Acquisition of Major Research Instrumentation for Expanding Genetic Databases in Comparative Primatology

在国家科学基金会重大研究仪器奖的支持下，圣地亚哥动物学会将通过其濒危物种保护和研究(CRES)设施获得两个主要研究仪器。这些仪器、一个自动DNA分析仪(用于确定DNA序列和分析DNA变异性)和一个专门配备用于荧光原位杂交(FISH-一种可以识别DNA序列在染色体上的位置的程序)的显微镜工作站将设在最近建造的Arnold和Mabel Beckman保护研究中心，该中心位于加利福尼亚州埃斯孔迪多的圣地亚哥野生动物园。即将开展的研究将提供有关灵长类和其他哺乳动物染色体的结构、组织和进化的新信息，并检测灵长类染色体中的染色体异常。原产于亚洲的食叶猴子，例如袋鼠、大猩猩和新大陆灵长类动物，将是这些研究的具体对象。将分析来自各种灵长类物种的细胞核和细胞线粒体的DNA序列，以扩大对灵长类动物进化关系的理解，并提供可用于其他科学研究的分子文献，以确认DNA样本相对于其起源物种的正确识别。CRES是圣地亚哥动物学会的多学科研究和保护分支机构，该协会是一家非营利性公司。CRES通过世界各地的实验室研究、实地计划和应用保护项目，积极从事以保护为导向的研究。CRES参与了本科生、研究生、博士后和访问科学家的培训。基因特征将利用从动物学会冷冻动物园的组织培养中获得的染色体和DNA进行。冰雪动物园有144多个灵长类动物，即将进行的研究可以大大增加现有数据。DNA微卫星座位的变异分析可用于灵长类种群的亲缘关系和人口学研究。凭借我们收集的大量西部低地大猩猩样本，我们可以利用该奖项提供的设备和冰冻动物园的遗传资源，提供迄今为该物种收集的微卫星遗传多样性的最详细描述。使用所要求的显微镜系统，研究人员将利用FISH进行研究，以检查片段复制和着丝粒重新定位，这些重新排列已被证明是人类和其他灵长类染色体进化中的重大事件。目前正在努力通过NSF支持的IPBIR(综合灵长类生物材料和信息资源)向更广泛的研究界提供高质量的DNA和其他灵长类资源。我们的研究活动产生的数据将通过记录样本来加强IPBIR。这项研究还延伸到灵长类基因组的结构、变异和进化的基础比较研究。不幸的是，目前约有30%的灵长类物种濒临灭绝，这使得拟议的研究也与保护工作相关。参与这一令人兴奋的科学研究领域的机会将是吸引各种背景的学生的一个因素。我们的教育推广计划以及与当地学校和大学的合作伙伴关系将使更多来自代表性不足群体的学生能够利用CRES的新设施，参与以保护为导向的新一代科学研究。

With support from a National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation Award, the Zoological Society of San Diego, through its Conservation and Research for Endangered Species (CRES) facility will acquire two major pieces of research instrumentation. The instruments, an automated DNA analyzer (for determining DNA sequences and analyzing DNA variability) and a microscopy work station specially equipped for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH - a procedure allowing the identification of the location of DNA sequences on chromosomes) will be located at the recently constructed Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center for Conservation Research located at the San Diego Wild Animal Park in Escondido, California. The studies to be undertaken will provide new information about the structure, organization and evolution of primate and other mammalian chromosomes and to detect chromosomal abnormalities in primate chromosomes. Leaf-eating monkeys native to Asia, e.g., colobines, gorillas and New World primates will be specific subjects of these studies. DNA sequences from the nucleus and cellular mitochondria will be analyzed from a variety of primate species to broaden the understanding of the evolutionary relationships of primates and to provide molecular documentation that may be used in other scientific studies to confirm that DNA samples are correctly identified with respect to their species of origin. CRES is the multidisciplinary research and conservation branch of the Zoological Society of San Diego, a non-profit corporation. CRES actively engages in conservation-oriented research through laboratory studies, field programs, and applied conservation projects around the world. CRES is involved in the training of undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral and visiting scientists. Genetic characterization will be undertaken utilizing chromosomes and DNA obtained from tissue cultures that are part of the Zoological Society's Frozen Zoo. With over 144 primate taxa in the Frozen Zoo, the research to be undertaken can add significantly to existing data. Analysis of variation of DNA microsatellite loci can be used for kinship and demographic history studies in primate populations. With our large collection of western lowland gorilla samples, we can provide the most detailed description of microsatellite genetic diversity yet assembled for this species utilizing the equipment provided by this award and the genetic resources of the Frozen Zoo. Using the requested microscopy system the researchers will undertake studies utilizing FISH to examine segmental duplications and centromere repositioning, rearrangements that have been shown to be significant events in the chromosomal evolution of humans and other primates. Efforts are underway to make high quality DNA and other primate resources available to the broader research community through the NSF-supported IPBIR (Integrated Primate Biomaterials and Information Resource). Data produced by our research activities will strengthen the IPBIR through documentation of samples. This research also extends to fundamental comparative studies of the structure, variation, and evolution of primate genomes. Unfortunately, approximately 30% of primate species are currently endangered, making the proposed research also relevant to conservation efforts. Opportunities to participate in this exciting area of scientific study will be a factor attracting students of all backgrounds. Our educational outreach programs and partnerships with local schools and universities will allow increasing numbers of students from under represented groups to take advantage of the new facilities at CRES, engaging a new generation in conservation-oriented scientific research.