Showing papers on "Primate published in 1999"

Hippocampal neurogenesis in adult Old World primates.

Abstract: The production of new hippocampal neurons in adulthood has been well documented in rodents. Recent studies have extended these findings to other mammalian species, such as tree shrews and marmoset monkeys. However, hippocampal neurogenesis has not been demonstrated in adult Old World primates. To investigate this possibility, we injected 11 adult Old World monkeys of different ages (5–23 years) with the thymidine analog bromodeoxyuridine and examined the fate of the labeled cells at different survival times by using neuronal and glial markers. In the young-adult and middle-aged monkeys, we found a substantial number of cells that incorporated bromodeoxyuridine and exhibited morphological and biochemical characteristics of immature and mature neurons. New cells located in the dentate gyrus expressed a marker of immature granule neurons, Turned On After Division 64 kDa protein, as well as markers of mature granule neurons including neuron specific enolase, neuronal nuclei, and the calcium-binding protein calbindin. Fewer new cells expressed the astroglial marker glial fibrillary acidic protein. Evidence of neurogenesis was observed in the oldest monkeys (23 years) as well, but it appeared to be less robust. These results indicate that the adult brains of Old World monkeys produce new hippocampal neurons. Adult macaque monkeys may provide a useful primate model for studying the functional significance of adult neurogenesis.

Altered Serotonin Innervation Patterns in the Forebrain of Monkeys Treated with (±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Seven Years Previously: Factors Influencing Abnormal Recovery

Abstract: The recreational drug (±)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”) is a potent and selective brain serotonin (5-HT) neurotoxin in animals and, possibly, in humans. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether brain 5-HT deficits persist in squirrel monkeys beyond the 18-month period studied previously and to identify factors that influence recovery of injured 5-HT axons. Seven years after treatment, abnormal brain 5-HT innervation patterns were still evident in MDMA-treated monkeys, although 5-HT deficits in some regions were less severe than those observed at 18 months. No loss of 5-HT nerve cell bodies in the rostral raphe nuclei was found, indicating that abnormal innervation patterns in MDMA-treated monkeys are not the result of loss of a particular 5-HT nerve cell group. Factors that influence recovery of 5-HT axons after MDMA injury are (1) the distance of the affected axon terminal field from the rostral raphe nuclei, (2) the degree of initial 5-HT axonal injury, and possibly (3) the proximity of damaged 5-HT axons to myelinated fiber tracts. Additional studies are needed to better understand these and other factors that influence the response of primate 5-HT neurons to MDMA injury and to determine whether the present findings generalize to humans who use MDMA for recreational purposes.

Victoriapithecus: The key to Old World monkey and catarrhine origins

Abstract: The past ten years have witnessed major changes in reconstructions of the history of Old World monkeys, most of them driven by new material of the Miocene monkey Victoriapithecus from Maboko Island, Kenya. Before the mid-1980s, predictions about the morphological and ecological adaptations of the earliest cercopithecoids relied heavily on evidence from extant colobine and cercopithecine monkeys. It was argued that the earliest cercopithecoids were largely or at least partly folivorous, had short colobine-like faces, and were arboreal. The only studies suggesting that some of these arguments were not true were based on limited knowledge of the anatomy of Victoriapithecus. The presence of semi-terrestrial adaptations in middle Miocene monkeys hinted to some that early monkeys may not have been arboreal. Others attempted to cope with the discrepancy between neontological predictions and the fossil evidence by proposing that limb bones with stronger terrestrial adaptations within the Maboko sample were derived cercopithecine remains, while those with more arboreal features belonged in the subfamily Colobinae and should be regarded as primitive.

