The Major Transitions in Evolution

Blurb

The Major Transitions in Evolution is a book written by John Maynard Smith and Eörs Szathmáry. This was a seminal publication that continues to contribute to ongoing issues in evolutionary biology. At the time of its publication, Egbert Giles Leigh, Jr reviewing for Evolution commented that it "may be the most important book on evolution since [R.A.] Fisher's The Genetical Theory of Natural Selection".
Maynard Smith and Szathmary authored a review article in Nature
Maynard Smith and Szathmáry identified several properties common to the transitions:
Smaller entities have often come about together to form larger entities. e.g. Chromosomes, eukaryotes, sex multicellular colonies.
Smaller entities often become differentiated as part of a larger entity. e.g. DNA & protein, organelles, anisogamy, tissues, castes
The smaller entities are often unable to replicate in the absence of the larger entity. e.g. Organelles, tissues, castes
The smaller entities can sometimes disrupt the development of the larger entity, e.g. Meiotic drive, parthenogenesis, cancers, coup d’état
New ways of transmitting information have arisen.e.g. DNA-protein, cell heredity, epigenesis, universal grammar.