Gibbon genome and the fast karyotype evolution of small apes.

Nature
Authors
Keywords
Abstract

Gibbons are small arboreal apes that display an accelerated rate of evolutionary chromosomal rearrangement and occupy a key node in the primate phylogeny between Old World monkeys and great apes. Here we present the assembly and analysis of a northern white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) genome. We describe the propensity for a gibbon-specific retrotransposon (LAVA) to insert into chromosome segregation genes and alter transcription by providing a premature termination site, suggesting a possible molecular mechanism for the genome plasticity of the gibbon lineage. We further show that the gibbon genera (Nomascus, Hylobates, Hoolock and Symphalangus) experienced a near-instantaneous radiation ∼5 million years ago, coincident with major geographical changes in southeast Asia that caused cycles of habitat compression and expansion. Finally, we identify signatures of positive selection in genes important for forelimb development (TBX5) and connective tissues (COL1A1) that may have been involved in the adaptation of gibbons to their arboreal habitat.

Year of Publication
2014
Journal
Nature
Volume
513
Issue
7517
Pages
195-201
Date Published
2014 Sep 11
ISSN
1476-4687
URL
DOI
10.1038/nature13679
PubMed ID
25209798
PubMed Central ID
PMC4249732
Links
Grant list
R01 MH081203 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
WT095908 / Wellcome Trust / United Kingdom
U54HG003273 / HG / NHGRI NIH HHS / United States
R01 HG005226 / HG / NHGRI NIH HHS / United States
260372 / European Research Council / International
P30CA006973 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
P30 CA006973 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
P51 RR000163 / RR / NCRR NIH HHS / United States
U41 HG007497 / HG / NHGRI NIH HHS / United States
WT098051 / Wellcome Trust / United Kingdom
U54 HG003273 / HG / NHGRI NIH HHS / United States
U41 HG007234 / HG / NHGRI NIH HHS / United States
P30 AA019355 / AA / NIAAA NIH HHS / United States
HG002385 / HG / NHGRI NIH HHS / United States
R01 HG002939 / HG / NHGRI NIH HHS / United States
R01 GM59290 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States
R01 GM059290 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States
095908 / Wellcome Trust / United Kingdom
15603 / Cancer Research UK / United Kingdom
Howard Hughes Medical Institute / United States
U54 HG003079 / HG / NHGRI NIH HHS / United States
T15 LM007088 / LM / NLM NIH HHS / United States
R01 HG002385 / HG / NHGRI NIH HHS / United States
U41HG007234 / HG / NHGRI NIH HHS / United States
R01_HG005226 / HG / NHGRI NIH HHS / United States
U41 HG007497-01 / HG / NHGRI NIH HHS / United States