The genomics of ecological flexibility, large brains, and long lives in capuchin monkeys revealed with fecalFACS

Ecological flexibility, extended lifespans, and large brains have long intrigued evolutionary biologists, and comparative genomics offers an efficient and effective tool for generating new insights into the evolution of such traits. Studies of capuchin monkeys are particularly well situated to shed light on the selective pressures and genetic underpinnings of local adaptation to diverse habitats, longevity, and brain development. Distributed widely across Central and South America, they are inventive and extractive foragers, known for their sensorimotor intelligence. Capuchins have among the largest relative brain size of any monkey and a lifespan that exceeds 50 y, despite their small (3 to 5 kg) body size. We assemble and annotate a de novo reference genome for Through high-depth sequencing of DNA derived from blood, various tissues, and feces via fluorescence-activated cell sorting (fecalFACS) to isolate monkey epithelial cells, we compared genomes of capuchin populations from tropical dry forests and lowland rainforests and identified population divergence in genes involved in water balance, kidney function, and metabolism. Through a comparative genomics approach spanning a wide diversity of mammals, we identified genes under positive selection associated with longevity and brain development. Additionally, we provide a technological advancement in the use of noninvasive genomics for studies of free-ranging mammals. Our intra- and interspecific comparative study of capuchin genomics provides insights into processes underlying local adaptation to diverse and physiologically challenging environments, as well as the molecular basis of brain evolution and longevity. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Ancient DNA of the pygmy marmoset type specimen Cebuella pygmaea (Spix, 1823) resolves a taxonomic conundrum

The pygmy marmoset, the smallest of the anthropoid primates, has a broad distribution in Western Amazonia. Recent studies using molecular and morphological data have identified two distinct species separated by the Napo and Solimões-Amazonas rivers. However, reconciling this new biological evidence with current taxonomy, i.e., two subspecies, Cebuella pygmaea pygmaea (Spix, 1823) and Cebuella pygmaea niveiventris (Lönnberg, 1940), was problematic given the uncertainty as to whether Spix’s pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea pygmaea) was collected north or south of the Napo and Solimões-Amazonas rivers, making it unclear to which of the two newly revealed species the name pygmaea would apply. Here, we present the first molecular data from Spix’s type specimen of Cebuella pygmaea, as well as novel mitochondrial genomes from modern pygmy marmosets sampled near the type locality (Tabatinga) on both sides of the river. With these data, we can confirm the correct names of the two species identified, i.e., C. pygmaea for animals north of the Napo and Solimões-Amazonas rivers and C. niveiventris for animals south of these two rivers. Phylogenetic analyses of the novel genetic data placed into the context of cytochrome b gene sequences from across the range of pygmy marmosets further led us to re-evaluate the geographical distribution for the two Cebuella species. We dated the split of these two species to 2.54 million years ago. We discuss additional, more recent, subdivisions within each lineage, as well as potential contact zones between the two species in the headwaters of these rivers

The Strepsirrhine and Tarsier genome sequencing initiative : conservation genomics of the non-anthropoid primate

Tremendous effort has been made to study the ecology and evolution of strepsirrhines and tarsiers. However, in comparison to the anthro-poids, they remain relatively understudied. This disparity is particularly evident in the field of genomics. While the number of non-anthropoid genome studies has increased in recent years, genomic resources are only available for a small number of species. This relative dearth of information has limited the extent to which the remarkable ecological, phenotypic, and demographic diversity of these primates can be studied. As part of the Primate Sequencing Conservation Initiative, we have sequenced whole genomes from 102 individuals in 59 species (37 Lemuroidea, 17 Lorisoidea, and 5 Tarsiiformes) to high coverage (average of ~30X). The majority of these individuals are wild-born, and from species for which whole genomes have never been sequenced. Using this broad panel of genomes, we examine patterns of genetic diversity, demographic history, phylogeny, and genetic introgression, observing a wide range of variation. Secondly, we examine the role of local adaptation to eco-geographic regions of Madagascar. We also identify relationships between digestive and chemosensory genes and ecological variation. In particular, we focus our efforts on the families Lemuridae and Indriidae from which we have sequenced most commonly recognized species. We provide new insights relevant to the ecology and evolution of these understudied primates and valuable genomic resources for ongoing conservation efforts

