Baboon Genome Project

Olive baboon. Image source: Stolz, Gary M. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

About the Project

Diversity Panel

Image: Chacma baboon

Chacma baboon

Image source: BBC

 

Image: Guinea baboon

Guinea baboon

Image source: BBC

 

Image: Hamadrayas baboon

Hamadrayas baboon

Image source: Wisconsin National Primate Research Center

 

Image: Kinda baboon

Kinda baboon

 

Image: Yellow baboon

Yellow baboon

The BCM-HGSC is sequencing and analyzing the genome of the baboon (genus Papio). A high quality draft sequence of the reference genome has been produced from an olive baboon (Papio anubis), using read data produced by the Sanger, 454 and Illumina platforms. 

In addition to the deep sequence coverage of the reference olive baboon, BCM-HGSC has generated whole genome coverage from additional olive baboons, as well as individuals representing hamadryas (P. hamadryas), Guinea (P. papio), yellow (P. cynocephalus), chacma (P. ursinus) and kinda (P. kindae) baboons. Comparative analyses of these data are in progress and will result in a description of genomic diversity within and among species of the genus Papio. Comparisons with the human and other nonhuman primate genomes are also in progress.

Baboons are important both as a well-studied and diverse evolutionary radiation of Old World monkeys, and as laboratory primates commonly used in biomedical research. Although closely related, the species within this genus differ in social behavior, ecology, body size and other fundamental characteristics. In the laboratory, baboons are used as models of several human diseases, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, hypertension, epilepsy, infectious disease and various aspects of basic neurobiology.

The project is funded by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).

Diversity Panel

  • Chacma baboon (P. ursinus)
  • Guinea baboon (P. papio)
  • Hamadrayas baboon (P. hamadrayas)
  • Kinda baboon (P. kindae)
  • Yellow baboon (P. cynocephalus)
  • Additional Olive baboons (P. anubis)

Genomic Resources

Related Publications

Mubiru JN, Hubbard GB, Dick EJ, Furman J, Troyer DA, Rogers J. Nonhuman primates as models for studies of prostate specific antigen and prostatic diseases. Prostate. 2008 ;68(14):1546-54.

Sherwood RJ, Duren DL, Havill LM, Rogers J, Cox LA, Towne B, et al.. A genomewide linkage scan for quantitative trait loci influencing the craniofacial complex in baboons (Papio hamadryas spp.). Genetics. 2008 ;180(1):619-28.

Mubiru JN, Hubbard GB, Dick EJ, Butler SD, Valente AJ, Troyer DA, et al.. A preliminary study of the baboon prostate pathophysiology. Prostate. 2007 ;67(13):1421-31.

Bertin A, Mahaney MC, Cox LA, Rogers J, VandeBerg JL, Brugnara C, et al.. Quantitative trait loci for peripheral blood cell counts: a study in baboons. Mamm Genome. 2007 ;18(5):361-72.

Rogers J, Kochunov P, Lancaster J, Shelledy W, Glahn D, Blangero J, et al.. Heritability of brain volume, surface area and shape: an MRI study in an extended pedigree of baboons. Hum Brain Mapp. 2007 ;28(6):576-83.

Moore CM, Hubbard GB, Dick E, Dunn BG, Raveendran M, Rogers J, et al.. Trisomy 17 in a baboon (Papio hamadryas) with polydactyly, patent foramen ovale and pyelectasis. Am J Primatol. 2007 ;69(10):1105-18.

Raveendran M, Harris RA, Milosavljevic A, Johnson Z, Shelledy W, Cameron J, et al.. Designing new microsatellite markers for linkage and population genetic analyses in rhesus macaques and other nonhuman primates. Genomics. 2006 ;88(6):706-710.

Horvath JE, Gulden CL, Vallente RU, Eichler MY, Ventura M, McPherson JD, et al.. Punctuated duplication seeding events during the evolution of human chromosome 2p11. Genome Res. 2005 ;15(7):914-27.

Moore CM, Leland MM, Brzyski RG, McKeand J, Witte SM, Rogers J. A baboon (Papio hamadryas) with an isochromosome for the long arm of the X. Cytogenet Cell Genet. 1998 ;82(1-2):80-2.

Voevodin A, Samilchuk E, Allan J, Rogers J, Broussard S. Simian T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (STLV-1) infection in wild yellow baboons (Papio hamadryas cynocephalus) from Mikumi National Park, Tanzania. Virology. 1997 ;228(2):350-9.