Canine root development and morphology inMacaca nemestrina

Recently,Yoshikawa andDeguchi (1992) reported an unusually high frequency (40%) of two-rooted maxillary canines inMacaca fuscata females and a complete absence of this trait in males. In the present study, canine root development and morphology was examined using cephalographs taken on 50 male and 50 femaleMacaca nemestrina, and 20 male and 20 femalePapio cynocephalus for comparison with the Japanese macaque. The results showed no double-rooted canines present in either species in the upper or lower canines. This supports the general rule that, among primates, canines possess a single-root. It was further suggested that the two-rooted canines inM. fuscata may be the result of the founder effect, i.e. that the genes for this trait may have been carried by the initial populations when they arrived on the islands sometime during the middle to late Pleistocene.     

Tail length variation inMacaca fascicularis andM. mulatta

Based on collectors' measurements of 1,040 specimens, variation of relative tail length [RTL = (tail length/head and body length) × 100] has been studied inMacaca fascicularis andM. mulatta, two closely related species that replace one another in tropical Asia and subtropical Asia, respectively. RTL usually is greater than 90 inM. fascicularis and usually is less than 60 inM. mulatta; intermediate values occur in only 3.5% of specimens studied. Within each species, RTL is approximately equal in females and males. From infancy to adulthood, RTL tends to decline in both species. InM. fascicularis, RTL generally decreases with increasing latitude; inM. mulatta, RTL is approximately constant latitudinally. Where the geographic ranges of these two species meet at ca. 15°N in the Indochinese Peninsula, a few specimens have been collected in which RTL and dorsal pelage color are intermediate between those inM. fascicularis andM. mulatta. The observed pattern of variation suggests that the ranges ofM. fascicularis andM. mulatta formerly were separated by a zoogeographic barrier — perhaps during a Pleistocene glacial interval. After disappearance of the postulated barrier, the ranges of these two species apparently became contiguous and limited hybridization has occurred.     

A matrilineal overthrow with destructive aggression inMacaca fascicularis

We report the sequence of a matrilineal overthrow in longtailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) during which the α-matriline dropped to the third of four ranks. In the initial phase of the overthrow, females from the former second ranking matriline attacked the females of the former α-matriline in a sequence which suggests a strategy. They attacked the highest ranking mother first and then directed their attacks toward her daughter, then toward her grand-daughter, and finally toward her great-grand-daughter. This seems to be the most effective way to disrupt the possible interventions of mothers in favor of their daughters.     

Male Social Behavior and Dominance Hierarchy in the Sulawesi Crested Black Macaque (Macaca nigra)

In a 6-week study of the social behavior of wild Sulawesi crested black macaques (Macaca nigra), we found a linear and transitive dominance hierarchy among the six adult males in one social group. Dominance rank, as determined by the direction of supplantations, correlated strongly with percentage of time near more than four neighbors, frequency of grooming received from adult females, and percentage of time with an adult female as nearest neighbor. These results suggest that high-ranking males are socially attractive. Adult females sexually solicited high-ranking males more often than low-ranking males, but frequency of copulation was not correlated with dominance rank. Frequency and intensity of aggression between males are strongly correlated with rank distance, but aggression toward females was greatest for mid-ranking males. Males of all rank displayed significantly more aggression toward sexually receptive females than toward females in other estrous states. These data indicate that male Sulawesi crested black macaques display a social organization similar to that reported for multimale groups in other macaque species rather than the egalitarian social organization described for female Sulawesi macaques.     

Macaca nigra on Bacan Island,Indonesia: Its morphology,distribution, and present habitat

We studied the monkeys inhabiting Bacan Island on the Maluku Archipelago, Indonesia. We compared them morphologically with Sulawesi black macaques (Macaca nigra).We also assessed their distribution on the island and on neighboring islands and the influence of human activity on them. We found that the Bacan black macaques are essentially similar to Sulawesi macaques; the variations in each locality are comparable. The monkeys probably inhabit the whole island or, at least, the lower forest thereon. Human activities — cultivation, logging, catching and killing monkeys — have not much affected their population. Thus they constitute a good stock of Macaca nigra,though the main population in Sulawesi is endangered.     

