DNA DIVERGENCE AMONG HOMINOIDS

Abstract

We have determined the degree of single-copy DNA divergence among the extant members of the Hominoidea employing the technique of DNA-DNA hybridization. The species studied include humans, two species of chimpanzees, gorillas, two subspecies of orangutans, and two species of gibbons; as an outgroup we have used a member of the Old World monkeys (Cercopithecidae), the baboon. Our methods are different from those previously used and allow us to control for two factors other than base-pair mismatch that can affect the thermal stability of DNA duplexes: the base composition and duplex length. In addition, we have studied more than one individual for most species and thus are able to assess the effect of intraspecific variation on phylogenetic conclusions. The results indicate that the closest extant relatives of humans are the chimpanzees. Gorillas are the next closest, followed by orangutans and gibbons. This result is strongly supported statistically, as there is virtually no overlap in measurements between different taxa. Our conclusions are in agreement with a growing amount of molecular evidence supporting this pattern of relatedness. The data behave as a reasonably good molecular clock, and we do not see an indication of slowdown in molecular evolution in the clade containing humans and African apes, contrary to what has been documented for protein-coding regions. Because of the clocklike nature of the results, we have estimated that the divergence of humans and chimpanzees occurred about 6-8 million years ago. Results from orangutans indicate that the Borneo and Sumatra populations are genetically distinct, about as different as the named species of chimpanzees.