A 3-way hybrid approach to generate a new high quality chimpanzee reference genome (Pan_tro_3.0)

The chimpanzee is arguably the most important species for the study of human origins. A key resource for these studies is a high-quality reference genome assembly; however, as with most mammalian genomes, the current iteration of the chimpanzee reference genome assembly is highly fragmented. In the current iteration of the chimpanzee reference genome assembly (Pan_tro_2.1.4), the sequence is scattered across more then 183 000 contigs, incorporating more than 159 000 gaps, with a genome-wide contig N50 of 51 Kbp. In this work, we produce an extensive and diverse array of sequencing datasets to rapidly assemble a new chimpanzee reference that surpasses previous iterations in bases represented and organized in large scaffolds. To this end, we show substantial improvements over the current release of the chimpanzee genome (Pan_tro_2.1.4) by several metrics, such as increased contiguity by >750% and 300% on contigs and scaffolds, respectively, and closure of 77% of gaps in the Pan_tro_2.1.4 assembly gaps spanning >850 Kbp of the novel coding sequence based on RNASeq data. We further report more than 2700 genes that had putatively erroneous frame-shift predictions to human in Pan_tro_2.1.4 and show a substantial increase in the annotation of repetitive elements. We apply a simple 3-way hybrid approach to considerably improve the reference genome assembly for the chimpanzee, providing a valuable resource for the study of human origins. Furthermore, we produce extensive sequencing datasets that are all derived from the same cell line, generating a broad non-human benchmark dataset

Selective single molecule sequencing and assembly of a human Y chromosome of African origin

Mammalian Y chromosomes are often neglected from genomic analysis. Due to their inherent assembly difficulties, high repeat content, and large ampliconic regions, only a handful of species have their Y chromosome properly characterized. To date, just a single human reference quality Y chromosome, of European ancestry, is available due to a lack of accessible methodology. To facilitate the assembly of such complicated genomic territory, we developed a novel strategy to sequence native, unamplified flow sorted DNA on a MinION nanopore sequencing device. Our approach yields a highly continuous assembly of the first human Y chromosome of African origin. It constitutes a significant improvement over comparable previous methods, increasing continuity by more than 800%. Sequencing native DNA also allows to take advantage of the nanopore signal data to detect epigenetic modifications in situ. This approach is in theory generalizable to any species simplifying the assembly of extremely large and repetitive genomes.This study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness with Proyectos de I+D “Excelencia” y Proyectos de I+D+I “Retos Investigación” BFU2014-55090-P awarded to T.M.-B. and O.F., Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa 2013–2017 and Centro de Excelencia Maria de Maeztu 2016–2019. We acknowledge the support from the CERCA Programme of the Generalitat de Catalunya, institutional support from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MEIC) through the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, from the Generalitat de Catalunya through the Departament de Salut and Departament d’Empresa i Coneixement, and co-financing by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MEIC) with funds from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) corresponding to the 2014–2020 Smart Growth Operating Program. L.F.K.K. is supported by an FPI fellowship associated with BFU2014-55090-P (MINECO/FEDER, UE). M.K. is supported by a Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) fellowship (KU 3467/1-1). T.M.-B. is supported by BFU2017-86471-P (MINECO/FEDER, UE), U01 MH106874 grant, Howard Hughes International Early Career, Obra Social “La Caixa” and Secretaria d’Universitats i Recerca del Departament d’Economia i Coneixement de la Generalitat de Catalunya. D.J. is supported by a Juan de la Cierva fellowship (FJCI-2016-29558) from MICINN

A comparative genomics multitool for scientific discovery and conservation

© 2020, The Author(s). The Zoonomia Project is investigating the genomics of shared and specialized traits in eutherian mammals. Here we provide genome assemblies for 131 species, of which all but 9 are previously uncharacterized, and describe a whole-genome alignment of 240 species of considerable phylogenetic diversity, comprising representatives from more than 80% of mammalian families. We find that regions of reduced genetic diversity are more abundant in species at a high risk of extinction, discern signals of evolutionary selection at high resolution and provide insights from individual reference genomes. By prioritizing phylogenetic diversity and making data available quickly and without restriction, the Zoonomia Project aims to support biological discovery, medical research and the conservation of biodiversity