Fluctuating asymmetry inMacaca fascicularis: A study of the etiology of developmental noise

Fluctuating asymmetry was determined for six cranial measurements in an age-diverse sample of 138 individuals ofMacaca fascicularis. These data were used to choose among four hypotheses concerning the etiology of developmental noise. The hypotheses considered are (1) that developmental noise represents asymmetry in the causal history of a developing organism's interaction with the environment, (2) that it represents stochasticity in the mechanics of growth and induction, (3) that it reflects variation in the initial conditions of a developmental process, and (4) that it represents the random accumulation of noise at a level below that of morphogenetic mechanism. These hypotheses were tested against predictions concerning the intraspecific patterning of fluctuating asymmetry against age and size and the covariation of asymmetry values. Only the predictions of the fourth hypothesis were confirmed by results of this study. These results provide evidence for the view that developmental noise, as reflected by fluctuating asymmetry, is an intrinsic property of developmental systems, and not merely produced by the complexity of the organism's interaction with the environment.     

Nutrient modifications for improved growth of Brassica nigra cell suspension cultures

Cell pellet yield of two Brassica nigra suspension cultures was stimulated by amino acid supplements in the growth medium. This could confound the interpretation of amino acid feeding studies involved in characterizing amino acid metabolism mutants. The nutritional requirements of one of the Brassica nigra suspension cultures growing in modified Murashige & Skoog medium were therefore reviewed. Sucrose at 2% w/v was growth limiting and amino or organic acid supplements stimulated growth rate and yield. Increasing sucrose to 6% and supplementing with 15 mM sodium succinate increased maximum cell pellet volume by 2.7 times and maximum dry weight by 2.8 times, stimulated cell enlargement and produced similar maximum numbers of cells per culture. The further addition of an amino acid supplement of 4 mM alanine, 4 mM glutamine and 1 mM glutamate produced no further improvement. The revised medium was more strongly buffered, supported cell growth for a longer period and permitted a 30-fold reduction in the minimum cell inoculum. Cells grown in the revised medium are 10-fold more resistant to growth inhibition by the tryptophan analogue 5MT. These advantages recommend the revised medium for amino acid feeding, mutant isolation and similar studies.     

Insulin-like growth factor-I prevents apoptosis in neurons after nerve growth factor withdrawal

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is emerging as an important growth factor able to modulate the programmed cell death (PCD) pathway mediated by the cysteine-dependent aspartate proteases (caspases); however, little is known about the effect of IGF-I after nerve growth factor (NGF) withdrawal in neurons. To begin to understand the neuronal death-sparing effect of IGF-I under NGF-free conditions, we tested whether embryonic sensory dorsal root ganglion neurons (DRG) were able to survive in defined serum-free medium in the presence of IGF-I. We further studied the role of IGF-I signaling and caspase inhibition after NGF withdrawal. NGF withdrawal produced histological changes of apoptosis including chromatin condensation, shrinkage of the perikaryon and nucleus, retention of the plasma membrane, and deletion of single cells. Both IGF-I and Boc-aspartyl (OMe)-fluoromethylketone (BAF), a caspase inhibitor, equally reduced apoptosis after NGF withdrawal. The antiapoptotic effect of IGF-I was completely blocked by LY294002, an inhibitor of PI 3-kinase signaling, but not by the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) activated protein kinase inhibitor PD98059. Functional IGF-I receptors were extensively expressed both in rat and human DRG neurons, although they were most abundant in the neuronal growth cone. Collectively, these findings indicate that IGF-I, signaling though the PI-3 kinase pathway, is important in modulating PCD in cultured DRG neurons after NGF withdrawal, and IGF-I may be important in DRG embryogenesis. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 36: 455–467, 1998     

Behavior, Diet, and Movements of the Sulawesi Crested Black Macaque (Macaca nigra)

