Publications

phylogenetic analysis of a retroposon family in african great apes.	the sine-r retroposon family has been identified by its relationship with the long terminal repeats (ltrs) of human endogenous retrovirus class k (herv-k) as a mobile element that has evolved recently in the human genome. here we examined the recent evolutionary history of this class of elements by a pcr approach to genomic dna from the african great apes and by phylogenetic analysis including comparison with the herv k10 parent sequence. with primers derived from a cdna sequence from human brai ...	1999	10552051
molecular structure and evolution of an alpha satellite/non-alpha satellite junction at 16p11.	we have determined the detailed molecular structure and evolution of an alpha satellite junction from human chromosome 16p11. the analysis reveals that the alpha satellite sequence bordering the transition lacks higher-order structure and that the non-alpha satellite portion consists of a mosaic of duplicated segments of complex evolutionary origin. the 16p11 junction was formed recently (5-10 million years ago) by the duplication and transposition of genomic segments from xq28 and 4q24. once th ...	2000	10587586
ancient origin of the null allele se(428) of the human abo-secretor locus (fut2).	in human populations, a null allele having several nucleotide differences from the wild-type allele is segregating at the fut2 locus (the abo-secretor locus) encoding alpha(1,2)fucosyltransferase. to estimate the age of the most recent common ancestor (mrca) of these two alleles, we sequenced fut2 homologues from chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan, and green monkey. since we did not detect acceleration or any heterogeneity in the substitution rate at this locus among these species, the age of the mr ...	2000	10754067
back to the roots of a new exon--the molecular archaeology of a sp100 splice variant.	retropseudogenes are intronless dna sequences sharing a high degree of homology with the cdna of their corresponding active genes. they are thought to have originated by reverse transcription of messenger rna and reintegration of the cdna into the genome. usually considered a type of evolutionary waste, they melt into the background of their surrounding dna by the loss of similarity to the active gene or disappear from the genome by the accumulation of deletions. on the other hand, in this paper ...	2000	10766566
molecular epidemiology of hepatitis b virus variants in nonhuman primates.	we characterized hepatitis b virus (hbv) isolates from sera of 21 hepatitis b virus surface antigen-positive apes, members of the families pongidae and hylobatidae (19 gibbon spp., 1 chimpanzee, and 1 gorilla). sera originate from german, french, thai, and vietnamese primate-keeping institutions. to estimate the phylogenetic relationships, we sequenced two genomic regions, one located within the pre-s1/pre-s2 region and one including parts of the polymerase and the x protein open reading frames. ...	2000	10799618
phylogenetic origin of human chromosomes 7, 16, and 19 and their homologs in placental mammals.	the origin of human chromosomes (hsa) 7, 16, and 19 was studied by comparing data obtained from chromosome banding, chromosome painting, and gene mapping in species belonging to 11 orders of placental mammals (eutherians). this allowed us to propose the reconstruction of their presumed ancestral forms. the hsa7 homologs were composed of two parts, the largest forming an acrocentric. the smallest formed one arm of a small submetacentric; the other arm was composed of sequences homologous to the s ...	2000	10810086
initial studies on the contributions of body size and gastrointestinal passage rates to dietary flexibility among gorillas.	large body size has been traditionally seen as the primary dietary adaptation of gorillas, facilitating their consumption of fibrous foods (schaller ¿1963 the mountain gorilla; watts ¿1990 int. j. primatol. 11:21-45). nevertheless, recent research has emphasized frugivory among western lowland gorillas, as well as the influence of habitat and seasonality on gorilla diet and behavior across subspecies (watts ¿1990 int. j. primatol. 11:21-45; tutin et al. ¿1991 philos. r. soc. trans. lond. biol. 3 ...	2000	10813700
the place of neandertals in the evolution of hominid patterns of growth and development.	this study uses the two developmental fields of dental maturation and femoral growth to determine if the pattern of growth and development in neandertals (archaic homo sapiens) was intermediate between that of homo erectus and recent modern humans. specimens used in the analysis included neandertals and upper palaeolithic early modern homo sapiens from europe and individuals from two recent modern human populations. ontogenetic data for the h. erectus adolescent knm-wt 15000 and for gorilla gori ...	2000	10715193
evolution of alpha 2-fucosyltransferase genes in primates: relation between an intronic alu-y element and red cell expression of abh antigens.	coding sequences of the paralogous fut1 (h), fut2 (se), and sec1 alpha 2-fucosyltransferase genes were obtained from different primate species. analysis of the primate fut1-like and fut2-like sequences revealed the absence of the known human inactivating mutations giving rise to the h null alleles of fut1 and the se null alleles of fut2. therefore, most primate fut1-like and fut2-like genes potentially code for functional enzymes. the sec1-like gene encodes for a potentially functional alpha 2-f ...	2000	10723735
principal components analysis of distal humeral shape in pliocene to recent african hominids: the contribution of geometric morphometrics.	the shape of the distal humerus in homo, pan (p. paniscus and p. troglodytes), gorilla, and six australopithecines is compared using a geometric approach (procrustes superimposition of landmarks). fourteen landmarks are defined on the humerus in a two-dimensional space. principal components analysis (pca) is performed on all superimposed coordinates. i have chosen to discuss the precise place of knm-kp 271 variously assigned to australopithecus anamensis, homo sp., or praeanthropus africanus, in ...	2000	10727967
evidence that humans evolved from a knuckle-walking ancestor.	bipedalism has traditionally been regarded as the fundamental adaptation that sets hominids apart from other primates. fossil evidence demonstrates that by 4.1 million years ago, and perhaps earlier, hominids exhibited adaptations to bipedal walking. at present, however, the fossil record offers little information about the origin of bipedalism, and despite nearly a century of research on existing fossils and comparative anatomy, there is still no consensus concerning the mode of locomotion that ...	2000	10746723
full-genome sequence analyses of hepatitis b virus (hbv) strains recovered from chimpanzees infected in the wild: implications for an origin of hbv.	hepatitis b virus (hbv) belongs to the genus orthohepadnavirus of the family hepadnaviridae. having been found in various animals (duck, heron, woodchuck, ground squirrel, and primates), hepadnaviruses must have undergone a long history of evolution and may comprise more members than currently recognized. chimpanzees may also have their own hepadnavirus, even if it might be very close to hbv. we analyzed hbv-like sequences from three chimpanzees (pan troglodytes) that were most likely infected d ...	2000	10648183
