Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Vocal production by terrestrial mammals: source, filter and function

In little over two decades, researchers have moved from a situation in which most studies of terrestrial mammal vocal signals focused on conspicuous characteristics, such as their rate of occurrence, and where the spectral acoustic variation was largely ignored or poorly quantified, to a field of study in which there is a much better understanding of the nature and function of the acoustic parameters that compose vocalizations. The source-filter theory, originally developed for the analysis of speech signals, has played a large role in this progress. Understanding how the acoustic variability of vocalizations is grounded within their mechanism of production has enabled researchers to predict the type of information that vocal signals are likely to contain, and to predict their co-variation with morphological and/or physiological attributes of callers. Moreover, the powerful theoretical platform derived from the source-filter theory not just conceptually supports the formulation of multilevel hypotheses, but also paves the way to develop the corresponding methodologies needed to address them. Although the full range of acoustic diversity of terrestrial mammal signals has yet to be explored, this chapter draws together a wealth of research conducted over the last two decades, and describes how source- and filter-related acoustic components encode functionally relevant information in the vocal communication systems of terrestrial mammal and how selection pressures have led to the evolution of anatomical innovations that enable animals to produce exaggerated vocal traits

Voice, Sexual Selection, and Reproductive Success .

International audienc

Vocal Preferences in Humans: A Systematic Review

International audienc

The relationship between testosterone and long-distance calling in wild male chimpanzees

Abstract: Long-distance calling is a common behaviour in animals, which has various important social functions. At a physiological level, calling is often mediated by gonadal hormones such as testosterone (T), particularly when its function is linked to intra-sexual competition for mates or territory. T also plays an important role in the development of vocal characteristics associated with dominance in humans. However, the few available studies of T and vocal behaviour in non-human primates suggest that in primates, T has less influence on call production than in other animals. We tested this hypothesis by studying the relationship between T concentrations and pant-hooting in wild male chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) of the Kanyawara community in the Kibale National Park, Uganda. We found three kinds of correlation. Hourly T averages were positively associated with hourly rates of pant-hooting. Monthly T levels were likewise correlated with monthly rates of pant-hooting after controlling for other influences such as fission-fusion rates. Finally, males with high T levels had higher peak frequency at the start of the call climax. These results suggest that T affects the production of pant-hoots in chimpanzees. This implies that the pant-hoot call plays a role in male-male competition. We propose that even in cognitively sophisticated species, endocrine mechanisms can contribute to regulating vocal production. Significance statement: Many animals produce long-distance calls. The production of these calls is often modulated by gonadal hormones such as testosterone, especially if the calls are involved in competition between males for mates or territory. However, comparatively little is known about the influence of testosterone over the vocal behaviour of non-human primates, especially among great apes. In this study, we examined the relationship between testosterone and pant-hooting in wild male chimpanzees. We found that testosterone levels were associated with pant-hoot rates and one acoustic feature of the call. More specifically, males pant-hooted more often and produced pant-hoots with higher peak frequencies during periods of elevated testosterone levels. These results imply that gonadal hormones are involved in regulating vocal behaviour in chimpanzees and support the view that pant-hoots play a role in male-male competition