Walker's primates of the world

Abstract: From Nigeria's needle-clawed bush baby to the snub-nosed langur of Tibet, from loris to lemur, from the woolly monkey to the "naked ape," primates are among the world's most diverse-and distinctive-groups of mammals. Seventy million years of evolving primate anatomy (much of it significantly influenced by a tree-dwelling lifestyle) has resulted in such defining characteristics as stereoscopic vision, a relatively large brain, grasping hands and feet, and superior levels of dexterity and muscular coordination. Now Ronald M. Nowak offers a comprehensive guide to this fascinating and varied order of mammals. Walker's Primates of the World includes scientific and common names, the number and distribution of species, measurements and physical traits, habitat, daily and seasonal activity, population dynamics, home range, social life, reproduction, longevity, and status of threatened species. Recently extinct genera, such as the giant lemurs of Madagascar, are covered in full. Textual summaries present accurate, well-documented descriptions of the physical characteristics and living habits of primates in every part of the world. In a new introduction, noted primate conservationists Russell A. Mittermeier, Anthony B. Rylands, and William R. Konstant discuss the taxonomy and distribution of primates as well as their distinguishing characteristics, special adaptations and particularly striking features, such as sociality. They also report on conservation efforts past and future, and assess the factors, largely human-caused, that are threatening non-human primates with extinction.

Characterization of a Novel Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) from L'Hoest Monkeys (Cercopithecus l'hoesti): Implications for the Origins of SIVmnd and Other Primate Lentiviruses

Abstract: The human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2) appear to have originated by crossspecies transmission of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) from asymptomatically infected African primates. Few of the SIVs characterized to date efficiently infect human primary lymphocytes. Interesting, two of the three identified to infect such cultures (SIVsm and SIVcpz) have appeared in human populations as genetically related HIVs. In the present study, we characterized a novel SIV isolate from an East African monkey of the Cercopithecus genus, the l’hoest monkey (C. l’hoesti), which we designated SIVlhoest. This SIV isolate efficiently infected both human and macaque lymphocytes and resulted in a persistent infection of macaques, characterized by high primary virus load and a progressive decline in circulating CD4 lymphocytes, consistent with progression to AIDS. Phylogenetic analyses showed that SIVlhoest is genetically distinct from other previously characterized primate lentiviruses but clusters in the same major lineage as SIV from mandrills (SIVmnd), a West African primate species. Given the geographic distance between the ranges of l’hoest monkeys and mandrills, this may indicate that SIVmnd arose through cross-species transmission from close relatives of l’hoest monkeys that are sympatric with mandrills. These observations lend support to the hypothesis that the primate lentiviruses originated and coevolved within monkeys of the Cercopithecus genus. Regarded in this light, lentivirus infections of primates not belonging to the Cercopithecus genus may have resulted from cross-species transmission in the not-too-distant past.

Isolation and phylogeny of endogenous retrovirus sequences belonging to the HERV-W family in primates.

Abstract: An investigation was undertaken of primate pol gene sequences from a novel endogenous retrovirus family, ERV-W, related to a new human endogenous retrovirus family (HERV-W) that includes multiple sclerosis-associated retrovirus (MSRV) sequences identified in particles recovered from monocyte cultures from patients with multiple sclerosis. The pol gene sequences of the ERV-W family were detected in hominoids and Old World monkeys, but not in New World monkeys, whereas ERV-W long terminal repeat-like elements were detected in all primates (hominoids, Old World monkeys and New World monkeys). Thirty-two pol gene sequences from hominoids and Old World monkeys showed a high degree of sequence identity to MSRV and other HERV-W sequences. Phylogenetic analysis indicated close relationships of pol gene sequences across primate species. The analysis suggests that the ERV-W family has evolved independently but in constrained patterns (‘parallel evolution’) in different primate species, including man. The ratio of synonymous to non- synonymous substitutions indicated that negative selective pressure is acting on CHW1-1 from chimpanzee, HBW6-6 from baboon and HWX5 from man, sequences that have no disruption by point mutation or insertions/deletions. Therefore, these pol gene sequences could be associated with an active provirus in primates. The findings indicate that the ERV-W family has continued to evolve in the course of the primate radiation and may include members with a capacity to influence gene function and possibly cause disease.