rh gene evolution in primates: study of intron sequences.	by amplification and sequencing of rh gene intron 4 of various primates we demonstrate that an alu-sx-like element has been inserted in the rh gene of the common ancestor of humans, apes, old world monkeys, and new world monkeys. the study of mouse and lemur intron 4 sequences allowed us to precisely define the insertion point of the alu-sx element in intron 4 of the rh gene ancestor common to anthropoidea. like humans, chimpanzees and gorillas possess two types of rh intron 4, characterized by ...	2000	10666712
taxonomic and functional aspects of the patterning of enamel thickness distribution in extant large-bodied hominoids.	one of the few uncontested viewpoints in studies of enamel thickness is that the molars of the african apes, pan and gorilla, possess "thin" enamel, while pongo and modern humans possess varying degrees of "thick" enamel, even when interspecific differences in overall body or tooth size are taken into account. such studies focus primarily on estimates of the total volume of enamel relative to tooth size (i.e., "relative" enamel thickness), as this is thought to bear directly on questions concern ...	2000	10640949
obstetric management of a protracted labor in a captive western lowland gorilla.	this article discusses the cooperative efforts of a team of physicians and veterinarians resulting in the successful assisted vaginal delivery of a western lowland gorilla at the woodland park zoo in seattle, washington. a 10-year-old, captive-born female gorilla, gravida 3, para 0, aborta 2, was observed to be in labor at term after spontaneous rupture of membranes. after 36 hours of observation, she had not yet delivered her infant. a team of physicians and veterinarians intervened. after indu ...	2000	10871443
gene diversity of chimpanzee abo blood group genes elucidated from exon 7 sequences.	human and non-human primate abo blood group genes show relatively large numbers of nucleotide differences. in this study, we determined exon 7 sequences for 10 individuals of common chimpanzee and for four individuals of bonobo to estimate nucleotide diversities among them. sequence data showed the existence of chimpanzee specific 9-base deletion in the beginning of the exon 7 coding region. from a phylogenetic network of exon 7 sequences of abo blood group genes for human, common chimpanzee, bo ...	2000	11163964
cloning of serotonin 5-ht(1) receptor subtypes from the chimpanzee, gorilla and rhesus monkey and their agonist-induced guanosine 5'gamma(35)s triphosphate binding.	5-ht(1) receptor subtypes ((1b), (1d) and (1f)) have been implicated in migraine pathophysiology and their ligands have been examined for pharmacological actions in various experimental animal models. considerable divergences exist, however, in their primary sequences between experimental animals and human, and additional models closer to human, such as non-human primates seem to be useful for migraine research. earlier, we cloned the 5-ht(1d), and here 5-ht(1b) and 5-ht(1f) receptors from the c ...	2000	10675801
dna archives and our nearest relative: the trichotomy problem revisited.	ever since thomas h. huxley correctly identified the chimpanzee and the gorilla as the two closest relatives of the human, the problem of the relationship among the three species ("the trichotomy problem") has remained unresolved. comparative morphology and other classical methods of biological investigation have failed to answer definitively whether the chimpanzee or the gorilla is the closest relative of the human species. dna sequences, both mitochondrial and nuclear, too, have provided equiv ...	2000	10679159
evolution of rh genes in hominoids: characterization of a gorilla rhce-like gene.	the human rh locus is responsible for the expression of the rh blood group antigens. it consists of two closely linked genes, rhd and rhce, that exhibit 92% similarity between coding regions. these observations suggest that they are derived from a relatively recent duplication event. previously a study of nonhuman primate rh-like genes demonstrated that ancestral rh gene duplication occurred in the common ancestor of man, chimpanzees and gorillas. by amplification of intron 3 and intron 4 of gor ...	2000	10833045
alu-mediated phylogenetic novelties in gene regulation and development.	differential gene expression lies at the heart of biology and is responsible for all developmental processes, including the growth and differentiation of cells. perhaps even speciation could be defined as a change in differential gene expression over evolutionary time. the present work is a phylogenetic study of four alu elements known to have gene regulatory functions in the human. the four elements have been shown to regulate the parathyroid hormone (pth) gene via a negative calcium-response e ...	2000	10843848
gastrointestinal parasites of mountain gorillas (gorilla gorilla beringei) in the parc national des volcans, rwanda.	ninety-eight fecal samples were collected from 74 free-living mountain gorillas (gorilla gorilla beringei) from the parc national des volcans, rwanda, between july 1995 and january 1997 and examined for parasites by sheather's sugar and zinc sulfate flotation methods, trichrome staining, and larval cultures. all samples contained at least one parasite. seventeen endoparasites were identified, including eight protozoa, seven nematodes, one cestode, and one trematode. two species of arthropod mite ...	2000	11237138
field anesthesia of free-living mountain gorillas (gorilla gorilla beringei) from the virunga volcano region, central africa.	twenty-six anesthetic procedures involving 24 free-living mountain gorillas (gorilla gorilla beringei) from rwanda or the democratic republic of congo were performed between february 1987 and october 1997. sixteen procedures were performed to remove snares or to treat snare-related wounds, and four of the animals died without recovering consciousness because of their severe medical conditions. ketamine was used for induction 19 times, tiletamine/zolazepam was used five times, and the agent was n ...	2000	10884117
elliptical fourier analysis of symphyseal shape in great ape mandibles.	the midsagittal profile of the mandibular symphysis has served as both a taxonomic marker and a phylogenetically salient character in debates over hominoid evolution. nevertheless, the utility of symphyseal shape as an informative attribute for paleobiological reconstructions is suspect. quantification of shape variation has proven to be particularly problematic; it has long been recognized that conventional linear measurements (and the indices derived from them), while replicable, summarize asp ...	2000	10896813
reproductive monitoring of free-ranging female mountain gorillas by urinary hormone analysis.	frequent urine samples from three habituated free-ranging adult female mountain gorillas were collected during a four-week period in order to characterize, by analysis of urinary hormones, their ovarian cycle, and to diagnose pregnancy. a conceptive cycle and two cycles that did not result in full term pregnancy were monitored. behavioral and physiological observations of mating and labial swellings were correlated to urinary hormone results. mating occurred on days with elevated estrogens. labi ...	2000	10902670
