Search

We describe a genome reference of the African green monkey or vervet (Chlorocebus aethiops). This member of the Old World monkey (OWM) superfamily is uniquely valuable for genetic investigations of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), for which it is the most abundant natural host species, and of a wide range of health-related phenotypes assessed in Caribbean vervets (C. a. sabaeus), whose numbers have expanded dramatically since Europeans introduced small numbers of their ancestors from West Africa during the colonial era. We use the reference to characterize the genomic relationship between vervets and other primates, the intra-generic phylogeny of vervet subspecies, and genome-wide structural variations of a pedigreed C. a. sabaeus population. Through comparative analyses with human and rhesus macaque, we characterize at high resolution the unique chromosomal fission events that differentiate the vervets and their close relatives from most other catarrhine primates, in whom karyotype is highly conserved. We also provide a summary of transposable elements and contrast these with the rhesus macaque and human. Analysis of sequenced genomes representing each of the main vervet subspecies supports previously hypothesized relationships between these populations, which range across most of sub-Saharan Africa, while uncovering high levels of genetic diversity within each. Sequence-based analyses of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) polymorphisms reveal extremely low diversity in Caribbean C. a. sabaeus vervets, compared to vervets from putatively ancestral West African regions. In the C. a. sabaeus research population, we discover the first structural variations that are, in some cases, predicted to have a deleterious effect; future studies will determine the phenotypic impact of these variations.

