Evolution of a D2 dopamine receptor intron within the great apes and humans

Although direct DNA sequencing may allow rapid and high quality comparative phylogenetic analyses among species, such an approach may not be the most efficient method by which to make a large number of cross-species comparisons. We illustrate the use of Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) to screen a D2 Dopamine Receptor intron for DNA sequence variation, both within and between closely related species, in order to infer their evolutionary relationships. Our results suggest that: a) humans have less genetic variation than the great apes; b) pygmy chimpanzees have less genetic variation than common chimpanzees; and c) DNA sequence comparative analyses of primates require adequate sampling, both in number and in geographical range.