infection of nonhuman primate cells by pig endogenous retrovirus.	the ongoing shortage of human donor organs for transplantation has catalyzed new interest in the application of pig organs (xenotransplantation). one of the biggest concerns about the transplantation of porcine grafts into humans is the transmission of pig endogenous retroviruses (perv) to the recipients or even to other members of the community. although nonhuman primate models are excellently suited to mimic clinical xenotransplantation settings, their value for risk assessment of perv transmi ...	2000	10906227
conservation in decay accelerating factor (daf) structure among primates.	the decay accelerating factor (daf, cd55) protects self cells from activation of autologous complement on their surfaces. it functions to disable the c3 convertases, the central amplification enzymes of the cascade. its active site(s) are contained within four approximately 60 amino acid long units, termed complement control protein repeats (ccps), which are suspended above the cell surface on a 68 amino acid long serine/threonine (s/t)-rich cushion that derives from three exons. we previously p ...	2000	10906393
unexpectedly similar rates of nucleotide substitution found in male and female hominids.	in 1947, it was suggested that, in humans, the mutation rate is dramatically higher in the male germ line than in the female germ line. this hypothesis has been supported by the observation that, among primates, y-linked genes evolved more rapidly than homologous x-linked genes. based on these evolutionary studies, the ratio (alpha(m)) of male to female mutation rates in primates was estimated to be about 5. however, selection could have skewed sequence evolution in introns and exons. in additio ...	2000	10949301
degenerative joint disease in african great apes: an evolutionary perspective.	degenerative joint disease is investigated in the spine and major peripheral joints (shoulder, elbow, hip and knee) in samples of chimpanzees (pan troglodytes schweinfurthii; p. troglodytes troglodytes), lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla), and bonobos (p. paniscus). the p. troglodytes schweinfurthii sample comes from gombe national park, tanzania, while the other samples are derived from museum materials originally collected in west/central africa. total data for african ape samples incl ...	2000	10968928
structural variations of the vwa locus in humans and comparison with non-human primates.	the humvwa locus was examined in 160 samples from the japanese population. a total of 142 fragments were sequenced, and the counterpart sequences were also determined in non-human primates. in humans, 10 different alleles were found; they could be grouped into seven allelic classes based on the total number of repeats. no variation was observed in the alleles 17, 18 and 19, which showed consensus sequence structures and in the allele 14, which showed a different structure. new variation was foun ...	2000	10978593
evaluation of a human immunometric assay for the determination of thyroid-stimulating hormone in nonhuman primates.	sera from nine species of clinically healthy nonhuman primates were assayed for t4 and thyroid-stimulating hormone (tsh) using human immunoassays (a fluorescence polarization immunoassay for t4, a microparticle enzyme immunoassay for tsh). the t4 levels ranged from 20 to 132 nmol/l (x +/- sd = 62.8 +/- 24.7 nmol/l). levels of tsh were detected only in western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) and sumatran orangutans (pongo pygmaeus abelii) (range, 0.4-10.8 miu/l; detectable limit = 0.01 ...	2000	10982149
cytochrome c oxidase assembly in primates is sensitive to small evolutionary variations in amino acid sequence.	respiring mitochondria require many interactions between nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. although mitochondrial dna (mtdna) from the gorilla and the chimpanzee are able to restore oxidative phosphorylation in a human cell, mtdnas from more distant primate species are functionally incompatible with human nuclear genes. using microcell-mediated chromosome and mitochondria transfer, we introduced and maintained a functional orangutan mtdna in a human nuclear background. however, partial oxidativ ...	2000	11018157
progressive inactivation of the haploid expressed gene for the sperm-specific endozepine-like peptide (elp) through primate evolution.	the endozepine-like peptide (elp) is a novel intracellular molecule which is expressed in high amounts at both mrna and protein levels very specifically in late haploid male germ cells. it is closely related to the ubiquitous acyl-coa binding protein, is highly conserved, shares a similar ability to bind mid-long chain acyl-coa, and is thus likely to be involved in mature sperm metabolism. while it has been characterized from diverse mammals, it has so far not been possible to identify an equiva ...	2000	11024294
evolution of the x-linked zinc finger gene and the y-linked zinc finger gene in primates.	we have sequenced the partial exon of the zinc finger genes (zfx and zfy) in 5 hominoids, 2 old world monkeys, 1 new world monkey, and 1 prosimian. among these primate species, the percentage similarities of the nucleotide sequence of the zfx gene were 96-100% and 91.2-99.7% for the zfy gene. of 397 sites in the zfx and zfy gene sequences, 20 for zfx gene and 42 for zfy gene were found to be variable. substitution causes 1 amino acid change in zfx, and 5 in zfy, among 132 amino acids. the number ...	2000	11101141
lack of mhc-g4 and soluble (g5, g6) isoforms in the higher primates, pongidae.	hla-g is a class ib (nonclassical) major histocompatibility complex (mhc) protein expressed at the materno-fetal interface that may inhibit natural killer (nk) cell-mediated lysis in an allotype-independent manner. the human mhc-g transcript is differentially spliced, giving rise to at least six different forms. in order to study the evolutionary importance of this phenomenon, the presence of alternative splicing in mhc-g mrna molecules from pongidae (chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan) has been ...	2000	11137222
[adaptations in reproduction and behavior of captive chimpanzees-- zoobiological and veterinary managements].	monitoring of renal lh-excretion, changes in genital tumescence and menses assesses reproductive status in zookept female chimpanzees. temporary detumescence of female sex skin in estrus is a reliable indicator for stress. assessment of female chimpanzee reproductive status relates to local and individual variation of cycle length and temporal correlation of investigated parameters. monitoring of neonate chimpanzee behavioural ontogeny is an essential tool of evaluating applied rearing methods s ...	2000	11143961
spontaneous discrimination of natural stimuli by chimpanzees (pan troglodytes).	six chimpanzees (pan troglodytes) were presented with pairs of color photographic images of 5 different categories of animals (cat, chimp, gorilla, tiger, fish). the subjects responded to each pair using symbols for "same" and "different." both within- and between-category discriminations were tested, and all chimpanzees classified the image pairs in accordance with the 5 experimenter-defined categories under conditions of nondifferential reinforcement. although previous studies have demonstrate ...	2000	11149543
