Evolution of genome and metagenome association in primates

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K18630
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Physical anthropology
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Hayakawa Takashi 京都大学, 霊長類研究所, 特定助教 (00758493)
• Research Collaborator: Hirata Satoshi
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 霊長類 / ゲノム / メタゲノム / 腸内細菌叢 / 口腔細菌叢 / 共進化 / チンパンジー / 動物福祉

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to elucidate the genome and metagenome association in captive and wild primates. Fecal samples of about 50 captive chimpanzees in Kyoto University were collected and subject to 16S rRNA sequencing analysis for symbiont gut bacteria. Relationship between individual background (especially genomic polymorphisms) and 16S diversity was analyzed. Fecal and oral bacterial samples of many primate species in Japan Monkey Centre and some field areas were collected for analysis of metagenomic profile in terms of species specificity and phylogenetic constraint.

Free Research Field

分子生態学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ゲノムとメタゲノムは哺乳類をはじめとする多細胞生物の生命活動の根幹を支えるが、その両者の連関についての理解はまだ乏しい。そうした視点で研究を進めることは、基礎的な進化生物学の理解につながるとともに、ヒトに最も近縁なチンパンジーを対象としたことで、ヒト自身のゲノム、メタゲノム進化の背景を探る契機となった。また、メタゲノムの確立は後天的要素が大きいものなので、飼育下動物の福祉にも貢献する知見である。