Reciprocal chromosome painting between a New World primate, the woolly monkey, and humans.

We employed fluorescence-activated chromosome sorting (FACS) to construct chromosome paint sets for the woolly monkey (Lagothrix lagotricha) and then FISH to reciprocally paint human and woolly monkey metaphases. Reciprocal chromosome painting between humans and the woolly monkey allowed us to assign subchromosomal homologies between these species. The reciprocal painting data between humans and the woolly monkey also allow a better interpretation of the chromosomal difference between humans and platyrrhines, and refine hypotheses about the genomic rearrangements that gave origin to the genome of New World monkeys. Paints of woolly monkey chromosomes were used to paint human metaphases and forty-five clear signals were detected. Paints specific to each human chromosome were used to paint woolly monkey metaphases. The 23 human paints gave 39 clear signals on the woolly monkey karyotype. The woolly monkey chromosomes painted by human paints produced 7 associations of segments homologous to human chromosomes or human chromosome segments: 2/16, 3/21, 4/15, 5/7, 8/18, 10/16 and 14/15. A derived translocation between segments homologous to human chromosomes 4 and 15 is a synapomorphic marker linking all Atelines. These species may also be linked by fragmentation of homologs to human 1, 4, and 15.