We present the first field study of activity budgets, diet and ranging patterns of the Sulawesi crested black macaque, Macaca nigra, one of seven macaque species endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia. We studied three crested macaque groups, ranging in size from 50 to 97 individuals, for 18 months in the Tangkoko-DuaSudara Nature Reserve, North Sulawesi. They spent 59% of the day moving and procuring food, especially fruits, and 41% of the day resting and socializing. Their diet is composed of more than 145 species of fruit (66% of observed feeding bouts), vegetative material (2.5%), invertebrates (31.5%), and occasional vertebrate prey. Group differences were more pronounced than seasonal or diurnal differences. Specifically, the largest group moved farther during the day, moved at a faster and more uniform rate, ate less fruit, rested more, and socialized less than the smaller groups did. The largest group had the largest home range, but it included less primary forest and more disturbed habitat than the ranges of smaller groups. There are individual differences in activity budgets of adult males and females in time spent moving, resting, feeding, and socializing that may reflect differences in reproductive strategies of males versus females. The behavior of large juveniles is more similar to that of adults than to that of small juveniles. Daily movements and use of home range are correlated with diet. Macaques moved shorter distances as the proportion of time spent feeding on fruit increased, and the top four dietary items accounted for most of the variance in entry into hectare blocks of home range.     

Adult male replacement inMacaca fascicularis of East Kalimantan,Indonesia

This report on wild-ranging crab-eating macaques in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, describes male replacements for the first time in this species. A replacement at the alpha rank by an immigrant adult male was seen in this multimale troop during each year of the 20-month field study. The data show considerable variation in the process and outcome of social change. Adult male immigrants contested the alpha rank, whereas subadult male immigrants did not. The first replacement took 2 days, whereas the second one took 1 month. In the first replacement four males and 10 other residents left the troop. In the second replacement one of the two adult males was successful in immigrating when he replaced the resident male of his alpha rank, but the deposed alpha male was not evicted from the troop. Existing models of the causes of replacement (such as high density or human disturbance) and of the causes of infanticide are not supported by these data. Infanticide by immigrating males was not observed despite the apparent presence of the postulated circumstances conducive to infanticide.     

Insulin-like growth factor I levels in healthy adults

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels mainly reflect secretion of growth hormone (GH) in the body. The aims of this study were to compare different IGF-I assay methods in healthy individuals, test the reliability of the methods and discuss the utility of IGF-I measurement in adults. The Nichols Institute Diagnostics radioimmunoassay was used to evaluate IGF-I in two random population samples of men and women (aged 25-64 years, n = 392) taken 10 years apart, in 1985 and 1995. This method for IGF-I testing was also compared with an immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) method in 387 men and women participating in the World Health Organization MONICA (MONItoring of trends and determinants for CArdiovascular diseases) Project, Goteborg, Sweden, in 1995. Serum IGF-I decreased with increasing age in both men and women. IGF-I was higher in young women compared with young men in both cohorts, while the opposite was found in the highest age group. Age-adjusted significant correlations were found between IGF-I and smoking, fibrinogen, coffee consumption, lipoprotein (a), osteocalcin and IGF-binding protein 3. The two cohorts showed similar mean IGF-I concentrations irrespective of method. The correlation between the Nichols and the IRMA methods was high: r = 0.93 (p < 0.0001). Based on this and previous studies, population-based IGF-I measurements are robust irrespective of which commercially available method of assay is used. IGF-I levels can be used in diagnosing acromegaly as well as providing target values. IGF-I assay can be used as a complement to stimulation testing in the diagnosis of GH deficiency, and as a tool for GH dose titration.     

Insulin-like growth factor I levels in healthy children

Measurement of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels is used during the assessment of a child for the presence of growth hormone (GH) deficiency and to monitor the efficacy of GH replacement therapy. In either case, robust normative data are required to allow IGF-I values to be expressed as standard deviation scores, enabling comparison between individuals and assessment of change over time. However, IGF-I levels in healthy children are affected by a number of parameters, including age, gender, pubertal status, height, nutrient intake, body composition, intercurrent illness and ethnicity, and the generation of such data requires the collection of samples from significant numbers of healthy children. As external quality assurance schemes for IGF-I and an international standard based on authentic recombinant IGF-I are not widely used, it is imperative for the clinician to understand the performance characteristics and limitations of the IGF-I assay used and to be aware of the source and quality of control data. It must also be recognized that IGF-I measurement is only one component of the diagnostic process and has its limitations, as tissue sensitivity to circulating serum IGF-I levels will differ between individuals.     