Disparate Data Sets Resolve Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri) Taxonomy: Implications for Behavioral Ecology and Biomedical Usage

Abstract: Squirrel monkeys (Saimiri spp.) are the most commonly used neotropical (platyrrhine) monkeys in biomedical research; however, no consensus exists as to the phylogenetic relationships amongst geographic variants or whether these variants represent species or subspecies. Here we report a strongly supported squirrel monkey phylogeny, congruent across multiple data sets, including new field data and the first molecular (mtDNA) cladogram. These data support species-level classification for the three major groups in this study. Approximately the same amount of molecular divergence exists among Saimiri oerstedii, S. sciureus, and S. boliviensis. The S. sciureus/S. oerstedii ancestor diverged from S. boliviensis and shortly thereafter S. sciureus and S. oerstedii diverged. Until now, lack of a robust taxonomy has hindered exploitation of the massive potential of Saimiri for comparative studies. No other primate genus displays such widely divergent, genetically-based social behaviors. Our taxonomy also provides robust support for previous warnings against the widespread use of hybrid squirrel monkeys as research models.

Within-group vigilance in red colobus and redtail monkeys.

Abstract: In theory, animals are expected to relax vigilance in the safety of large groups. Four controlled studies of primates have failed to detect relaxed vigilance as group size increases. The counter-intuitive behavior of primates might arise if another component of vigilance increases with group size, masking any decrease in outward, anti-predator vigilance. Surveillance of associates is a major component of primate vigilance and might be expected to increase with group size due to an increase in competitive interactions. The present analysis uses data on glances toward associates to determine if within-group surveillance is related to group size in wild red colobus and redtail monkeys of Uganda. Although males glance at associates more frequently during mating periods and females glance at associates more often when infants are young or out of contact, there was no evidence of a group-size effect on within-group surveillance. As with previous studies, primate vigilance patterns reflect reproductive strategies such as infant protection and mate defense. This study joins several others that indicate that primate vigilance is unresponsive to group size. New models that take into account association patterns below the level of the group may be needed.

Nocturnal sleep structure and temperature slope in MPTP treated monkeys.

Abstract: The nocturnal sleep of three 1-Methyl, 4-phenyl, 1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) treated monkeys (one non-motor disabled and two severely motor disabled), while held in a primate chair was registered using a reversible system for head fixation and chronic recordings. Two electroencephalogram (EEG) channels, one electrooculogram (EOG) and one electromyogram (EMG) channel were monitored constantly and tape recorded during eight nights for posterior analyses. Subcutaneous temperature was registered each minute using a radio telemetry system. An analysis of sleep patterns and temperature parameters revealed lighter sleep, decreased amounts of slow wave and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and lower temperature values in the two motor disabled MPTP-treated monkeys than in the non-motor disabled monkey. The temperature linear slope was negative in the case of one disabled monkey for just one night. Although the motor disability of the two monkeys was similar, their sleep organization patterns and temperatures slopes differed. The present study confirmed the differential vulnerability of the nigrostriatal system of monkeys to MPTP, suggesting that if a high cumulative dose was needed to reach stable motor alterations, the cumulative dose-effect of the toxin independent of the nigrostriatal system might be responsible for non-motor symptoms that also appear in Parkinson's disease besides the classic tetrad.

Morphometric comparison of Chinese-origin and Indian-derived rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

Abstract: Chinese-origin and Indian-derived rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), ranging in age from 6 months to 15 years, were weighed and measured during the 1995 inventory of the SAIDS breeding colony at the Tulane Regional Primate Research Center. Data were analyzed separately for males (n=279) and females (n=554), and an analysis of variance was done for five measurements and two indices, with age and country of origin as independent variables. All measurements increased significantly with age, but Chinese-origin males were heavier, longer, and taller than Indian-derived males. Chinese-origin juvenile females were heavier and longer than Indian-derived juvenile females, but this pattern was reversed for adults. Chinese-origin rhesus monkeys exhibited more adult sexual dimorphism than did Indian-derived rhesus monkeys. An analysis of Chinese-origin adults that were Louisiana-born vs. China-born indicated that Louisiana-born adults were lighter, longer, and taller than their China-born parental generation. These differences were statistically significant for adult females and descriptively suggestive for adult males, and both suggest body and appendage adaptation to a warmer, wetter climate.

