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Saving Chimps

Chimpanzees face significant challenges such as low populations, habitat loss, and fragmentation, leading to potential inbreeding and a lack of Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) diversity. This diversity is crucial for disease resistance. To preserve genetic health, it's essential to identify distinct chimp populations, examine their MHC similarities, and establish breeding programs that enhance diversity. Our mitochondrial DNA analysis from locations across Africa reveals geographical clustering of subspecies, suggesting that a cross-subspecies breeding strategy could improve genetic diversity, ensuring their survival.

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Saving Chimps

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  1. Saving Chimps Janet ClarkSteve KarrMary Ann McLean

  2. Chimp Problems • Low population • Loss of habitat • Habitat fragmentation • Potential inbreeding - leads to lack of MHC diversity MHC = Major Histocompatibility Complex MHC diversity is important in maintaining population resistance to diseases

  3. Solution • Identify discrete populations of chimps • Ideally, examine MHC similarities between the populations • Identify suitable breeding program to diversify MHC • Since MHC data not available – used mitochondrial DNA

  4. Populations Examined • Sequences from 2 individuals at each location Mali - 9 Ivory Coast – 18 Gabon – 28 Congo – 29 Zaire – 30 Tanzania – 36

  5. Rooted Tree Based On Sequence Alignment

  6. Results • Subspecies cluster geographically • Coastal populations separated from Central African populations • Gabon & Congo populations separated from Zaire populations • Zaire & Tanzania populations clustered together • Gombe populations separated

  7. Discussion Based on sequence comparisons of Mitochondrial DNA, a breeding program that crosses subspecies boundaries should help maintain genetic (and therefore MHC) diversity. Examination of MHC sequence data would strengthen this conclusion.

  8. Future Directions • What prevents mixing between Zaire, Gabon & Congo? • What permits mixing between Zaire & Tanzania? • What accounts for the diversity among individuals in Gombe? Information Needed • land cover • human population density • location of chimp populations • additional information on tested individuals (gender, etc.)

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