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Saving Chimps

Saving Chimps. Janet Clark Steve Karr Mary Ann McLean. Chimp Problems. Low population Loss of habitat Habitat fragmentation Potential inbreeding - leads to lack of MHC diversity. MHC = Major Histocompatibility Complex

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Saving Chimps

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  1. Saving Chimps Janet ClarkSteve KarrMary Ann McLean

  2. Chimp Problems • Low population • Loss of habitat • Habitat fragmentation • Potential inbreeding - leads to lack of MHC diversity MHC = Major Histocompatibility Complex MHC diversity is important in maintaining population resistance to diseases

  3. Solution • Identify discrete populations of chimps • Ideally, examine MHC similarities between the populations • Identify suitable breeding program to diversify MHC • Since MHC data not available – used mitochondrial DNA

  4. Populations Examined • Sequences from 2 individuals at each location Mali - 9 Ivory Coast – 18 Gabon – 28 Congo – 29 Zaire – 30 Tanzania – 36

  5. Rooted Tree Based On Sequence Alignment

  6. Results • Subspecies cluster geographically • Coastal populations separated from Central African populations • Gabon & Congo populations separated from Zaire populations • Zaire & Tanzania populations clustered together • Gombe populations separated

  7. Discussion Based on sequence comparisons of Mitochondrial DNA, a breeding program that crosses subspecies boundaries should help maintain genetic (and therefore MHC) diversity. Examination of MHC sequence data would strengthen this conclusion.

  8. Future Directions • What prevents mixing between Zaire, Gabon & Congo? • What permits mixing between Zaire & Tanzania? • What accounts for the diversity among individuals in Gombe? Information Needed • land cover • human population density • location of chimp populations • additional information on tested individuals (gender, etc.)

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