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5. Molecular systematics of primates order on the genic expression level of hair keratins

Molecular systematics of primates order on the genic expression level of hair keratins

Spitsyn V.A. (1), Afanasyeva I.S. (1), Bychkovskaya L.S. (1), Spitsyna N.Kh. (2)

1) Research Centre for Medical Genetics, RAMS, Moscow; 2) N.N. Miklukho-Maklai Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology RAS, Leninsky prospect, 32 a, Moscow, 119991, Russia

Spitsyn Viktor A.; Afanasyeva I.S., e-mail: ecolab@med-gen.ru; Bychkovskaya Luybov S., e-mail: ecogen@medgen.ru; Spitsyna N.Kh., Ph.D., e-mail: nailya.47@mail.ru

Abstract

Some problems of human evolutionary history have been tried to be resolved by analyzing molecular evolution. Molecular systematics has some methods, which can be useful for primatological investigations. Detail analysis of keratin protein systems forming human and other mammalian hair allows to match the taxonomical tree of Primates order as compared with dendrograms using another traits. The advantages of this method consist in the possibility of utilization of old hair samples. Intraspecific and interspecific variability of α-keratins has been studied in thirty Primates species. In general all studied hair samples showed different protein structure from human hair. Human Rf coefficient values, namely relative mobility of electrophoretic zones, do not exceed 0.5 unit. On the contrary, monkeys possess from 3 to 7 fast migrating electrophoretic zones with Rf more than 0.5, including the same «human» stripes. On the whole, we observed an absolute reduction of fast electrophoretic migrating zones in humans and partial zones reduction in chimpanzee. Differences in the α-keratin types were observed between large taxonomical groups of primates, mainly between subfamilies and higher. In our case the trichotomy of humans – chimpanzees – gibbons as apes has not been resolved by the α-keratin study. On the contrary, Hylobatinae species joined with Cercopithecidae groups.

Keywords

α-keratins, Primates hair, molecular systematics

Цит.: Spitsyn V.A., Afanasyeva I.S., Bychkovskaya L.S., Spitsyna N.Kh. Molecular systematics of primates order on the genic expression level of hair keratins // Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seria XXIII. Antropologia), 2009; 4/2009; с. 71-82