Primate Genome Research: In a groundbreaking scientific effort, a dedicated team of scientists has successfully decoded the genomes of a staggering 233 primate species, marking the most extensive study of This kind of thing has been done before. Published in the prestigious journal Nature, the study’s findings shed new insights into the evolutionary trajectory of primates and provide important implications for conservation efforts.
Among the study’s most unexpected findings was the finding that the level of genetic diversity within a species does not necessarily correspond to its risk of extinction. This fascinating discovery challenges conventional assumptions by demonstrating that some endangered species, such as the Sumatran orangutan, exhibit high levels of genetic diversity, while others, e.g. northern white rhinoceros, had significantly lower levels.
Researchers attribute this phenomenon to the many factors that endanger different species. For example, the Sumatran orangutan faces imminent threats from habitat loss and poaching, while the northern white rhinoceros struggles with the risk of poaching and a lack of genetic diversity. .
Furthermore, the research sheds light on the climate change that occurred more than six million years ago that caused a notable change in the social structure of apes. Formerly characterized by small groups consisting of one male and a few females, these primates have transitioned to complex societies consisting of many males and females. This transformative change suggests that environmental influences can exert a significant influence on the development of social behavior.
With the aim of strengthening primate conservation efforts, the researchers expressed hope that the study’s findings will enable conservationists to target their initiatives with precision. higher body. By understanding the genetic basis of extinction risk, conservationists can optimize strategies and maximize their effectiveness.
Without a doubt, the largest study ever conducted on primates has yielded astonishing discoveries that transcend the boundaries of primate biology and extend into humanity itself, shedding light on the fundamentals of primate biology. Complex genetic factors set us apart from our closest relatives. This ambitious international study has generated a wealth of new data that is applicable to many scientific disciplines, including human health, conservation biology and behavioral science.
Currently, our planet is home to more than 500 species of primates, including humans, monkeys, lemurs, lemurs, pygmies and lorises. Unfortunately, many of these remarkable creatures face serious threats from climate change, habitat destruction, and illegal hunting. To address this pressing problem, researchers sequenced the genomes of nearly half of all known primate species, thoroughly analyzing more than 800 genomes originating from 233 species globally, representing for all 16 primate families. The comprehensive findings of this study have been published in a series of articles in prestigious scientific journals such as Science and Science Advances.
Alison Behie, a renowned primatologist at the Australian National University in Canberra, emphasizes the profound significance of the primate genome for our understanding of the human genome. “The more we understand about the primate genome, the more we understand about the human genome”, she also added, “There’s potential to do a lot more really interesting work as they increase that sample size to capture more species.”
Reflecting on the enormous progress that has been made, Dong-Dong Wu, an evolutionary biologist from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Kunming, revealed that just five years ago, the genomes of less than 10% of species were primates have been sequenced.
However, an instrumental breakthrough occurred when Kyle Farh and his team at Illumina, a prominent sequencing company based in San Diego, devised a method to determine whether Whether mutations in the human genome can cause disease can be determined by examining similar mutations in great apes. This groundbreaking work, built on the ape genome sequenced by Tomàs Marquès Bonet and his colleagues from the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Spain, has paved the way for studying human diseases through the lens of primate genomics, highlights the potential to unravel the mysteries of conservation. , evolution and the human genome.
Marquès Bonet recalls, “One day, Kyle called me and he basically asked if I had more genomes in the queue for sequencing.,” Marques also added, “There is an opportunity to preserve, evolve and understand the human genome.”
This important conversation sparked a worldwide collaborative effort involving researchers from 24 countries, all eager to contribute samples and participate in the sequencing effort. Marquès Bonet praised the dedication of primatologists in Brazil and India, welcoming their important contributions to a large-scale project.
“I am especially proud of primatologists in Brazil and India,” he said, because these hotspots of primate biodiversity have previously been underrepresented in genetic studies. “This is truly a Herculean effort” he says.
While sequencing efforts continue to proceed, Wu emphasized that this project marks only the beginning of an ongoing exploration. However, Marquès Bonet acknowledges the growing challenge of sourcing samples from unsequenced species, as the project encounters inevitable plateaus. Although the road ahead to expand research from 233 to 300 species is increasingly difficult, researchers remain undeterred in their pursuit of knowledge.
Details
Regarding human biology and disease, primate resources promise invaluable insights to advance our understanding. In a study led by Marquès Bonet and fellow researchers, the genomes of 233 primate species were mined to classify 4.3 million common gene variants found in the human genome. By examining the prevalence of these variants across species, the researchers deduced that approximately 98.7% of the variants tested were likely not harmful to humans. This knowledge can be leveraged to identify disease-causing mutations in individuals whose entire genome or protein-coding region (exome) has been sequenced.
Another study by Wu and colleagues involved comparing the genomes of 50 species to trace the evolutionary history of the primate family tree. Through this comprehensive analysis, they identified thousands of dominant genetic sequences across different branches of the tree. Notably, genes related to brain development appeared in the common ancestor of humans, apes and New World monkeys, laying the foundation for the rapid evolution of large brains in humans. Wu emphasized that the expansion of brain capacity began a long time ago, providing insight into this remarkable evolutionary journey.
A rich collection of genetic variations previously thought to be unique to humans because they were absent from ancient human relatives such as Neanderthals and Denisovans, have been discovered in many other primate species together. Surprisingly, nearly two-thirds of the variants initially considered unique to humans were found in at least one other primate species, with more than half discovered in two or more species.
Behavior
In the field of behavioral science, the main aspiration is to identify the genetic mechanisms that underlie specific behaviors. One of the studies successfully established this association. Led by Xiao-Guang Qi, a behavioral ecologist from Northwestern University in Xi’an, China, the study focused on five species of snub-nosed monkeys, including humans, that form societies. Complex multilevels consisting of large armies composed of smaller family units. .
By comparing the genomes of these socially complex snub-nosed monkeys with the genomes of less socially related monkeys, known as odd-nosed monkeys, as well as distant primate relatives Furthermore, Qi and his colleagues identified genes potentially involved in extended multiscale formation. societies.
Research reveals that climatic changes more than six million years ago catalyzed the transition of apes from small groups of just one male and a few females to complex societies with many males and children.
Co-author Cyril Grueter, an evolutionary anthropologist from the University of Western Australia in Perth, emphasizes the importance of past environmental factors in shaping the current social organization of primates This. According to Grueter, the brain hormones dopamine and oxytocin play a key role. “It is not the current environment that clearly explains their social organization, but what happened in the past is perhaps equally or even more important.”.
Furthermore, the comprehensive analysis of the genomes of all 233 primate species has profound implications for conservation efforts. Notably, it challenges the widely accepted view that lower genetic diversity, due to inbreeding during population decline, indicates a species is on the brink of extinction. Surprisingly, the study revealed that for some threatened species, population declines have occurred so rapidly that inbreeding has not had enough time to manifest. Therefore, factors other than inbreeding, such as habitat destruction, emerge as the main threats to the species’ resilience.
Largest-ever study of primate genomes reveals surprises about humans and our closest relatives https://t.co/vwwcZxjArT
– nature (@Nature)
June 2, 2023
This groundbreaking research, including the largest primate genome sequencing effort to date, has yielded stunning discoveries beyond the bounds of primate biology. Its transformative impact permeates many scientific disciplines, and researchers express firm optimism that the findings will spur enhanced conservation efforts, shedding light on the complexity of biology. human studies and promote a deeper understanding of our place in the primate lineage.
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Source: pagasa.edu.vn