Here we present, for the first time, the complete chromosome painting map of Saguinus midas, the red-handed tamarin. Chromosome banding and painting with human chromosome-specific probes were used to compare the karyotype of this species with those of four other Neotropical primates of the subfamily Callitrichinae: Leontopithecus rosalia, Callithrix geoffroyi, C. penicillata, and Mico argentatus. The chromosome painting map of S. midas was identical to that of L. rosalia and other previously studied tamarin species (genera Saguinus and Leontopithecus). The three marmoset species studied (genera Callithrix and Mico) differed in the painting pattern of four human probes (chromosomes 1, 2, 10, and 16). These paints identified the presence or absence of chromosome associations HSA 1/10 and 2/16 in these taxa. By integrating our data with those from the literature, we were able to propose an ancestral Callitrichinae karyotype. The genera Saguinus and Leontopithecus (tamarins) conserve the ancestral Callitrichinae karyotype, while Mico and Callithrix (marmosets) show more derived karyotypes due to chromosome translocations and fissions that occurred during the evolution of these taxa. Key words: New World monkeys, phylogenomics, chromosome associations, karyotype evolution, ancestral Callitrichinae karyotype. Les auteurs presentent ici une première carte complète obtenue par coloration chromosomique du Saguinus midas, la tamarin aux mains rousses. Le marquage des bandes et la coloration chromosomique ont ete realises a l'aide de sondes humaines specifiques des divers chromosomes afin de comparer le caryotype de cette espèce avec ceux de quatre autres primates neotropicaux de la sous-famille des Callitrichinae : Leontopithecus rosalia, Callithrix geoffroyi, C. penicillata et Mico argentatus. La carte chromosomique du S. midas etait identique a celle du L. rosalia et d'autres espèces de tamarins etudiees anterieurement (genres Saguinus et Leontopithecus). Les trois espèces de ouistitis etudies (genres Callithrix et Mico) presentaient une coloration differente après marquage avec quatre sondes (chromosomes 1, 2, 10 et 16). Ces marquages ont identifie la presence ou l'absence des associations chromosomiques HSA 1/10 et 2/16 chez ces taxons. En integrant ces donnees avec les donnees publiees anterieurement, les auteurs ont pu proposer un caryotype ancestral pour les Callitrichinae. Les genres Saguinus et Leontopithecus (tamarins) ont conserve le caryotype ancestral des Callitrichinae, tandis que les ouistitis (Mico et Callithrix) presentent des caryotypes derives caracterises par des translocations et des fissions qui se seraient produites au cours de l'evolution de ces taxons. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : singes du Nouveau Monde, phylogenomique, associations chromosomiques, evolution du caryotype, caryotype ancestral des Callitrichinae., Introduction Callitrichinae is a subfamily of Neotropical primates with four to six genera (Groves 2001; Fleagle 2013; Rylands et al. 2016). Due to phyletic dwarfism, Callitrichinae are united by a [...]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2007.01.020 Byline: David Caramelli (a), Carles Lalueza-Fox (b), Cristian Capelli (c), Martina Lari (a), Maria Lourdes Sampietro (d), Elena Gigli (a), Lucio Milani (a), Elena Pilli (a), Silvia Guimaraes (a), Brunetto Chiarelli (a), Vito Terribile Wien Marin (e), Antonella Casoli (f), Roscoe Stanyon (a), Jaume Bertranpetit (b), Guido Barbujani (g) Keywords: Ancient DNA; Petrarca body; mtDNA; Sex determination Abstract: We report on the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis of the supposed remains of Francesco Petrarca exhumed in November 2003, from the S. Maria Assunta church, in Arqua Padua (Italy) where he died in 1374. The optimal preservation of the remains allowed the retrieval of sufficient mtDNA for genetic analysis. DNA was extracted from a rib and a tooth and mtDNA sequences were determined in multiple clones using the strictest criteria currently available for validation of ancient DNA sequences, including independent replication. MtDNA sequences from the tooth and rib were not identical, suggesting that they belonged to different individuals. Indeed, molecular gender determination showed that the postcranial remains belonged to a male while the skull belonged to a female. Historical records indicated that the remains were violated in 1630, possibly by thieves. These results are consistent with morphological investigations and confirm the importance of integrating molecular and morphological approaches in investigating historical remains. Author Affiliation: (a) Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e Genetica, Laboratorio di Antropologia, Universita di Firenze, via del Proconsolo 12, 50122 Firenze, Italy (b) Seccio Antropologia, Departament de Biologia Animal, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avda. Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona, Spain (c) Istituto Italiano di Antropologia, Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell'Uomo, Universita di Roma 'La Sapienza', Piazzale A. Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy (d) Unitat de Biologia Evolutiva, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Dr. Aiguader 80, 08003 Barcelona, Spain (e) Istituto di Anatomia Patologica, Universita di Padova, via Gabelli 61, 35121 Padua, Italy (f) Dipartimento di Chimica Generale e Inorganica, Chimica Analitica, Chimica Fisica, Universita di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/A, 43100 Parma, Italy (g) Dipartimento di Biologia, Universita di Ferrara, via Borsari 46, 44100 Ferrara, Italy Article History: Received 10 November 2006; Accepted 20 January 2007

KEY WORDS in situ hybridization; genome evolution; phylogeny; primates; prosimians The differences in chromosome number between Otolemur crassicaudatus (2n = 62) and Galago moholi (2n = 38) are dramatic. However, the total number of signals given by hybridizing human chromosome paints to galago metaphases is similar: 42 in O. crassicaudatus and 38 G. moholi. Many human chromosome homologs are found fragmented in each species, and numerous translocations have resulted in chromosomal syntenies or hybridization associations which differ from those found in humans. Only 7 human autosomes showed conserved synteny in O. crassicaudatus, and 9 in G. moholi. Both galago species have numerous associations or syntenies not found in humans: O. crassicaudatus has 11, and G. moholi has 21. The phylogenetic line leading to the last common ancestor of the two galago species accumulated 6 synapomorphic fissions and 5 synapomorphic fusions. Since the divergence of the two galago species, 10 Robert-sonian translocations have further transformed the G. moholi karyotype, and 2 fissions have been incorporated into the O. crassicaudatus karyotype. Comparison with other primates, tree shrews, and other mammals shows that both galagos have karyotypes which are a mixture of derived and conserved chromosomes, and neither has a karyotype close to that of the proposed ancestor of all primates. Am J Phys Anthropol 117:319-326, 2002.