the tyrosinase gene in gorillas and the albinism of 'snowflake'.	the sequence of the tyrosinase (tyr) gene coding tracts has been obtained for the gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla). the five exons of the gene were sequenced in three gorillas and in a normally pigmented human. the tyrosinase gene has been found to be a very conserved locus with a very low substitution rate. some nucleotide and amino acid differences were found between the gorilla and human tyrosinase coding sequences. one of the gorillas included in the study is the only known case of albinism ...	2000	11153699
chorionic villus sampling for sex determination in a western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla).	chorionic villus sampling was undertaken on an anesthetized gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla) to determine the fetal sex in the first trimester of pregnancy. the tissue samples were subject to sex determination by polymerase chain reaction, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and cell culture with cytogenetic analysis. polymerase chain reaction testing was found to be the most accurate and rapid method of sex determination on this tissue sample.	2000	11428402
management of reactive arthritis in a juvenile gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla) with long-term sulfasalazine therapy.	a juvenile western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla) experienced recurrent fever, lethargy, diarrhea, and/or arthritis starting at age 6 mo. during an episode at age 15 mo, shigella sp. was isolated from diarrheic feces. at age 41 mo, reactive arthritis was diagnosed. in addition, the gorilla's growth was retarded. all arthritic attacks were managed symptomatically prior to age 4 yr, at which time a severe episode precipitated the implementation of therapy with sulfasalazine, an arthriti ...	2000	11428403
multiplicities and some enzymatic characteristics of ape pepsinogens and pepsins.	pepsinogen levels in ape stomachs were comparable to those in macaques and significantly higher than those in the stomachs of other mammals, including carnivores and ruminants. the occurrence of multiple forms of pepsinogens was remarkable. nine, sixteen, eight, and fourteen pepsinogens were purified or partially purified from the gastric mucosa of a gibbon, orang-utan, gorilla, and chimpanzee, respectively. most of these were type-a pepsinogens, and only one type-c pepsinogen was identified in ...	2000	11168831
skeletal evidence of probable treponemal infection in free-ranging african apes.	the prevalence and patterning of inflammatory lesions of the skeleton were investigated in samples of chimpanzees (pan troglodytes troglodytes) and gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) curated at the powell-cotton museum, birchington, uk. one hundred and two chimpanzees (42 adults and 60 subadults) and 126 gorillas (50 adults and 76 subadults) comprise the samples. twenty per cent of chimpanzees and 14% of gorillas were affected with a disseminated inflammatory skeletal condition caused by infecti ...	2000	30545179
spatial memory and foraging competition in captive western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla).	spatial memory and foraging competition were investigated in three mother/offspring pairs of western lowland gorillas,gorilla gorilla gorilla, using a naturalistic foraging task at the toronto zoo. sixteen permanent food sites were placed throughout the animals' enclosures. all of the sites were baited and a pair of animals was free to visit the sites and collect the food. five of the subjects collected the food with accuracy better than chance. most of the subjects visited the sites using a pat ...	2000	30545167
genomic divergences between humans and other hominoids and the effective population size of the common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees.	to study the genomic divergences among hominoids and to estimate the effective population size of the common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees, we selected 53 autosomal intergenic nonrepetitive dna segments from the human genome and sequenced them in a human, a chimpanzee, a gorilla, and an orangutan. the average sequence divergence was only 1.24% +/- 0.07% for the human-chimpanzee pair, 1.62% +/- 0.08% for the human-gorilla pair, and 1.63% +/- 0.08% for the chimpanzee-gorilla pair. these estim ...	2001	11170892
great ape dna sequences reveal a reduced diversity and an expansion in humans.	the extent of dna sequence variation of chimpanzees is several-fold greater than that of humans. it is unclear, however, if humans or chimpanzees are exceptional among primates in having low and high amounts of dna sequence diversity, respectively. to address this, we have determined approximately 10,000 bp of noncoding dna sequences at xq13.3 (which has been extensively studied in both humans and chimpanzees) from 10 western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) and 1 mountain gorilla (gor ...	2001	11175781
gorillas with spondyloarthropathies express an mhc class i molecule with only limited sequence similarity to hla-b27 that binds peptides with arginine at p2.	the human mhc class i gene, hla-b27, is a strong risk factor for susceptibility to a group of disorders termed spondyloarthropathies (spas). hla-b27-transgenic rodents develop spas, implicating hla-b27 in the etiology of these disorders. several nonhuman primates, including gorillas, develop signs of spas indistinguishable from clinical signs of humans with spas. to determine whether spas in gorillas have a similar hla-b27-related etiology, we analyzed the mhc class i molecules expressed in four ...	2001	11207289
marketing vs. the 800-pound gorilla.		2001	11211412
[heterochronia via procrustean superimposition: application to the skulls of homonidae primates].	the procrustes superimposition method is well adapted to heterochronic studies in the field of evolutionary biology. 1) the procrustes method gives a precise and mathematical definition of two of the three heterochronic variables: size and shape. 2) it allows us to describe complex anatomical structures and thus to analyse the whole structure and not just to proceed trait by trait. 3) the approach is statistical and the different hypotheses and results may be statistically tested. 4) when applie ...	2001	11212506
human type i hair keratin pseudogene phihhaa has functional orthologs in the chimpanzee and gorilla: evidence for recent inactivation of the human gene after the pan-homo divergence.	in addition to nine functional genes, the human type i hair keratin gene cluster contains a pseudogene, phihhaa (krthap1), which is thought to have been inactivated by a single base-pair substitution that introduced a premature tga termination codon into exon 4. large-scale genotyping of human, chimpanzee, and gorilla dnas revealed the homozygous presence of the phihhaa nonsense mutation in humans of different ethnic backgrounds, but its absence in the functional orthologous chimpanzee (chaa) an ...	2001	11214905
asymmetric broca's area in great apes.	brodmann's area 44 delineates part of broca's area within the inferior frontal gyrus of the human brain and is a critical region for speech production, being larger in the left hemisphere than in the right - an asymmetry that has been correlated with language dominance. here we show that there is a similar asymmetry in this area, also with left-hemisphere dominance, in three great ape species (pan troglodytes, pan paniscus and gorilla gorilla). our findings suggest that the neuroanatomical subst ...	2001	11734839
