RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to test the PowerPlex® 21 System (Promega, USA), used for human identification applications for its positive cross-species applicability in Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in order to identify heterologous STRs which can be used for individual identification, paternity testing, relatedness establishment and reconstruction of pedigrees and studbook records for captive and wild chimpanzee breeding populations. RESULTS: Of 21 STRs in PowerPlex® 21 System (Promega, USA), 19 loci amplified and found to be polymorphic. Locus Aml showed differential banding patterns in males and females similar to those seen for humans and correctly assigned sexes of known identity. Altogether, 58 different alleles were found with an average 3.05 ± 0.28 alleles per locus. Mean observed (Ho), and expected heterozygosity (He) were 0.93 ± 0.03 and 0.52 ± 0.05, respectively.