Paternity testing for crab-eating macaques and rhesus macaques using microsatellite markers

Area of Science:

• Primatology
• Genetics
• Forensic Science

Background:

• Accurate macaque paternity identification is crucial for research and conservation.
• Limited availability of validated genetic markers hinders macaque paternity testing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To screen and identify effective microsatellite markers for macaque paternity identification.
• To validate these markers for use in both crab-eating (Macaca fascicularis) and rhesus (Macaca mulatta) macaques.

Main Methods:

• Random selection and screening of 300 microsatellite markers from the crab-eating macaque genome.
• Identification and genetic parameter calculation for 12 highly polymorphic tetra-nucleotide repeat markers.
• Paternity testing validation using 16 crab-eating and 10 rhesus macaque families with known pedigrees.

Main Results:

• Identified 12 highly polymorphic tetra-nucleotide repeat microsatellite markers suitable for macaque paternity testing.
• Calculated genetic parameters and exclusion probabilities meeting paternity testing requirements for both species.
• Successfully traced offspring genotypes to parents in validation families, confirming marker accuracy.

Conclusions:

• The selected 12 microsatellite markers are accurate and applicable for paternity identification in both crab-eating and rhesus macaques.
• This marker set provides a reliable tool for genetic studies and management of these primate populations.
• Further research can build upon this validated marker combination for broader applications.