primate molar crown formation times and life history evolution revisited.	comparative studies have convincingly demonstrated that the pattern and timing of tooth emergence are highly correlated with life-history variables and brain size. conversely, a firm relationship between molar formation time and life-history variables has not yet been established. it seems counterintuitive that one aspect of dental development should be correlated with life-history variables, whereas the other should not. in order to shed light on this apparent discrepancy this study analyzed al ...	2001	11748692
hyperkeratotic mange caused by sarcoptes scabiei (acariformes: sarcoptidae) in juvenile human-habituated mountain gorillas (gorilla gorilla beringei).	to facilitate ecotourism and behavioral research, free-ranging mountain gorillas (gorilla gorilla beringei) have been habituated to humans. during routine health monitoring, five juvenile gorillas were observed with active crusted dermatitis and alopecia. papular and vesicular lesions and crusts with papular eruption and oozing were numerous and disseminated over the body of one gorilla with a confirmed infestation of scabies. in this gorilla, the hyperkeratotic crusts were loose and thick with ...	2001	11763433
hand preference for food processing in wild western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla).	western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) have not previously been represented in studies of laterality in wild great apes. the discovery of swampy clearings frequented by gorillas in northern congo has provided the first opportunity to redress this imbalance. hand preference data are presented from 33 gorillas in seated and standing postures, covering the procurement and processing of 2 to 4 plant species. levels of hand preference exhibited were low. when data from all postures and pl ...	2001	11824899
human and ape molecular clocks and constraints on paleontological hypotheses.	although the relationships of the living hominoid primates (humans and apes) are well known, the relationships of the fossil species, times of divergence of both living and fossil species, and the biogeographic history of hominoids are not well established. divergence times of living species, estimated from molecular clocks, have the potential to constrain hypotheses of the relationships of fossil species. in this study, new dna sequences from nine protein-coding nuclear genes in great apes are ...	2001	11948213
modern african ape populations as genetic and demographic models of the last common ancestor of humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas.	in order to fully understand human evolutionary history through the use of molecular data, it is essential to include our closest relatives as a comparison. we provide here estimates of nucleotide diversity and effective population size of modern african ape species using data from several independent noncoding nuclear loci, and use these estimates to make predictions about the nature of the ancestral population that eventually gave rise to the living species of african apes, including humans. c ...	2001	11948214
mitochondrial 16s rrna sequence diversity of hominoids.	we determined nucleotide sequences of the 16s rrna gene of mitochondrial dna (mtdna) (about 1.6 kb) for 35 chimpanzee, 13 bonobo, 10 gorilla, 16 orangutan, and 23 gibbon individuals. we compared those data with published sequences and estimated nucleotide diversity for each species. all the ape species showed higher diversity than human. we also constructed phylogenetic trees and networks. the two orangutan subspecies were clearly separated from each other, and sumatran orangutans showed much hi ...	2001	11948216
phylogenetic analysis of the friedreich ataxia gaa trinucleotide repeat.	friedreich ataxia is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder associated with a gaa repeat expansion in the first intron of the gene (frda) encoding a novel, highly conserved, 210 amino acid protein known as frataxin. normal variation in repeat size was determined by analysis of more than 600 dna samples from seven human populations. this analysis showed that the most frequent allele had nine gaa repeats, and no alleles with fewer than five gaa repeats were found. the european and syria ...	2001	11428460
human identification from forensic materials by amplification of a human-specific sequence in the myoglobin gene.	we developed a method for human identification of forensic biological materials by pcr-based detection of a human-specific sequence in exon 3 of the myoglobin gene. this human-specific dna sequence was deduced from differences in the amino acid sequences of myoglobins between humans and other animal species. the new method enabled amplification of the target dna fragment from 30 samples of human dna, and the amplified sequences were identical with that already reported. using this method, we wer ...	2001	11434430
the evolutionary chromosome translocation 4;19 in gorilla gorilla is associated with microduplication of the chromosome fragment syntenic to sequences surrounding the human proximal cmt1a-rep.	many genomic disorders occur as a result of chromosome rearrangements involving low-copy repeats (lcrs). to better understand the molecular basis of chromosome rearrangements, including translocations, we have investigated the mechanism of evolutionary rearrangements. in contrast to several intrachromosomal rearrangements, only two evolutionary translocations have been identified by cytogenetic analyses of humans and greater apes. human chromosome 2 arose as a result of a telomeric fusion betwee ...	2001	11435402
global analysis of atm polymorphism reveals significant functional constraint.	atm, the gene that is mutated in ataxia-telangiectasia, is associated with cerebellar degeneration, abnormal proliferation of small blood vessels, and cancer. these clinically important manifestations have stimulated interest in defining the sequence variation in the atm gene. therefore, we undertook a comprehensive survey of sequence variation in atm in diverse human populations. the protein-encoding exons of the gene (9,168 bp) and the adjacent intron and untranslated sequences (14,661 bp) wer ...	2001	11443540
human intrachromosomal telomeric-like repeats: sequence organization and mechanisms of origin.	the intrachromosomal location of (t2ag3)n telomeric sequences has been reported in several species. it was proposed that interstitial telomeres (its) originated through telomeric fusion of ancestral chromosomes. however, the data so far obtained derive mainly from cytogenetic observations. cloning and database searching of human it sequences allowed us to identify three classes: (i) short its, composed of few, essentially exact t2ag3 units; (ii) subtelomeric its, composed of larger arrays (sever ...	2001	11453557
human dna sequence variation in a 6.6-kb region containing the melanocortin 1 receptor promoter.	an approximately 6.6-kb region located upstream from the melanocortin 1 receptor (mc1r) gene and containing its promoter was sequenced in 54 humans (18 africans, 18 asians, and 18 europeans) and in one chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan. seventy-six polymorphic sites were found among the human sequences and the average nucleotide diversity (pi) was 0.141%, one of the highest among all studies of nuclear sequence variation in humans. opposite to the pattern observed in the mc1r coding region, in ...	2001	11454772
