When evolution talks to fundamental biology

Like many results in comparative anatomy, the works on bone histology led by Armand de Ricqles have found their whole sense within the framework of the theory of evolution. It seems to be the same thing in genomics and molecular biology. However, some examples show that the fluidity of genomes is not realized by the same processes in eukaryotes and in prokaryotes. In the first taxon, transposons play a fundamental role, since in the other case horizontal gene transfers are essential. These dynamics seem to be necessary for understanding the bases of genomic evolution both from fundamental and applied points of view. (C) 2011 Academie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.