Serum concentrations of lipids, vitamins A and E, vitamin D metabolites, and carotenoids in nine primate species at four zoos

Abstract: The purpose of this work was to measure important nutritional status parameters for captive primates, compare those with published data, and look for a link with diet. The nutritional status of nine captive primate species was examined using biochemical analysis. The species were spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza), sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus), Schmidt's monkeys (Cercopithecus ascanius), mandrills (Papio sphinx), baboons (Papio cynocephalus), chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus), and gorillas (Gorilla gorilla). Diet information was collected by survey and the estimated nutritional composition of the diet for each species at each institution was compared with non-human primate nutrient requirements. On the average, the captive primates received diets that met or exceeded recommended dietary guidelines for vitamins A, D, and E for non-human primates. Blood samples were collected from 94 primates held at Brookfield Zoo, Fort Worth Zoo, Lincoln Park Zoological Gardens, and North Carolina Zoological Park and analyzed for lipids, vitamins A and E, D metabolites, and carotenoids. Several species showed differences among zoos for some nutrients, but values from any one zoo were not consistently lower. When monkeys were compared with great apes, monkeys had lower serum total cholesterol, triacylglyceride, and measured LDL cholesterol levels, but significantly higher vitamin D metabolite levels. Species differences were found for serum A, E, and carotenoid levels (with the exception of lycopene). Some differences were seen in serum retinol, retinyl palmitate and γ-tocopherol. The relatively large number of animals contributing to this database and the fact that the data were collected from four zoos provide a substantial base for comparing nutritional status. Comparisons of these serum levels with previously published values for selected primates and humans revealed some differences. Zoo Biol 18:551–564, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Conservation of human gamma-X centromeric satellite DNA among primates with an autosomal localization in certain Old World monkeys.

Abstract: Gamma-X satellite DNA is a 220-bp tandemly arranged repetitive DNA with specificity for the centromeric region of the human X chromosome. The conservation of this human X centromeric satellite DNA sequence in primate species was evaluated by comparative fluorescence in-situ hybridization to metaphase chromosome preparations of the great apes and three Old World monkeys. Homologous gamma-X DNA were detected at centromeric locations in all six primate species. For the great apes, gamma-X was exclusively localized to the centromeric regions of the X chromosomes. Among the Old World monkeys studied, only the golden monkey exhibited localization to the X chromosome. In the black-and-white colobus and the pig-tailed macaque, human gamma-X sequences were localized to the pericentromeric regions of autosomes 1 and 4, respectively.

Perception of novel changes in a familiar environment by socially-housed rhesus monkeys.

Abstract: Many animals appear to have a sophisticated spatial representation of their environment. The development of these representations depends on the joint abilities of discriminating novel objects and remembering their locations. Variations of a detection of novelty paradigm were used to determine the nature and limitations of these abilities in rhesus monkeys. Socially-housed monkeys at two facilities (UMASS Primate Laboratory and the New England Regional Primate Research Center) were exposed to novelty detection tasks using a vertical object grid arranged on a mesh wall of the animals' pens. Monkeys rapidly responded with increased exploration to the replacement of one familiar object with a novel object, to the movement of a familiar object to a novel location, and to the swapping of two familiar objects. However, novelty of object was more salient than novelty of place. In these initial studies, monkeys were given continuous access to the grid, and only one or two changes occurred on a given day. In subsequent studies, the task difficulty was varied either by reducing the length of grid exposure or increasing the number of changed objects/session. Surprisingly, only a reduction in length of exposure markedly affected novelty detecting abilities. Rhesus monkeys clearly possessed the dual novelty detecting abilities. These skills were negatively affected only when monkeys' access to the grid was limited. The procedure employed here provided a convenient way to assess complex cognitive abilities in a group setting. It also relied on rhesus monkeys' inherent attraction to novelty and required only their species-typical behavior for assessment.