sequence variation within the fragile x locus.	the human genome provides a reference sequence, which is a template for resequencing studies that aim to discover and interpret the record of common ancestry that exists in extant genomes. to understand the nature and pattern of variation and linkage disequilibrium comprising this history, we present a study of approximately 31 kb spanning an approximately 70 kb region of fmr1, sequenced in a sample of 20 humans (worldwide sample) and four great apes (chimp, bonobo, and gorilla). twenty-five pol ...	2001	11483579
management of hepatitis b virus infections in two gibbons and a western lowland gorilla in a zoological collection.	since 1996, three primates newly arrived at london zoo have been found to be infected with hepatitis b virus. the species involved were white-cheeked gibbons (hylobates leucogenys leucogenys and hylobates leucogenys siki) and a western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla). the protocols for the practical management of these cases, including the immunisation of susceptible non-human primates and the staff with recombinant hepatitis b vaccine are described, and the origin and evolution of hep ...	2001	11504202
identification of paralogous herv-k ltrs on human chromosomes 3, 4, 7 and 11 in regions containing clusters of olfactory receptor genes.	a locus harboring a human endogenous retroviral ltr (long terminal repeat) was mapped on the short arm of human chromosome 7 (7p22), and its evolutionary history was investigated. sequences of two human genome fragments that were homologous to the ltr-flanking sequences were found in human genome databases: (1) an ltr-containing dna fragment from region 3p13 of the human genome, which includes clusters of olfactory receptor genes and pseudogenes; and (2) a fragment of region 21q22.1 lacking ltr ...	2001	11523799
reconstruction of the female gorilla gorilla karyotype using 25-color fish and multicolor banding (mcb).	the origin of the human and great ape chromosomes has been studied by comparative chromosome banding analysis and, more recently, by fluorescence in situ hybridization (fish), using human whole-chromosome painting probes. it is not always possible, however, to determine the exact breakpoints and distribution or orientation of specific dna regions using these techniques. to overcome this problem, the recently developed multicolor banding (mcb) probe set for all human chromosomes was applied in th ...	2001	11528119
alpha-satellite dna of primates: old and new families.	in this report we review alpha-satellite dna (as) sequence data to support the following proposed scenario of as evolution. centromeric regions of lower primate chromosomes have solely "old" as based on type a monomeric units. type a as is efficiently homogenized throughout the whole genome and is nearly identical in all chromosomes. in the ancestors of great apes, a divergent variant of the type a monomer acquired the ability to bind cenp-b protein and expanded in the old arrays, mixing irregul ...	2001	11534817
craniodental variation in paranthropus boisei: a developmental and functional perspective.	what levels and patterns of craniodental variation among a fossil hypodigm are necessary to reject the null hypothesis that only a single species is sampled? we suggest how developmental and functional criteria can be used to predict where in the skeleton of fossil hominins we should expect more, or less, within-species variation. we present and test three hypotheses about the factors contributing to craniodental variation in extant primate taxa, and then apply these results to the interpretatio ...	2001	11536113
neuroanatomical localization of the motor hand area with magnetic resonance imaging: the left hemisphere is larger in great apes.	magnetic resonance images of the brain were obtained from 2 gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla), 4 orangutans (pongo pygmaeus), 14 chimpanzees (pan troglodytes), and 4 bonobos (pan paniscus). the region on the motor cortex of humans identified as responsible for motor skill of the hand (the "knob") was identified in this sample on consecutive 1-mm axial scans. the shape of the knob area was traced on each scan from both hemispheres, and the area from all scans was summed to calculate the knob vol ...	2001	11584929
species-specific evolution of repeated dna sequences in great apes.	dna sequencing reveals that the genomes of the human, gorilla and chimpanzee share more than 98% homology. comparative chromosome painting and gene mapping have demonstrated that only a few rearrangements of a putative ancestral mammalian genome occurred during great ape and human evolution. however, interspecies representational difference analysis (rda) of the gorilla between human and gorilla revealed gorilla-specific dna sequences. cloning and sequencing of gorilla-specific dna sequences ind ...	2001	11592477
imitative learning by captive western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) in a simulated food-processing task.	although field studies have suggested the existence of cultural transmission of foraging techniques in primates, identification of transmission mechanisms has remained elusive. to test experimentally for evidence of imitation in the current study, we exposed gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) to an artificial fruit foraging task designed by a. whiten and d. m. custance (1996). gorillas (n=6) watched a human model remove a series of 3 defenses around a fruit. each of the defenses was removed usin ...	2001	11594496
enamel hypoplasia in the deciduous teeth of great apes: variation in prevalence and timing of defects.	the prevalence of enamel hypoplasia in the deciduous teeth of great apes has the potential to reveal episodes of physiological stress in early stages of ontogenetic development. however, little is known about enamel defects of deciduous teeth in great apes. unresolved questions addressed in this study are: do hypoplastic enamel defects occur with equal frequency in different groups of great apes? are enamel hypoplasias more prevalent in the deciduous teeth of male or female apes? during what pha ...	2001	11595999
carriage of infants by a silverback mountain gorilla.		2001	11713412
peripartum sex steroid profiles and endocrine correlates of postpartum maternal behavior in captive gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla).	an association between pregnancy levels of estrogen and progesterone and maternal behavior has been demonstrated in several taxonomic orders of nonprimate and primate mammals, but has not so far been investigated in the gorilla. in this study we investigated whether prepartum titers of urinary estrone conjugates (e1c) or pregnanediol-3alpha-glucuronide (pdg) were related to postpartum maternal behavior in eight multiparous western lowland gorilla females (gorilla gorilla gorilla) housed in four ...	2001	11716583
trisomy 17 in a bonobo (pan paniscus) and deletion of 3q in a lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla): comparison with human trisomy 18 and human deletion 4q syndrome.	a female bonobo (pan paniscus) born at the san diego zoo exhibited inability to nurse and progressive weakness plus multiple congenital abnormalities including aural canal atresia and stenosis, malformed auricles, clenched hands, lordosis, agenesis of the caudal vertebra and cardiac abnormalities. chromosome analysis identified the bonobo as being trisomic for chromosome 17, the homolog of human chromosome 18. genotyping with human microsatellites suggested the extra chromosome was maternal in o ...	2001	12063404