Variations in levels of clonality among Populus nigra L. stands of different ages

The evolution of genotypic diversity with population age remains poorly explored in clonal plant populations despite the potential for important shifts to occur through the course of time. Woody sprouting species are particularly under-represented in studies investigating intra-specific variations in levels of clonality from one locality to the next and through time. In this study we sought to determine the incidence and frequency of replicate genotypes in natural Populus nigra L. (Salicaceae) stands of different ages. Ten stands of this woody riparian sprouting species were selected in each of three distinct age groups (young, middle-aged and old) along a 30 km stretch of the River Garonne (south-west France). Leaf samples were collected from 15 neighbouring trees in each stand (450 samples in total) and replicate genotypes were identified using five SSR markers. Replicate genotypes were identified in two-thirds of all stands sampled (i.e. 50 of young stands, 100 of middle-aged stands and 50% of old stands). Young stands had significantly fewer replicated genotypes than middle-aged or old stands, while middle-aged stands had the greatest number of replicated genotypes. Replicate genotypes were most often found to occur as nearest neighbours and formed relatively small, discrete units (i.e. 2–4 trees growing in close proximity to one another). This suggests that asexual regeneration frequently occurs through flood-training in this species, although asexual regeneration from translocated fragments also evidently occurs as evidenced by 11 cases of replicate genotypes occurring in widely separated stands (up to 19 km apart). The results of this study highlight the need for a hierarchical sampling strategy in space and across age groups for an accureate understanding of the genotypic structure of woody sprouting species populations. Conservation and management of effective population sizes will benefit from better insight into not only spatial, but also temporal variations in levels of genotypic diversity.Co-ordinating editor: J. Tuomi     

Differentiation of mitochondrial DNA types inMacaca fascicularis

Restriction fragment length polymorphism in the mitochondrial DNA ofMacaca fascicularis from four geographical regions, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indochina, was analyzed. In total, 21 types of mitochondrial DNA were detected using five restriction enzymes. These types were divided into two main groups based on phylogenetic analyses, one of which corresponded to the types of continental (Malaysia/Indochina) populations and the other to the types of a insular (Philippine) population. The types in the Indonesian population belonged to both groups. In the phylogenetic tree for the four populations, two clusters were constructed, one for the continental populations and the other for the insular ones.     

Individual differences in play inMacaca fuscata: The role of maternal status and proximity

Dominant and subordinate Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata)females displayed differential treatment of offspring with respect to play. Offspring of more dominant females were more often observed in play than the offspring of a lowranking female. The levels of play in all juveniles varied as a function of the distance from the mother; play was more likely to occur at distances of greater than 3 m from the mother than at closer distances. Unlike the dominant females, the subordinate female maintained excessive contact with and proximity to her offspring. Mothers determined the complexity of the social environment in which their offspring matured by influencing the extent and nature of the peer play experiences of their offspring. This report is based on part of a master’s thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Master’s of Arts in Animal Behavior.     

Genetic transformation of Populus nigra by Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Two clones of Populus nigra L. were tested in vivo and in vitro for their susceptibility to three different Agrobacterium tumefaciens wild-type strains evaluating number and size of resulting calluses. Strain C58 proved to be the most virulent.Various parameters affecting Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of P. nigra clones were further analyzed using ß-glucuronidase gene transient expression. The clone Jean Pourtet proved to be more susceptible than the clone San Giorgio. A. tumefaciens strain A281 pKIWI105 proved to be the most virulent. The optimal procedure involved dipping of leaf discs into a bacterial suspension (7×10⁸ cells/ml) for 20 min, followed by a 48 h co-cultivation period on semi-solid regeneration medium.Leaf explants were co-cultivated with two disarmed A. tumefaciens strains. Plantlets of San Giorgio were regenerated, tested for ß-glucuronidase activity and rooted on selective medium containing kanamycin. Polymerase chain reaction analysis and Southern blot hybridization confirmed the integration of the neomycin phosphotransferase II gene into the poplar genome.Abbreviations BAP 6-benzyl-aminopurine - CaMV Cauliflower Mosaic Virus - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - GUS and gus ß-glucuronidase - hpt hygromycin phosphotransferase - IBA indole-3-butyric acid - KIN kinetin - LB Luria Bertani - MS Murashige and Skoog - NAA ßnaphthaleneacetic acid - NOS Nopaline synthase - NPTII and nptII neomycin phosphotransferase II - PCR Polymerase chain reaction - PVC poly-vinyl-cloride - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate - SSC sodium cloride-sodium citrate - Tris tris(hydroxymethyl)amino-methane - WPM Woody Plant Medium     

