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. 2017 Apr;46(2):31-41.
doi: 10.1111/jmp.12256. Epub 2017 Mar 7.

Ancestry, Plasmodium cynomolgi prevalence and rhesus macaque admixture in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) bred for export in Chinese breeding farms

Xinjun Zhang  1 , Yuhuan Meng  2 , Paul Houghton  3 , Mingyu Liu  2 , Sreetharan Kanthaswamy  4   5 , Robert Oldt  4 , Jillian Ng  1 , Jessica Satkoski Trask  6 , Ren Huang  7 , Balbir Singh  8 , Hongli Du  2 , David Glenn Smith  1   5
Affiliations

Ancestry, Plasmodium cynomolgi prevalence and rhesus macaque admixture in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) bred for export in Chinese breeding farms

Xinjun Zhang et al. J Med Primatol. 2017 Apr.

Abstract

Background: Most cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) used in the United States as animal models are imported from Chinese breeding farms without documented ancestry. Cynomolgus macaques with varying rhesus macaque ancestry proportions may exhibit differences, such as susceptibility to malaria, that affect their suitability as a research model.

Methods: DNA of 400 cynomolgus macaques from 10 Chinese breeding farms was genotyped to characterize their regional origin and rhesus ancestry proportion. A nested PCR assay was used to detect Plasmodium cynomolgi infection in sampled individuals.

Results: All populations exhibited high levels of genetic heterogeneity and low levels of inbreeding and genetic subdivision. Almost all individuals exhibited an Indochinese origin and a rhesus ancestry proportion of 5%-48%. The incidence of P. cynomolgi infection in cynomolgus macaques is strongly associated with proportion of rhesus ancestry.

Conclusions: The varying amount of rhesus ancestry in cynomolgus macaques underscores the importance of monitoring their genetic similarity in malaria research.

Keywords: Macaca fascicularis; Macaca mulatta; Plasmodium cynomolgi; admixture; ancestry.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Structure results (K=4) for each of 10 samples of “Chinese” cynomolgus macaques (referenced as “unknown” in the plots below). The region or country of origin of reference samples is as labeled in the plots. (1)Blooming, (2) Guidong, (3) Hongfeng, (4) Huazhen, (5) Kangda, (6)Landao, (7)Linzhanglei, (8) Xinzheng, (9)Yaling, (10)Zhongke
FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Structure results (K=4) for each of 10 samples of “Chinese” cynomolgus macaques (referenced as “unknown” in the plots below). The region or country of origin of reference samples is as labeled in the plots. (1)Blooming, (2) Guidong, (3) Hongfeng, (4) Huazhen, (5) Kangda, (6)Landao, (7)Linzhanglei, (8) Xinzheng, (9)Yaling, (10)Zhongke
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Rhesus admixture estimates for populations 1 (58 Chinese rhesus macaques), 2 (391 “Chinese” cynomolgus macaques), and 3 (37 Malaysian and Indonesian cynomolgus macaques) with K=2 for Structure. Note variable levels of rhesus admixture in “Chinese” cynomolgus macaques but its total absence in Malaysian and Indonesian cynomolgus macaques
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Logistic Regression Model for Prediction of Plasmodium cynomolgi infection incidence by rhesus ancestry proportion in cynomolgus macaques
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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