Full-length Numt analysis provides evidence for hybridization between the Asian colobine genera Trachypithecus and...

Area of Science:

• Primate evolutionary biology
• Molecular genetics
• Phylogenetics

Background:

• The phylogenetic placement of the Semnopithecus genus remains uncertain due to conflicting data from molecular markers.
• Previous hypotheses suggested hybridization between Semnopithecus and Trachypithecus genera, but lacked definitive proof.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the unresolved phylogenetic relationships within the Semnopithecus genus.
• To identify conclusive evidence for hybridization between Semnopithecus and Trachypithecus species.

Main Methods:

• DNA walking and long-range PCR were employed to characterize a large nuclear mitochondrial DNA (Numt) segment in Trachypithecus pileatus.
• The presence of this Numt was surveyed across 16 additional colobine species, including multiple Semnopithecus and Trachypithecus species.

Main Results:

• A novel nuclear mitochondrial DNA (Numt) segment, representing a significant portion of the mitochondrial genome, was identified in Trachypithecus pileatus.
• This Numt sequence was exclusively detected in Trachypithecus pileatus and T. shortridgei among the surveyed species.
• The Numt's phylogenetic position strongly suggests its origin from the Semnopithecus mitochondrial genome, indicating unidirectional introgression.

Conclusions:

• The study provides the first conclusive molecular evidence for hybridization between the Semnopithecus and Trachypithecus genera.
• The identified Numt serves as a key marker for understanding intergeneric gene flow in colobine primates.