DNA Fingerprinting and Paternity Assessment in Non-Human Primates

基因组(有机体中所有基因的总和)比十年前或二十年前认为的要多变得多。这种可变性导致了对基因座的测试，以确定那些显示大量等位基因的基因，这些等位基因中没有一个出现频率很高。这些基因座被用作区分个体之间的“指纹”，由于它们的遗传性，它们在确定亲子关系方面特别有用。因此，DNA指纹是一种相对较新的创新技术，可以以前所未有的统计置信度进行亲子鉴定。使用DNS指纹技术，研究人员将确定几种非人类灵长类动物圈养种群中的父子关系，并从两种狒狒的杂交区域确定父子关系。这项研究中产生的数据将允许通过避免近亲繁殖来更有效地管理灵长类群体，并将为调查与亲属关系和选择、亲属选择、优势和繁殖成功有关的各种问题提供工具。识别亲子关系的能力，特别是亲子关系，在灵长类动物群体的管理和非人类灵长类动物的实地研究中非常重要。

The genome (the total of all genes in an organism) is much more variable than was thought a decade or two ago. This variability has led to the testing of gene loci to determine those which demonstrate a large number of alleles, none of which occur at high frequency. Such loci are used as "fingerprints" to distinguish individuals from each other and, because of their heritability, they are exceptionally useful in determining paternity. Thus, DNA fingerprinting is a relatively new and innovative technique that allows for identifications of parentage with an unprecedented degree of statistical confidence. Using DNS fingerprinting the investigators will determine paternity within captive populations of several species of nonhuman primates, and from a zone of hybridization of two species of baboons. The data generated in this study will allow for more efficient management of primate colonies by avoiding inbreeding, and will provide a tool for the investigation of a variety of questions relating kinship and selection, kin selection, dominance and reproductive success. The ability to identify parentage, especially paternity, is important in the management of primate colonies, and in field research on nonhuman primates.