Phylogenetic analysis of primate MIC (PERB11) sequences suggests that the representation of the gene family differs in different primates: comparison of MIC (PERB11) and C4

Abstract: Duplication of segments within the MHC has led to numerous multicopy families such as class I, class II, C4 and MIC (PERB11). Different copy numbers between haplotypes and species may be explained by the extent of duplication and subsequent deletion. There are at least five copies of MIC (PERB11) in humans, but MICA (PERB11.1) appears to have been deleted from the chimpanzee. By comparing the sequences of primates (chimpanzee, gorilla, gibbon, orang-utan, pygmy chimpanzee, Patas monkey, Aethiops and baboon) we conclude that the gorilla has a copy of PERB11.1, whereas the baboon and Patas possess MICD (PERB11.4) and/or MICE (PERB11.5) rather than MICA (PERB11.1). These findings indicate that the primate MHC is more plastic than has been appreciated.

Skeletal and dental morphology supports diphyletic origin of baboons and mandrills (primate phylogenyyPapioniniymolecular systematicsyfeeding ecology)

Abstract: Numerous biomolecular studies from the past 20 years have indicated that the large African monkeys Papio, Theropithecus, and Mandrillus have a diphyletic rela- tionship with different species groups of mangabeys. Accord- ing to the results of these studies, mandrills and drills (Mandrillus) are most closely related to the torquatus-galeritus group of mangabeys placed in the genus Cercocebus, whereas baboons (Papio) and geladas (Theropithecus) are most closely related to the albigena-aterrimus mangabeys, now commonly placed in the genus Lophocebus. However, there has been very little morphological evidence linking mandrills on the one hand and baboons and geladas on the other with different groups of mangabeys. In a study of mangabey locomotion and skeletal anatomy, we have identified features of the postcra- nial skeleton and the dentition that support the molecular phylogeny and clearly link mandrills with Cercocebus and Papio with Lophocebus. Moreover, the features linking Cerco- cebus and Mandrillus accord with ecological studies of these species indicating that these two genera are a cryptic clade characterized by unique adaptations for gleaning insects, hard nuts, and seeds from the forest f loor. Mangabeys are a group of large African monkeys character- ized by moderately projecting snouts, large incisors, hollow cheek bones, long limbs, and long tails (1-3). They are found throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal on the west to Kenya and Tanzania on the east (4). Traditionally placed in a single genus Cercocebus (5-6), these monkeys are commonly divided into two species groups—the terrestrial species galeritus, torquatus, atys, and agilis in one group, and the arboreal species albigena and aterrimus in another group. The three largest African monkeys, mandrills, baboons, and gela- das have long been considered a single radiation of closely related species, commonly placed in three separate genera Mandrillus, Papio, and Theropithecus. In 1976, immunological studies by Cronin and Sarich (7) and Hewett-Emmett et al. (8) demonstrated that the two species groups of mangabeys were polyphyletic with respect to other papionins. The albigena group was more closely related to baboons and geladas, whereas the torquatus-galeritus group was more closely related to mandrills and macaques. Groves (2) reported numerous cranial differences between the two species groups and urged separation of the albigena group into a separate genus, Lo- phocebus. Most recently Nakatsukasa (9-11) has documented skeletal differences between the two genera of mangabeys that distinguish the more terrestrial (12-15) Cercocebus from the more arboreal (16-19) Lophocebus. Subsequent molecular studies, especially by Disotell (20, 21) and colleagues (22, 23) have confirmed the polyphyly of the mangabeys and clarified