Abstract
Anticipation is the act of using information about the past and present
to make predictions about future scenarios. As a concept, it is
predominantly associated with the psychology of the human mind; however,
there is accumulating evidence that diverse taxa without complex neural
systems, and even biochemical networks themselves, can respond to
perceived future conditions. Although predictive biological responses,
such as circadian rhythms and stress preconditioning, have been
extensively studied over the last century, newer research on predictive
genetic networks in microbes have highlighted the existence of
anticipatory processes in older, more primitive taxa. When taken
together, these seemingly disparate processes can be connected based on
a shared anticipatory design. This review discusses the important and
often overlooked role of anticipation in the evolution of biological
designs, and advocates for establishing a fundamental distinction
between anticipatory and reactive processes as an effort to advance our
understanding of complex biological processes.