Genetic management of nonhuman primates

Genetic management is widely recognized as a critical component of the overall management of captive nonhuman primate colonies which produce animals for biomedical research. In this paper, we review the roles of conservation-oriented genetic management, research-oriented genetic management, genetic management at the level of taxomomic class, genetic management at the level of the population, and quantitative genetic analysis in comprehensive genetic management programs for nonhuman primate colonies. We conclude that genetic management is crucial for maintaining nonhuman primate populations suitable for genetic research on normal and disease-related phenotypes. In addition, for research programs that do not have specific genetic objectives, genetic management is essential to facilitate the selection of samples of well-matched unrelated animals for experimental purposes.     

Enrichment devices for nonhuman primates

There has been in recent years a substantial increase in the variety of enhancement devices available for nonhuman primates in captivity, and the task of properly outfitting a housing unit can be daunting. Researchers continue to investigate the specific impact and importance of environmental enrichment, but it is generally accepted that increasing the complexity of the environment for the mental and physical stimulation of nonhuman primates is beneficial to their health and contentment, and enrichment is now a standard component of primate husbandry.     

Varicella-like herpesvirus infections of nonhuman primates

At least three distinct herpesviruses cause varicella like exanthematous diseases among nonhuman primates. Spontaneous epizootics have resulted in high morbidity and mortality rates among Cercopithecus aethiops, Erythrocebus patas and Macaca species in research colonies. Mild infections have been observed in infant chimpanzees and a gorilla. This group of diseases is of interest not only because they are a threat to primate colonies, but also because their pathologic similarity to progressive human varicella makes them a potentially valuable animal model of this disease. The nonhuman primate varicella-like exanthematous diseases are reviewed and compared to varicella in man.     

Lineage-specific loss of function of bitter taste receptor genes in humans and nonhuman primates

Since the process of becoming dead genes or pseudogenes (pseudogenization) is irreversible and can occur rather rapidly under certain environmental circumstances, it is one plausible determinant for characterizing species specificity. To test this evolutionary hypothesis, we analyzed the tempo and mode of duplication and pseudogenization of bitter taste receptor (T2R) genes in humans as well as in 12 nonhuman primates. The results show that primates have accumulated more pseudogenes than mice after their separation from the common ancestor and that lineage-specific pseudogenization becomes more conspicuous in humans than in nonhuman primates. Although positive selection has operated on some amino acids in extracellular domains, functional constraints against T2R genes are more relaxed in primates than in mice and this trend has culminated in the rapid deterioration of the bitter-tasting capability in humans. Since T2R molecules play an important role in avoiding generally bitter toxic and harmful substances, substantial modification of the T2R gene repertoire is likely to reflect different responses to changes in the environment and to result from species-specific food preference during primate evolution.     

Characterization of the promoter region of Tetrahymena genes.

The regions between adjacent histone H3 and H4 genes, as well as portions of the genes, from 22 species of Tetrahymena have been amplified using the polymerase chain reaction and sequenced. Both histone genes are transcribed divergently with initiation occurring within the intergenic region, thus 2 sets of 22 homologous Tetrahymena promoters can be compared. A sequence comparison of these regions reveals a single putative promoter element, with a consensus sequence TATCCAATTCARA, present in front of each gene. This sequence contains a 'CCAAT' box, which also occurs at 8 locations preceding other ciliate genes. No other putative promoter sequences are found in front of these sets of histone genes. Sequences searched for include 'TATA' boxes, 'GC' boxes and other sequences suggested as putative promoter elements for ciliate genes. The coding strand immediately preceding ciliate genes is very high in A content and the consensus sequence at the site of protein synthesis is AAAATGG.