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Recognition of heterospecific alarm vocalizations by bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata).

Recognition of heterospecific alarm vocalizations is an essential component of antipredator behavior in several prey species. The authors examined the role of learning in the discrimination of heterospecific vocalizations by wild bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata) in southern India The bonnet macaques' flight and scanning responses to playbacks of their own alarm vocalizations were compared with their responses to playbacks of vocalizations of Nilgiri langurs (Trachypithecus johnii), Hanuman langurs (Semnopithecus entellus), and sambar deer (Cervus unicolor). The study was conducted in 3 regions that differed in the frequency with which bonnet macaques encountered these species and included an urban setting. Call recognition was highest in adults and in regions where individuals were frequently exposed to the calling species; calls were not recognized by urban monkeys. Thus, age and experience are important factors in heterospecific call recognition by bonnet macaques.

Animals↗

From Pan to pandemic.

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Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Human T-lymphotropic retroviruses.

The first human retroviruses have been discovered during the past six years. They cause two diseases which involve disturbances of the growth of the T4 lymphocyte, a remarkably specific target cell type. This cell, which is central to the regulation of the immune system, is induced by human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) to excessive proliferation (leukaemia) and by HTLV-III to premature death (acquired immune deficiency syndrome, AIDS). Both also seem to be indirectly involved in several other disorders. The genetic structures of these retroviruses and the mechanisms by which they usurp host-cell functions are novel among retroviruses.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Isolation of an HTLV-III-related retrovirus from macaques with simian AIDS and its possible origin in asymptomatic mangabeys.

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has become a worldwide epidemic, so the development of vaccines and antiviral agents effective against the causative agent, human T-lymphotropic virus type III (HTLV-III), is vital. This work would be greatly simplified if a suitable animal model could be developed. Here we report the isolation of an HTLV-III-related retrovirus, STLV-III/Delta, from rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) with transmissible simian AIDS (SAIDS) and from asymptomatic sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus atys). SAIDS was initially diagnosed in several macaques previously inoculated with tissue homogenates of mangabey origin. Western blot analysis of both the mangabey and macaque sera demonstrated the presence of antibody cross-reactive primarily with the HTLV-III proteins p24 and p61. In a related experiment, analysis of these same sera revealed simian antibody to STLV-III/Delta proteins similar, but not identical, to those of HTLV-III with estimated relative molecular masses (Mrs) of 16,000 (16K), 26K, 35K, 45K, 60K and 110K. Infection of the mangabey, an African primate, with an HTLV-III-related virus may provide a clue to the origin of HTLV-III in humans. The apparent difference in susceptibility to SAIDS-like disease between infected macaques and mangabeys suggests that these species may respond differently to STLV-III infection.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Sequence of simian immunodeficiency virus and its relationship to the human immunodeficiency viruses.

The characterization of HIV-1 (HTLV-III/LAV), the human retrovirus associated with AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) has led to the identification of a group of related human and simian retroviruses which also infect CD4-bearing T lymphocytes. Simian T-lymphotropic virus type III (simian immodeficiency virus) from macaques (STLV-IIIMAC) induces symptoms similar to those of AIDS in infected macaques, but isolates from African green monkeys (STLV-IIIAGM) and mangabeys (STLV-IIMM) appear to be non-pathogenic in these animals. A human virus immunologically related to STLV-IIIAGM (HTLV-IV), reported to have been isolated from healthy humans, has been shown to be almost identical to STLV-IIIAGM, which has called into question the independent origin of these viruses. Here we report the complete DNA sequence of STLV-IIIAGM and analyse its relationship with the genomes of the HTLV-IIIB strain of HIV-1, HIV-2ROD (previously called LAV-2) and several ungulate lentiretroviruses. STLV-IIIAGM and HIV-2 are closely related, and more distantly related to HIV-1.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Adaptive evolution in the stomach lysozymes of foregut fermenters.

