First Comprehensive Characterization of Phayre's Leaf-Monkey (Trachypithecus phayrei) Karyotype.

Xiaobo Fan,Krit Pinthong,Hongwei Chen,Anja Weise,Alongklod Tanomtong,Edivaldo H C De Oliveira,Thomas Liehr

doi:10.3389/fgene.2022.841681

Abstract

The chromosomal homologies of human (Homo sapiens—HSA) and Trachypithecus phayrei (TPH—Phayre’s leaf-monkey, family Cercopithecidae) have previously been studied by using classical chromosome staining/banding and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) from the 1970s to 1990s. In this study, we carried out molecular cytogenetics applying human multicolor banding (MCB), locus-specific, and human heterochromatin-specific probes to establish the first detailed chromosomal map of TPH, which was not available until now. Accordingly, it was possible to precisely determine evolutionary-conserved breakpoints (ECBs) and the orientation of evolutionary-conserved segments compared to HSA. It could be shown that five chromosomes remained completely unchanged between these two species, and 16 chromosomes underwent only intrachromosomal changes. In addition, 50 ECBs that failed to be resolved in previous reports were exactly identified and characterized in this study. It could also be shown that 43.5% of TPH centromere positions were conserved and 56.5% were altered compared to HSA. Interestingly, 82% ECBs in TPH corresponded to human fragile sites. Overall, this study is an essential contribution to future studies and reviews on chromosomal evolution in Cercopithecidae.

Highlights

Trachypithecus phayrei (TPH), known as Phayre’s leaf monkey or Phayre’s lutung (Behie and Groves, 2016), belongs to old-world monkeys (OWMs), family Cercopithecidae, subfamily Colobinae—the latter including an African and an Asian clade
The centromeric positions could be identified at the sub-band level for all 23 TPH chromosomes
multicolor banding (MCB) combined with heterochromatin- and a locus-specific probe is suited best to characterize basic karyotypic features in primates, as shown in our previous studies (Mrasek et al, 2001; Fan et al, 2014; Fan et al, 2015; Xiaobo et al, 2013; Sangpakdee et al, 2018)

Summary

Introduction

Trachypithecus phayrei (TPH), known as Phayre’s leaf monkey or Phayre’s lutung (Behie and Groves, 2016), belongs to old-world monkeys (OWMs), family Cercopithecidae, subfamily Colobinae—the latter including an African and an Asian clade. The genus Trachypithecus comprises 17 species with one Asian colobine—TPH (Pinthong et al, 2018). The pedigree and chromosomal evolution of Hominidae has been principally and roughly resolved in previous cytogenetic and molecular cytogenetic studies; some gaps remain, including the karyotype of TPH (Stanyon et al, 2008). The latter was first described in 1970 as 2n = 44 (Hsu and Benirschke, 1970).

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Conclusion