The Modern Synthesis in the Light of Microbial Genomics

Austin Booth, Carlos Mariscal, W. Ford Doolittle

Index: 10.1146/annurev-micro-102215-095456

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Abstract

We review the theoretical implications of findings in genomics for evolutionary biology since the Modern Synthesis. We examine the ways in which microbial genomics has influenced our understanding of the last universal common ancestor, the tree of life, species, lineages, and evolutionary transitions. We conclude by advocating a piecemeal toolkit approach to evolutionary biology, in lieu of any grand unified theory updated to include microbial genomics.