Since the discovery of DNA we build up the common knowledge that "it is all in the DNA", and the basis of evolution is a random change in DNA. It was due to a selection bias, DNA is a static structure that sits there and waits to be studied while the nano processes in a cell were impenetrable until fairly recently. DNA only contains templates for proteins. It does not contain informtion how to assemble the molecular machines from the proteins, or how "to be alive" in general. A cell is a fairly intelligent problem solver, that can adapt and chang during its lifetime, it does not need to wait for a mutation to occur. There is heritable information outside of DNA, that is epigenetic in its nature. In a multicellular organism this information is communicated and shared between cells. A beneficial DNA mutation is like a lottery win. It might be viable strategy in viruses an bacteria, who divide at an astronomical speed. A multicellular organism gametes divide only a handfull of times per generation. These need to put a more concerted effort, than a random chance, to score.
No, no, no. Explanation is inaccurate. The central dogma is the central dogma because information flow is primarily one way (yes there are exceptions i.e. epigenetics but primary information flow is from DNA to protein) and this is the fundamental tenet underpinning our current understanding of biology.
> A multicellular organism gametes divide only a handfull of times per generation.
That's what recombination is for during sexual reproduction.
> It does not contain informtion how to assemble the molecular machines from the proteins, or how "to be alive" in general.
Unless you subscribe to the creationist or Larmarckian schools of thought, this is flat out wrong. DNA polymerase and similar analogues like reverse transcriptase do not exist in a vacuum. There are entire branches of evolutionary biology dedicated to studying their formation. The main transcription proteins, helicase, polymerase, and ribosomes can all be assembled from the basic proteins they themselves transcribe. (Incidentally figuring out the ultimate structure that a protein chain assembles into is what AlphaFold does, bioinformatics and ML's crowning jewel)
> There is heritable information outside of DNA, that is epigenetic in its nature.
When biologists refer to epigenetics, they mean information carriage that's not strictly tied to the nucleotides. This doesn't meant DNA isn't involved. Most epigenetics I can think of off the top of my head all involve the DNA transcription mechanism in some way.
