ABSTRACT
A VNTR polymorphism previously characterized in the promoter region of the human serotonin transporter (SLC6A4) gene was also found to segregate two major alleles (l and s) among the free-ranging rhesus macaques of Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico. When VNTR genotypes were related to age at male natal dispersal on Cayo Santiago, ss homozygotes (43 of 532 males tested) were found to have left their natal groups significantly earlier (age 57.1 +/- 2.6 months) than carriers of the l allele (ll age, 71.5 +/- 2.1 months; ls age, 63.5 +/- 1.5 months; P = 0.0001). Since migration implies reproductive costs and benefits that change with age at dispersal, migration at an intermediate age might have conferred a heterozygote advantage serving to maintain the VNTR polymorphism via overdominant selection.
Subject(s)
Carrier Proteins/genetics , Genetics, Population , Macaca mulatta/genetics , Membrane Glycoproteins/genetics , Membrane Transport Proteins , Nerve Tissue Proteins , Promoter Regions, Genetic , Animals , Heterozygote , Humans , Male , Minisatellite Repeats/genetics , Polymorphism, Genetic , Puerto Rico , Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport ProteinsABSTRACT
Multilocus DNA fingerprinting with oligonucleotide probes (GTG)5, (GATA)4, and (CA)8 was applied in order to determine paternity in one birth cohort (15 infants) of social group (S) from the free-ranging colony of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) on Cayo Santiago. While sires could be identified in 11 cases, all males tested (N = 19) could be excluded from paternity for the remaining four infants. Data revealed marked discrepancies between actual paternity and paternity as inferred from the observation of copulation behavior. Thus, a dominant social rank does not appear to be strongly associated with reproductive success. Furthermore, alternative reproductive strategies were found to yield comparable net benefits in reproduction. A second group of animals (M) was translocated from Cayo Santiago to the Sabana Seca Field Station in 1984. They have continuously resided together in a large outdoor enclosure since then. Here paternity assessment was seriously impeded by a reduced number of discriminating bands, i.e. offspring bands which were unequivocally derived from the sires. This was initially held to be indicative of a smaller degree of heterozygosity in Group M, and was attributed to inbreeding due to a lack of male immigration or extra-group fertilizations. However, a comparison of the DNA fingerprint patterns obtained in Group S and Group M lends only partial support to this idea.
Subject(s)
DNA Fingerprinting , Macaca mulatta/genetics , Animals , Animals, Wild/genetics , Base Sequence , Female , Genetics, Behavioral , Heterozygote , Male , Molecular Sequence Data , Oligonucleotide Probes/genetics , Paternity , Puerto RicoABSTRACT
A description of the Cayo Santiago rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) colony is provided including an aerial photograph and map.
Subject(s)
Academies and Institutes , Macaca mulatta , Macaca , Social Environment , Animals , Population Dynamics , Puerto RicoSubject(s)
Longevity , Macaca mulatta , Macaca , Sexual Behavior, Animal , Social Behavior , Territoriality , Aggression/psychology , Animals , Male , Social Dominance , Social EnvironmentABSTRACT
Two hundred and twenty-two indigenous women living in La Paz, Bolivia at an altitude of 3700 m were screened for the haematological parameters of haemoglobin, transferrin saturation, haematocrit and total iron-binding capacity. The data from 152 nonpregnant healthy women under 45 years of age were utilized in both distributional and maximum likelihood analyses in order to evaluate the prevalence of abnormal haemoglobin levels. The prevalence of anaemia and polycythaemia in the population was low and not considered to be a public health problem. Eleven per cent of the population was found to be iron deficient (less than 15% transferrin saturation).
Subject(s)
Altitude , Hemoglobins/analysis , Adult , Anemia/epidemiology , Bolivia , Female , Hematocrit , Humans , Iron/blood , Polycythemia/epidemiology , Reference Values , Transferrin/analysisABSTRACT
Free-ranging rhesus macaques on the island of Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, were surveyed for intestinal parasites for the first time in over 40 years. Results were compared with the only previous study, and the relationships between the prevalence of Strongyloides and dominance rank, body weight, age, and matriline examined in the sampled population.