Tracing the origins of rescued chimpanzees reveals widespread chimpanzee hunting in Cameroon

An analysis of mtDNA sequences and microsatellite loci in chimpanzees from the Limbe Wildlife Centre in Cameroon reveals the widespread presence of chimpanzee hunting within the country

Highly Punctuated Patterns of Population Structure on the X Chromosome and Implications for African Evolutionary History

87% of X-linked HapMap SNPs within the top 1% of FST values cluster into five distinct loci; analyses and resequencing data suggest that these five regions have been substrates of recent and strong adaptive evolution. Evolutionary implications are discussed.

An explicit signature of balancing selection for color-vision variation in new world monkeys

Using fecal DNA, the authors were able to sequence the L-M (red-green) opsin gene in wild spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) and capuchins (Cebus capucinus). They found that these populations showed greater polymorphism in this gene than other DNA reference points, providing evidence that balancing selection is acting on color vision in New World primates.

Transcription factors guide differences in human and chimp brain function

Kipungi Hybridization Revisited

Recently, two simultaneous studies came to the conclusion that the close relationship of Rungwecebus kipungi to Papio (based on mitochondrial DNA) suggest a hybrid history for the genus/species. Burell et al. 2009 suggest that the kipungi was the result of hybridization between male mangabeys (probably Lophocebus) and female baboons. Zinner et al. 2009, on the other hand, suggest the possibility that the kipungi is a basal member of the Papio clade and fairly recently (until 0.35 million years ago) male kipungis were breeding with female baboons. In this study, Roberts and colleagues include DNA from a separate population of kipungis and find that only one population shows signs of hybridization, suggesting that the originally sampled population did, in fact, hybridize as Zinner and colleagues suggested. However, the newly sampled population shows no signs of hybridization, suggesting that the origins of kipungis were not results of mangabey/baboon hybridization.

A common variation in EDAR is a genetic determinant of shovel-shaped incisors

The association of EDAR 1540C with dental morphology is investigated, and the study indicates that the number of EDAR 1540C alleles is correlated with tooth-shoveling grade. Read all about it!

Global Microsatellite Content Distiguishes Humans, Primates, Animals and Plants

Galindo and colleagues show that global microsatellite content varies predictably by species, with most major differences occurring in developmental regions. Though further study is needed, they suggest that it might be fruitful to look at how global microsatellite content relates to different phenotypes.