global patterns of human dna sequence variation in a 10-kb region on chromosome 1.	human dna variation is currently a subject of intense research because of its importance for studying human origins, evolution, and demographic history and for association studies of complex diseases. a approximately 10-kb region on chromosome 1, which contains only four small exons (each <155 bp), was sequenced for 61 humans (20 africans, 20 asians, and 21 europeans) and for 1 chimpanzee, 1 gorilla, and 1 orangutan. we found 52 polymorphic sites among the 122 human sequences and 382 variant sit ...	2001	11158380
catarrhine phylogeny: noncoding dna evidence for a diphyletic origin of the mangabeys and for a human-chimpanzee clade.	maximum-parsimony and maximum-likelihood analyses of two of the serum albumin gene's intron sequences from 24 catarrhines (17 cercopithecid and 7 hominid) and 3 platyrrhines (an outgroup to the catarrhines) yielded results on catarrhine phylogeny that are congruent with those obtained with noncoding sequences of the gamma(1)-gamma(2) globin gene genomic region, using only those flanking and intergenic gamma sequences that in their history were not involved in gene conversion. a data set that com ...	2001	11161738
prefrontal cortex in humans and apes: a comparative study of area 10.	area 10 is one of the cortical areas of the frontal lobe involved in higher cognitive functions such as the undertaking of initiatives and the planning of future actions. it is known to form the frontal pole of the macaque and human brain, but its presence and organization in the great and lesser apes remain unclear. it is here documented that area 10 also forms the frontal pole of chimpanzee, bonobo, orangutan, and gibbon brains. imaging techniques and stereological tools are used to characteri ...	2001	11241188
corticotropin-releasing hormone-binding protein in primates.	in humans, placental corticotropin-releasing hormone (crh) production has been linked to the determination of gestational length, and a late gestational fall in crh-binding protein (crh-bp) has been linked to the onset of parturition. expression of placental crh mrna is limited to primates, and only in man has a circulating crh-bp been described. as the fall in crh-bp in late gestation has been associated with parturition in humans, we sought to determine whether a crh-bp circulated in the plasm ...	2001	11253847
the 800-pound gorilla returns. healthcare spending rising sharply again; new federal cuts foreseen.		2001	11261379
campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, and shigellosis in free-ranging human-habituated mountain gorillas of uganda.	for conservation purposes and due to growing ecotourism, free-ranging mountain gorillas (gorilla gorilla beringei) have been habituated to humans. fecal specimens (n = 62) collected in january 1999 from mountain gorillas of the bwindi and mgahinga national parks, uganda, were tested for campylobacter spp., salmonella spp., and shigella spp., and the overall prevalence of infection was 19%, 13%, and 6%, respectively. the prevalence of positive specimens was not related to the year of habituation ...	2001	11310873
a preliminary behavioral comparison of two captive all-male gorilla groups.	gorillas live in polygamous harem groups, generally composed of one male, several adult females, and their offspring. with an equal numbers of male and female gorillas born in captivity, however, housing gorillas in social breeding units inevitably means that some males will not have access to female social partners. thus, the future of the captive gorilla population depends on the collective ability of zoos to house equal numbers of males and females. this study examined the behavioral profiles ...	2001	11319778
senile plaques in an aged western lowland gorilla.	senile plaques (sps) were found in the cerebral cortex of a 44-year-old western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla). all the sps were obtained as dense assemblies consisting of fibrous materials by silver impregnation, but were not detected by congo red. more sps were detected by immunostaining for amyloid beta protein (a beta) and a half of a beta-positive-sps were also immunoreactive for apolipoprotein e. moreover, all sps were immunoreactive for a beta 42 and a beta 43, but not for a be ...	2001	11326427
sequence variation in humans and other primates at six short tandem repeat loci used in forensic identity testing.	a large number of alleles from the six different short tandem repeat (str) loci fga, d3s1358, vwa, csf1po, tpox and th01, used in human identity testing were sequenced to provide support for the robustness of fluorescent str dna typing by allele size. sequence information for some of these loci (fga, vwa, th01) is an extension of published work, whereas no extensive sequence information is available with respect to the d3s1358, csf1po, and tpox loci. sequencing of alleles at each locus has provi ...	2001	11348787
human genetic disorders, a phylogenetic perspective.	when viewed from the perspective of time, human genetic disorders give new insights into their etiology and evolution. here, we have correlated a specific set of alu repetitive dna elements, known to be the basis of certain genetic defects, with their phylogenetic roots in primate evolution. from a differential distribution of alu repeats among primate species, we identify the phylogenetic roots of three human genetic diseases involving the lpl, apob, and hprt genes. the different phylogenetic a ...	2001	11350162
a herv-k provirus in chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas, but not humans.	evidence from dna sequencing studies strongly indicated that humans and chimpanzees are more closely related to each other than either is to gorillas [1-4]. however, precise details of the nature of the evolutionary separation of the lineage leading to humans from those leading to the african great apes have remained uncertain. the unique insertion sites of endogenous retroviruses, like those of other transposable genetic elements, should be useful for resolving phylogenetic relationships among ...	2001	11378389
sequence variability of a human pseudogene.	we have obtained haplotypes from the autosomal glucocerebrosidase pseudogene (psgba) for 100 human chromosomes from worldwide populations, as well as for four chimpanzee and four gorilla chromosomes. in humans, in a 5420-nucleotide stretch analyzed, variation comprises 17 substitutions, a 3-bp deletion, and a length polymorphism at a polyadenine tract. the substitution rate on the pseudogene (1.23 +/- 0.22 x 10(-9) per nucleotide and year) is within the range of previous estimates considering ph ...	2001	11381033
individual variation in the growth of captive infant gorillas.	serial anthropometric data were obtained during the first year of life of six nursery-reared infant gorillas in the columbus (ohio) zoo. two of the infants are likely to be monozygotic twins as determined by dna analysis. growth curves were fitted to serial measures of cephalo-thoracic-abdominal length, arm length, leg length, head circumference, upper arm circumference, and weight from each gorilla, to describe individual patterns of variation in skeletal growth and body composition. growth in ...	2001	11385599
