolutionary developmental biology, as well as for biologists outside these fields who wish to learn about them.
Chapter 1 provides an overview of key evolutionary concepts, offering a broad explanation ranging from spontaneous generation and Pasteur's experiments, the evolutionary theories of Lamarck and Darwin, and Darwin's dilemma, to pangenesis and Weismann's germ plasm theory. From Chapter 2 onward, detailed explanations are provided on topics ranging from Miller's experiment and Oparin's theory of chemical evolution, to the chemical evolution of RNA and DNA, the evolution of Archaea and thermophilic bacteria, the evolution of photosynthetic and aerobic organisms (particularly energy metabolism), the evolution of eukaryotes, and further to multicellularity, sexual reproduction, and the transition to land. In addition, Chapters 7 and 11 explain essential concepts in genomics, such as gene duplication, pseudogenes, exon shuffling, cis-elements, and feedback regulation. Furthermore, the latter half of the book covers important topics in evolutionary developmental biology, including elucidating the origin of insect wings, the role of Hox genes in Drosophila, phenotypic plasticity in caste differentiation in honeybees and termites, the evolution of beaks in Darwin's finches, the evolution of arthropod appendages, the mechanisms behind the different numbers of cervical vertebrae in birds and mammals, the mechanism of dorsoventral inversion in chordates, the mechanism of limb loss in snakes, and the mechanics of the unique morphology of pufferfish. The evolution of echinoderm morphology—the author's field of expertise—is also touched upon, making the book as a whole a well-balanced weave of the author's arguments.
As described above, this book provides a compact yet detailed overview of genomics and evolutionary developmental biology. Given that such a wealth of content is systematically compiled in Japanese and that the book is reasonably priced, it can be considered a highly valuable resource for a wide range of readers. However, because several important evolutionary concepts (such as the neutral theory and genetic drift) are not touched upon, it felt somewhat lacking as a specialized book entitled "Evolutionary Biology." Although explanations based on the neutral theory, such as "DNA base pair mutations occur randomly," and explanations of the molecular clock are included (p. 14), the term "neutral theory" itself does not appear. Furthermore, while the bottleneck effect is explained (p. 268), the near-total absence of essential terminology in evolutionary biology based on population genetics—such as genetic drift—is another factor that contributes to this sense of inadequacy. That being said, providing a commentary on classical population genetics is not the book's primary focus to begin with. For readers looking to learn about evolutionary developmental biology and genomics (particularly with a focus on animals), this book will surely be satisfying.
Kazuki Sakura (Department of Evolutionary Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology)
Evolutionary Biology: How Genomics Unveils Evolution - Book Review (PDF file)