The convergent evolution of a fermentative foregut in two groups of mammals offers an opportunity to study adaptive evolution at the protein level. The appearance of this mode of digestion has been accompanied by the recruitment of lysozyme as a bacteriolytic enzyme in the stomach both in the ruminants (for example the cow) and later in the colobine monkeys (for example the langur). The stomach lysozymes of these two groups share some physicochemical and catalytic properties that appear to adapt them for functioning in the stomach fluid. To examine the basis for these shared properties, we sequenced langur stomach lysozyme and compared it to other lysozymes of known sequence. Tree analysis suggest that, after foregut fermentation arose in monkeys, the langur lysozyme gained sequence similarity to cow stomach lysozyme and evolved two times faster than the other primate lysozymes. This rapid evolution, coupled with functional and sequence convergence upon cow stomach lysozyme, could imply that positive darwinian selection has driven about 50% of the evolution of langur stomach lysozyme.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

HIV infection of primate lymphocytes and conservation of the CD4 receptor.

The CD4 T-lymphocyte differentiation antigen is an essential component of the cell surface receptor for human immunodeficiency viruses (HIVs) causing AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) (refs 1-3). Peripheral blood lymphocytes of apes, New World and Old World monkeys express cell surface antigens homologous to CD4 of human T-helper lymphocytes. The cells of several of these species can be infected in short term culture with diverse strains of the type-1 or type-2 human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV-1 and HIV-2). HIV-1 is the prototype AIDS virus, and HIV-2 is the second type of AIDS virus, prevalent in West Africa. Infection of the primate cells correlates with evolutionary conservation on CD4 of one particular epitope cluster, and is inhibited by treatment of the cells with monoclonal antibodies to this epitope. The capacity of HIV to replicate in simian cells may provide a means for evaluating antiviral drugs and vaccines.

Animals↗

Segregation of functionally distinct axons in the monkey's optic tract.

The classical neuro-ophthalmologic literature describes the organization of the primate's optic tract as containing a single topographic representation of the complete contralateral visual hemifield. In contrast, cats have separate visual field representations for the optic axons of the functionally distinct retinal ganglion cell classes. As the line of decussation for each ganglion cell class in the cat occupies a different location on the retinal surface, whereas in primates they are all superimposed, such a species difference might be expected. We report that implants of horseradish peroxidase placed in either the deep or superficial extremes of the monkey's optic tract produce retrograde labelling of distinct retinal ganglion cell classes, and produce anterograde labelling confined to distinct laminae of the lateral geniculate nucleus. Hence, the optic tract of the primate cannot contain a single representation of the contralateral visual hemifield; rather, independent visual field representations for the functionally distinct optic axons must exist. Their anatomical segregation may account for the clinical observation of selective impairments of distinct visual abilities following partial interruption of the optic tract in man.

Animals↗

Mutation rates differ among regions of the mammalian genome.

In the traditional view of molecular evolution, the rate of point mutation is uniform over the genome of an organism and variation in the rate of nucleotide substitution among DNA regions reflects differential selective constraints. Here we provide evidence for significant variation in mutation rate among regions in the mammalian genome. We show first that substitutions at silent (degenerate) sites in protein-coding genes in mammals seem to be effectively neutral (or nearly so) as they do not occur significantly less frequently than substitutions in pseudogenes. We then show that the rate of silent substitution varies among genes and is correlated with the base composition of genes and their flanking DNA. This implies that the variation in both silent substitution rate and base composition can be attributed to systematic differences in the rate and pattern of mutation over regions of the genome. We propose that the differences arise because mutation patterns vary with the timing of replication of different chromosomal regions in the germline. This hypothesis can account for both the origin of isochores in mammalian genomes and the observation that silent nucleotide substitutions in different mammalian genes do not have the same molecular clock.

Animals↗

An African primate lentivirus (SIVsm) closely related to HIV-2.

The ancestors of the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV-1 and HIV-2) may have evolved from a reservoir of African nonhuman primate lentiviruses, termed simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIV). None of the SIV strains characterized so far are closely related to HIV-1. HIV-2, however, is closely related to SIV (SIVmac) isolated from captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). SIV infection of feral Asian macaques has not been demonstrated by serological surveys. Thus, macaques may have acquired SIV in captivity by cross-species transmission from an SIV-infected African primate. Sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus atys), an African primate species indigenous to West Africa, however, are infected with SIV (SIVsm) both in captivity and in the wild (P. Fultz, personal communication). We have molecularly cloned and sequenced SIVsm and report here that it is closely related to SIVmac and HIV-2. These results suggest that SIVsm has infected macaques in captivity and humans in West Africa and evolved as SIVmac and HIV-2, respectively.

