Evolutionary and Biomedical Insights from the Rhesus Macaque Genome

TLDR

The rhesus macaque, a primate that diverged from humans ~25 million years ago, is genetically and physiologically similar to humans and is the most widely used nonhuman primate in biomedical research. The study aimed to sequence the genome of an Indian‑origin rhesus macaque female and compare it with chimpanzee and human genomes to reconstruct ancestral primate genome structure and detect positive selection and lineage‑specific gene family changes. Genomic sequences from individual macaques were compared to assess genetic diversity and to identify lineage‑specific expansions and contractions of gene families. The resulting macaque genome blueprint improves the model’s utility for biomedical research and deepens understanding of its basic biology.

Abstract

The rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) is an abundant primate species that diverged from the ancestors of Homo sapiens about 25 million years ago. Because they are genetically and physiologically similar to humans, rhesus monkeys are the most widely used nonhuman primate in basic and applied biomedical research. We determined the genome sequence of an Indian-origin Macaca mulatta female and compared the data with chimpanzees and humans to reveal the structure of ancestral primate genomes and to identify evidence for positive selection and lineage-specific expansions and contractions of gene families. A comparison of sequences from individual animals was used to investigate their underlying genetic diversity. The complete description of the macaque genome blueprint enhances the utility of this animal model for biomedical research and improves our understanding of the basic biology of the species.