The borderlands and possible hybrids between three species of macaques,M. nigra,M. nigrescens,andM. hecki,in the northern peninsula of Sulawesi

The borderlands between three species of macaques,Macaca nigra, M. nigrescens, andM. hecki, which live on the northern peninsula of Sulawesi were surveyed mainly via observations of pet monkeys kept by local people. The borderlands between these species could be delineated. Some monkeys of peculiar appearance and/or with mixtures of the external characteristics of two species were found in the borderlands between the respective pairs of species. However, such possibly hybrid monkeys were seen or originated only in the very limited areas where the species might come into contact with each other.     

Polymorphic microsatellite loci and low-invasive DNA sampling inMacaca cyclopis

Polymorphic genetic markers and methods for DNA sampling in the field are the basic requirements for studies on population and conservation genetics of wildMacaca cyclopis. In this paper we screened microsatellites for their polymorphism and accessed the validity in paternity identification and gene typing of DNA samples from various sources. Among the 36 primer sets tested, 21 are polymorphic with an average observed heterozygosity 0.56. All theeight loci examined for a parent-offspring triad followed Medelian inheritance. Application of the two most polymorphic loci in paternity identification of a daptive group showed that the top-ranking male sired all the juveniles. DNA samples from wound and menstrual bleeding, or from ejaculates and hairs produced concordant microsatellite banding patterns for specific individuals. The success in DNA extraction from samples collected low-invasively and the polymorphic loci screened in this study can be applied in future studies on population and conservation genetics of natural primate populations.     

Structure and organization of the B genome based on a linkage map in Brassica nigra

We constructed a genetic map on Brassica nigra based on a segregating population of 83 F₂ individuals. Three different types of molecular markers were used to build the map including isozymes, restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP), and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). The final map contained 124 markers distributed in 11 linkage groups. The map covered a total distance of 677 cM with the markers distributed within a mean distance of 5.5cM. Of the sequences found in the B. nigra map, 40% were duplicated and organized into three different types of arrangements. They were either scattered throughout the genome, organized in tandem, or organized in blocks of duplicated loci conserved in more than 1 linkage group.     

Rapid and high frequency shoot regeneration from hypocotyl protoplasts of Brassica nigra

Protoplasts, isolated from etiolated hypocotyls of seven day old seedlings of Brassica nigra, were cultured in Kao's liquid medium containing 7.2% glucose, 2,4-d (1 mg 1^-1), NAA (0.1 mg 1^-1) and zeatin riboside (0.5 mg 1^-1). After initial incubation for 3 days in dark at 25±1°C, cultures were transferred to a photoperiod cycle of 16/8 h and diluted on seventh and tenth day with MS medium containing 3.4% sucrose, 2,4-d (0.1 mg 1^-1) and BAP (1 mg 1^-1). About 62% of the cells divided at least once and 46% of them reached 8–16 cell stage in one week. The dividing cell clusters could be plated on agarose medium on the fifteenth day to obtain proliferating minicalli with a plating efficiency of 1.8%. 56.8% of minicalli, regenerated shoots on a regeneration medium containing 2 IP and IAA at 1 and 0.2 mg 1^-1 respectively. The in vitro produced shoots were rooted in MS medium containing 1 mg 1^-1 IBA and established in soil without difficulty. The time taken for protoplasts to develop into plants varied from 9 to 10 weeks.Abbreviations 2,4-d 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - BAP 6-benzylaminopurine - 2 IP 2-isopentenyladenine - IAA indole-3-acetic acid - IBA indole-3-butyric acid - NAA -naphthaleneacetic acid - Kn kinetin