Africa↗

Sequence analysis and acute pathogenicity of molecularly cloned SIVSMM-PBj14.

The PBj14 isolate of simian immunodeficiency virus from sooty mangabey monkeys (SIVSMM-PBj14) is the most acutely pathogenic primate lentivirus so far described, always causing fatal disease in pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) within 8 days of inoculation. As a first step in identifying viral genes and gene products that influence pathogenicity, the SIVSMM-PBj14 genome was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction as 5' and 3' genomic halves of 5.1 and 5.8 kilobases, respectively, and molecularly cloned. DNA sequence analysis revealed a high degree of conservation with other SIVs, except for a 22-base-pair duplication in the enhancer region of the viral long terminal repeat which included a second binding site for the transcription factor NF-kappa B. Of six genomic halves examined, four contributed to the formation of infectious virus that induced acute disease and death in pig-tailed macaques as early as 6 days post-inoculation, with pathology, disease syndromes and kinetics indistinguishable from those induced by the uncloned isolate. To our knowledge this is the first example of acute immunodeficiency disease induced by a molecularly defined lentivirus. Furthermore, the molecularly cloned SIVSMM-PBj14 viruses share with the uncloned virus cytopathicity for mangabey CD4+ cells, a property that may correlate with their observed pathogenicity in vivo.

Animals↗

Rapid evolution of male reproductive genes in the descent of man.

A diverse body of morphological and genetic evidence has suggested that traits pertaining to male reproduction may have evolved much more rapidly than other types of character. Recently, DNA sequence comparisons have also shown a very high level of divergence in male reproductive proteins between closely related Drosophila species, among marine invertebrates and between mouse and rat. Here we show that rapid evolution of male reproductive genes is observable in primates and is quite notable in the lineages to human and chimpanzee. Nevertheless, rapid evolution by itself is not necessarily an indication of positive darwinian selection; relaxation of negative selection is often equally compatible with the DNA sequence data. By taking three statistical approaches, we show that positive darwinian selection is often the driving force behind this rapid evolution. These results open up opportunities to test the hypothesis that sexual selection plays some role in the molecular evolution of higher primates.

Amino Acid Substitution↗

Insertions and duplications of mtDNA in the nuclear genomes of Old World monkeys and hominoids.

Using oligonucleotide primers designed to match conserved regions of mammalian mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), we have amplified and sequenced two divergent cytochrome b nuclear pseudogenes from orangutan cellular DNA. Evolutionary analysis suggests that a nuclear transfer occurred about 30 million years ago on the lineage leading to the catarrhines (Old World monkeys and hominoids), and involved a long (at least 3 kilobases), probably damaged, piece of mtDNA. After this transfer, the pseudogene duplicated, giving rise to the two copies that are probably present in all hominoids, including humans. More recent transfers involving the entire cytochrome b gene have also occurred in the Old World monkeys. Such nuclear copies of mtDNA can confound phylogenetic and population genetic studies, and be an insidious source of DNA contamination of 'ancient' and forensic DNA. Indeed, contamination with these anciently transferred human pseudogenes is almost certainly the source of the cytochrome b sequences recently reported from 'dinosaur bone DNA'.

Animals↗

Earliest known Old World monkey skull.

Similarities of the skull are commonly used to support hypotheses of ancestor-descendant relationships between fossil and living ape genera, especially between the late Miocene apes Sivapithecus and Dryopithecus from Eurasia and the living orang-utan (Pongo) from Borneo and Sumatra. Yet determining whether craniofacial traits shared by extant and Miocene apes are primitive or derived is severely hampered by the rarity of well-preserved fossil crania, particularly of early members of their closest outgroup, the Old World monkeys (Cercopithecoidea). The discovery of a complete and undistorted skull of Victoriapithecus at middle Miocene deposits from Maboko Island, Kenya, provides evidence of intact cranial-vault and basicranial morphology, brain size and craniofacial hafting for a primate from between 32 and 7 million years ago. Victoriapithecus represents a branch of Old World monkey that is intermediate between extant cercopithecids (Colobinae and Cercopithecinae) and the common ancestor they shared with apes (Hominoidea). The skull preserves traits widely thought to be derived for extant and fossil members of a proposed Sivapithecus/Pongo clade, but which now appear to be primitive features of ancestral Old World higher primates in general.

Animals↗