Guenther Witzany – författare

They process and evaluate information and then modify their behavior accordingly. The book will guide scientists in further investigations on these skills of plant behavior and on how plants mediate signaling processes between themselves and the environment in memory and learning processes.

These diverse competences show us that this capacity to evaluate information is possible owing to communication processes within phages (intra-organismic), between the same, related and different phage species (interorganismic), and between phages and non-phage organisms (transorganismic).

These diverse competences show us that this capacity to evaluate information is possible owing to communication processes within phages (intra-organismic), between the same, related and different phage species (interorganismic), and between phages and non-phage organisms (transorganismic).

Every cell, tissue, organ and organism is competent to use signs to exchange information reaching common coordinations and organisations of both single cell and group behavior.

Every cell, tissue, organ and organism is competent to use signs to exchange information reaching common coordinations and organisations of both single cell and group behavior. These sign-mediated interactions we term biological communication. The regulatory system that works in development, morphology, cell fate and identity, physiology, genetic instructions, immunity, memory/learning, physical and mental disease depends on epigenetic marks. The communication of cells, persistent viruses and their defectives such as mobile genetic elements and RNA networks ensures both the transport of regulatory instructions and the reprogramming of these instructions. But how are the different states of the epigenome orchestrated? The epigenetic pathways respond to various signaling cues such as DNA methylation, histone variants, histone modifications, chromatin structure, nucleosome remodeling, and epigenetic interactions. Epigenetic signals are responsible for the establishment, maintenance and reversal of transcriptional states that are fundamental for the cell's ability to memorize past events, such as changes in the external environment, socio-sphere or developmental cues. External signals trigger changes in the epigenome, allowing cells to respond dynamically. Internal signals direct activities that are necessary for body maintenance, and repairing damaged tissues and organs. With the emergence of epigenetic memory, organisms can fix historical and context dependent impressive experiences. Evolution from now on learnt to learn. Learning means organisms can avoid reproduction of always the same. This is key to adaptation. However, inheritance of acquired characteristics is only one of the many examples of the explanatory power of epigenetics. Behavioral epigenetics demonstrates the way in which environmental and social experiences produce individual differences in behaviour, cognition, personality, and mental health. This book assembles experts to outline the various motifs of all kinds of epigenetic regulation of cells throughout their lives.

This book sheds light on how the abundance of epigenetic regulations, RNA group interactions, the role of viruses and related infectious agents in cellular host organisms drive evolutionary processes. Rather than presenting a final Integrative Theory of Evolution, this book assembles aspects and insights from leading experts that must be incorporated into such a theory in order to better integrate current empirical knowledge than is achieved by models that still insist on the crucial role of replication errors as the main reason for genetic variability.Since nearly a century the key narrative in evolutionary biology is founded on two principles: evolutionary relevant genetic variations are the result of error replication events (mutation) and natural selection. With the comeback of virology the role of viruses in the evolution of life lead to change our view on (a) how evolutionary relevant variations occur, (b) viruses as exclusively disease causing genetic parasites, (c) the definition of life itself. Empirical data of the last decades demonstrate that most viruses do not harm the host but settle host in a persistent way, remaining as exapted RNA networks known as mobile genetic elements and a variety of non-coding RNAs being essential in host gene regulations such as transcription, translation, immunity, repair and epigenetic (re)programming. Epigenetic programming determines each cell of every organism across all domains of life through epigenetic markings. If learned behaviors can be epigenetically inherited and lead to organisms that are better adapted, the error-replication (mutation) narrative is insufficiently complex to integrate this.

These highly diverse competences show us that this is possible owing to sign(aling)-mediated communication processes within ciliates (intra-organismic), between the same, related and different ciliate species (inter-organismic), and between ciliates and non-ciliate organisms (trans-organismic).

Archaea represent a third domain of life with unique properties not found in the other domains. Archaea actively compete for environmental resources. They perceive themselves and can distinguish between ‘self’ and ‘non-self’. They process and evaluate available information and then modify their behaviour accordingly. They assess their surroundings, estimate how much energy they need for particular goals, and then realize the optimum variant. These highly diverse competences show us that this is possible owing to sign(aling)-mediated communication processes within archaeal cells (intra-organismic), between the same, related and different archaeal species (interorganismic), and between archaea and nonarchaeal organisms (transorganismic). This is crucial in coordinating growth and development, shape and dynamics. Such communication must function both on the local level and between widely separated colony parts. This allows archaea to coordinate appropriateresponse behaviors in a differentiated manner to their current developmental status and physiological influences. This book will orientate further investigations on how archaeal ecosphere inhabitants communicate with each other to coordinate their behavioral patterns and whats the role of viruses in this highly dynamic interactional networks.

They process and evaluate information and then modify their behavior accordingly. The book will guide scientists in further investigations on these skills of plant behavior and on how plants mediate signaling processes between themselves and the environment in memory and learning processes.

These highly diverse competences show us that this is possible owing to sign(aling)- mediated communication processes within archaeal cells (intra-organismic), between the same, related and different archaeal species (interorganismic), and between archaea and nonarchaeal organisms (transorganismic).

Every coordination within or between animals depends on communication processes. Although the signaling molecules, vocal and tactile signs, gestures and its combinations differ throughout all species according their evolutionary origins and variety of adaptation processes, certain levels of biocommunication can be found in all animal species:  (a) Abiotic environmental indices such as temperature, light, water, etc. that affect the local ecosphere of an organism and are sensed, interpreted. (b) Trans-specific communication with non-related organisms.(c) Species-specific communication between same or related species. (d) Intraorganismic communication, i.e., sign-mediated coordination within the body of the organism. This book gives an overview of the manifold levels of animal communication exemplified by a variety of species and thereby broadens the understanding of these organisms.