Gm and Inv studies on baboons,Papio cynocephalus: Analysis of serum samples from Kenya, Ethiopia and South Africa

Abstract

Serum samples from 526 baboons (Papio cynocephalus) from 10 troops from the Laikipia district of northern Kenya, from 60 baboons from two troops from the Awash National Park, central Ethiopia, and from 127 baboons from South Africa were tested for Gm and Inv allotypes. Four of the 10 troops from Kenya formed a western cluster and six formed an eastern cluster. The clusters were separated by approximately 10 miles.The samples were tested for Gm (1,2,3,5,6,11, 13,14,15, 16,17,21,24) and for Inv (1, 2, 3). All samples were negative for Gm (2, 6, 14, 16, 24). All from Kenya and Ethiopia were negative for Inv (2), and all were positive for Gm (11, 17) and for Inv (3). The south African samples differed from the others in that 10 were negative for Gm (11) and four were positive for Inv (2). Taking all animals into account, polymorphism was present for Gm (1, 3,5, 11, 13, 15, 21) and for Inv (1, 2). No two Kenya troops had the same array of phenotypes or of haplotypes, but the four western troops were more similar to each other than to the six eastern troops. Three haplotypes were present in the eastern troops that were not present in the western troops and five were present in the western troops that were not present in the eastern troops. Five haplotypes appeared in a t least some troops of each cluster of troops. The samples from each of the two troops from Ethiopia show the same three phenotypes but with significantly different frequencies.It is suggested that the variation in haplotype frequencies observed among the 10 troops from Kenya is the result of a founder effect deriving largely from fission of a large troop into two smaller troops.The data show that speculations about the evolutionary origin of the allotypes are premature. For most species, too few animals have been tested and except for those in this study their origins are not known. Finally, the samples have been from too restricted an area.

Immunoglobulin allotypes (Gm, Am, and Km) in non-human primates

“…Km(3) however is more ancient, being isotypic in all apes analyzed by VAN LOGHEM and DE LANGE (1979) and also in P. cynocephalus in Kenya (STEINBERG et al, 1977). Using Gm and Km allotype polymorphisms, proposals have been made as to the evolution of the IgG system (RtVAT et al, 1974;VAN LOGHEM, 1984).…”

“…The allotypes G3m(t), (u), A2m(1), and (2) are absent in all species, as are Glm(f), G2m(n), G3m(g), and Km(2), except for rare exceptions. Glm(f) has only been described in baboons and macaques by LITWlN (1969), RIVAT et al (1968RIVAT et al ( , 1969, STEINBERG et al (1977), and GAARDER and NATV~G (1974) have found it in the Hominoidea, but not in gibbons. G3m(bl) and Km(3) are also infrequent.…”

The development of genetics and population studies

“…One can determine paternity exclusions among monkeys, although I have not yet heard of any resulting lawsuits from nonpaternity. Steinberg et al (1977) reviewed Gm samples from ten troops of baboons in Northern Kenya and suggested that variation in haplotype frequencies is the result of founder effect largely due to fission of a large troop into two smaller ones. Duggleby (1978) reported genetic differentiation of social groups among the macaques on Cay0 Santiago.…”

Evolution of Immunoglobulin Allotypes and Phylogeny of Apes

“…Many authors have also tested the pres ence of antigenic determinants of Ig (epi topes) in sera of various nonhuman primates [Alepa and Terry, 1965;Alepa, 1969;Litwin, 1969;Rivât et al, 1968Rivât et al, , 1969RufTié and Blanc, 1972;Gaarder and Natvig, 1974;Van Loghem et al, 1968Van Loghem and Litwin, 1972;Van Loghem and de Lange, 1979;Shuster et al, 1970;Steinberg et al, 1977;Olivier et al, 1986]. All studies report the distributions of Ig allotypes for samples of various origins, including populations lo calized in small geographic areas.…”