mutacemi

Mutacemi is a fictional concept used in speculative biology and science fiction to denote a class of rapid, inheritable changes in organisms that occur without changes in DNA sequence. In such contexts, mutacemi are presented as mechanisms that enable populations to adapt quickly to environmental pressures through non-genetic inheritance, sometimes resembling epigenetic effects, symbiotic acquisition, or information transfer across generations.

Etymology: The term is a neologism formed from muta- (change) and a fictional suffix -cemi; there is no standard etymology outside its use in specific works.

Concept and mechanisms: In fiction, mutacemi may be triggered by environmental cues, stress, or social interactions, producing phenotypic shifts that are inherited by offspring through cellular memory, not DNA sequence changes. Authors vary whether the trait is stable, temporary, or reversible, and whether it can be selected for by natural or artificial selection.

Usage and reception: Mutacemi appears in speculative essays and narratives as a thought experiment about inheritance and adaptation, often to challenge strict gene-centric views. Real-world scientists generally treat mutacemi as a fictional construct and distinguish it from true genetic mutations; critics note the potential for misrepresenting epigenetics.

See also: Epigenetics, Lamarckism, Non-genetic inheritance, Cultural evolution.

References: As a fictional concept, mutacemi has no formal scholarly references; citations appear in speculative fiction and philosophy-of-biology discussions.