Identity of euchromatic bands from man to Cercopithecidae

Abstract

The karyotypes of four species of Cercopithecidae: Cercopithecus aethiops tantalus, C. sabaeus, Erythrocebus patas, and Miopithecus talapoin are analysed with nearly all the banding techniques. They are compared with each other, and with the karyotypes of the Baboon P. papio and with that of man. It can be concluded that the quasi-totality or the totality of the euchromatin is common to all, but has undergone structural rearrangements, generally detectable. The heterochromatin, defined by C-band staining, and late-replicating DNA, in contrast, appears very variable: In particular, E. patas has acquired very large heterochromatic segments. The significance of these modifications is discussed.