Genome-wide analysis on a hybrid gibbon population in the wild

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K16240
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 45050:Physical anthropology-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University (2021-2022); The University of Tokyo (2019-2020)
• Principal Investigator: Matsudaira Kazunari 京都大学, アジア・アフリカ地域研究研究科, 研究員 (60813441)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: テナガザル / 交雑 / 遺伝子浸透

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Phylogenetic relationship, divergence time, hybridization, and introgression of Hylobates gibbons were studied by GRAS-Di and whole genome sequencing analyses. The study revealed that the common ancestor of Hylobates species originated in the mainland of Southeast Asia, and the gibbons expanded their distribution to the Sunda islands with speciation. Introgression was detected between the many pairs of species including the species currently hybridizing in the wild, which suggested that Hylobates species have repeatedly experienced hybridization through their evolution.

Free Research Field

自然人類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ヒトに近縁な類人猿であるテナガザルの進化における交雑の様相の一端が解明されたことは、人類進化においける交雑・混血の様相の理解の一助になったと考えられる。今後、テナガザルについて更に詳細な研究を進めることで、人類進化の理解がより深まると考えられる。