testing the taxonomic integrity of paranthropus boisei sensu stricto.	the craniodental hypodigm of paranthropus boisei sensu stricto is morphologically distinctive, but it has been suggested that the substantial variation in mandibular and dental size in that hypodigm may exceed that which is reasonable to subsume within a single hominin species. in this study, fligner and killeen, coefficient of variation (cv)-based and average taxonomic distance (atd)-based bootstrap tests, were used to compare variation in size and shape of the mandibular corpus remains attribu ...	2001	11385603
cryptosporidium parvum genotype 2 infections in free-ranging mountain gorillas (gorilla gorilla beringei) of the bwindi impenetrable national park, uganda.	for behavioral research and due to growing ecotourism, some populations of free-ranging mountain gorillas (gorilla gorilla beringei) have become habituated to humans. molecular analysis of two cryptosporidium sp. oocyst isolates originating from two human-habituated gorilla groups and two oocyst isolates from non-habituated gorillas yielded positive identification of c. parvum genotype 2 (g2; i.e., "cattle", "animal-adapted", or "zoonotic"). as g2 is cross-transmissible between humans and animal ...	2001	11403378
ontogeny of canine dimorphism in extant hominoids.	many behavioral and ecological factors influence the degree of expression of canine dimorphism for different reasons. regardless of its socioecological importance, we know virtually nothing about the processes responsible for the development of canine dimorphism. our aim here is to describe the developmental process(es) regulating canine dimorphism in extant hominoids, using histological markers of tooth growth. teeth preserve a permanent record of their ontogeny in the form of short- and long-p ...	2001	11424078
comparative expression of hedonic impact: affective reactions to taste by human infants and other primates.	this study examines behavioral affective reactions elicited by tastes from eight newborn human infants, and from 27 other infant or adult primates. non-human primates belonged to 11 species: three great apes (chimpanzee, orangutan, gorilla), three old world monkeys (rhesus monkey, greater spot-nosed monkey, and red-capped mangabey), four new world monkeys (golden-handed tamarin, cotton-top tamarin, white tufted-ear marmoset, and humboldt's night monkey), and one lemur (mongoose lemur). the taste ...	2001	11166078
where does a gorilla sleep?		2001	11982279
saving the gorillas (gorilla g. gorilla) and chimpanzees (pan t. troglodytes) of the congo basin.	the forests of the congo basin in equatorial africa are home to significant populations of gorillas and chimpanzees. however, numbers are declining owing to hunting and to alteration of their habitat. gorillas and chimpanzees are particularly vulnerable for biological reasons: slow reproduction, prolonged developmental periods and complex social behaviour. in addition, their capacity to recover from disturbance is limited and the reinforcement of wild populations with captive-born individuals is ...	2001	11999296
rectal prolapse in a free-ranging mountain gorilla (gorilla beringei beringei): clinical presentation and surgical management.	a juvenile female mountain gorilla (gorilla beringei beringei) of the mubare tourist group in bwindi impenetrable national park, uganda, developed a severe, complete rectal prolapse that did not spontaneously resolve. eight months prior, a juvenile female mountain gorilla of the mubare group developed a mild, complete rectal prolapse that resolved spontaneously within 24 hr. field guides reported that spontaneously resolving prolapses had been seen previously in two other juveniles, one of which ...	2001	12785708
detection of virus-like particles in the liver of black and white ruffed lemurs with hepatitis.	two young black and white ruffed lemurs (varecia variegata variegata) died at the san diego zoo (san diego, california, usa) with extensive liver lesions suggestive of acute viral infection. immunoassays performed to detect hepatitis b virus (hbv) markers were negative. polymerase chain reaction (pcr) primers overlapping the hbv core gene produced an amplicon of approximately 411 base pairs (bp) from serum dna of a hbv-positive western lowland gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla) but not from serum ...	2002	12038123
palaeoenvironments and hominoid evolution.	one of the key features that separates humans and their closest relatives (extinct species of the genus homo and praeanthropus and the australopithecines australopithecus and paranthropus) on the one hand, from the other hominoids, on the other, is their obligate bipedal locomotion when on the ground. this major difference from the generally quadrupedal locomotion practiced by other hominoids (pan, gorilla, pongo and many extinct lineages) is reflected in many parts of the body, including all th ...	2002	12050903
kinematics and ontogeny of locomotion in monkeys and human babies.	early ontogenetic stages are often assumed to reflect or to be similar to past phylogenetic stages within the evolution of man. therefore, as a first step, the quadrupedal crawling locomotion of human children was analysed and compared to the quadrupedal walk of macaca fascicularis. the movements of the human child were not only more irregular, they differed from the walk of the monkey mainly through extraordinarily short swing phases, and also through strong scoliotic movements of the spine. th ...	2002	12050907
quantifying temporal bone morphology of great apes and humans: an approach using geometric morphometrics.	the hominid temporal bone offers a complex array of morphology that is linked to several different functional systems. its frequent preservation in the fossil record gives the temporal bone added significance in the study of human evolution, but its morphology has proven difficult to quantify. in this study we use techniques of 3d geometric morphometrics to quantify differences among humans and great apes and discuss the results in a phylogenetic context. twenty-three landmarks on the ectocrania ...	2002	12489757
natural concepts in a juvenile gorilla (gorilla gorilla gorilla) at three levels of abstraction.	the extent to which nonhumans are able to form conceptual versus perceptual discriminations remains a matter of debate. among the great apes, only chimpanzees have been tested for conceptual understanding, defined as the ability to form discriminations not based solely on simple perceptual features of stimuli, and to transfer this learning to novel stimuli. in the present investigation, a young captive female gorilla was trained at three levels of abstraction (concrete, intermediate, and abstrac ...	2002	12507006
likelihood and bayes estimation of ancestral population sizes in hominoids using data from multiple loci.	polymorphisms in an ancestral population can cause conflicts between gene trees and the species tree. such conflicts can be used to estimate ancestral population sizes when data from multiple loci are available. in this article i extend previous work for estimating ancestral population sizes to analyze sequence data from three species under a finite-site nucleotide substitution model. both maximum-likelihood (ml) and bayes methods are implemented for joint estimation of the two speciation dates ...	2002	12524351