 A genetics laboratory is an integral part of the Primatology department, providing the facilities for genetic investigations of wild primate populations. Genetic data can be combined with information on behavior, group structure or range, or geographic distribution to yield insights into the evolution of the living primates. Genetic analysis can be done at various levels, and the methods used vary depending upon the questions of interest. Some of the questions we are currently interested in answering using genetic approaches are:
• Within a chimpanzee community, what is the pattern of relationships among the males? Do related individuals preferentially cooperate with one another?
• Almost half of mountain gorilla groups contain more than one adult male.
What is the genetic relationship, if any, between those males? Are they each successful at reproducing
within the group?
• Genetic analysis of wild bonobos has been limited to individuals from one small part of their
range. What is the genetic diversity of bonobos from throughout their range, and are there signs of
geographic substructuring?
• Are the various chimpanzee and gorilla subspecies truly monophyletic, or does better sampling reveal sharing of mtDNA types? Are the results from nuclear DNA markers consistent with inferences made from mtDNA concerning population or subspecies differentiation?
• What is the mating system in wild white-faced capuchin groups? Are males who comigrate kin? Adults males frequently develop special relationships with particular juveniles--are these kin associations?
Technical aspects include
Use of noninvasively-collected samples (feces, shed hairs) as sources of DNA for genetic analysis.
 
Approaches commonly used are
1. Examination of sequence variation in the first hypervariable region of the control region of the maternally-inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecule
2. Construction of individually distinctive high-resolution genotypes at multiple loci in the nuclear genome using microsatellite markers
3. Analysis of sequence variation at nuclear loci by either direct sequencing, or by sequencing of cloned PCR products.
 Equipment and facilities available include
- ABI 3100 Genetic Analyzer for high-throughput microsatellite analysis
- ABI 310 Genetic Analyzers for microsatellite analysis
- ABI 3730 DNA Analyzer for high-throughput sequencing
- ABI 7700 Sequence Detection System for quantitative PCR
- Numerous PCR machines, with gradient capability
- Laminar flow hood, to reduce risk of contamination to low endogenous DNA content samples
- Separate dedicated room for DNA extraction from noninvasive samples
- Separate dedicated room for PCR set-up
- Separate dedicated room for work with museum specimens
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