Dryad
Published March 31, 2022 | Version v1
Dataset Open

Hemotological and morphometric measurements from geladas

Authors/Creators

  • 1. Arizona State University
  • 2. University of Salford
  • 3. University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
  • 4. Addis Ababa University
  • 5. Tanzania National Parks
  • 6. German Primate Center
  • 7. University of Nebraska–Lincoln
  • 8. Duke University
  • 9. African Wildlife Foundation
  • 10. Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority*
  • 11. California State University, Fullerton
  • 12. Wildlife Conservation Society
  • 13. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance*
  • 14. University of California, San Francisco
  • 15. New York University
  • 16. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
  • 17. Baylor College of Medicine
  • 18. Washington University School of Medicine*
  • 19. University of Calgary
  • 20. Stony Brook University

Description

Primates have adapted to numerous environments and lifestyles but very few species are native to high elevations. Here, we investigated high-altitude adaptations in the gelada (Theropithecus gelada), a monkey endemic to the Ethiopian Plateau. We examined genome-wide variation in conjunction with measurements of haematological and morphological traits. Our new gelada reference genome is highly intact and assembled at chromosome-length levels. Unexpectedly, we identified a chromosomal polymorphism in geladas that could potentially contribute to reproductive barriers between populations. Compared to baboons at low altitude, we found that high-altitude geladas exhibit significantly expanded chest circumferences, potentially allowing for greater lung surface area for increased oxygen diffusion. We identified gelada-specific amino acid substitutions in the alpha-chain subunit of adult haemoglobin but found that gelada haemoglobin does not exhibit markedly altered oxygenation properties compared to lowland primates. We also found that geladas at high altitude do not exhibit elevated blood haemoglobin concentrations, in contrast to the normal acclimatization response to hypoxia in lowland primates. The absence of altitude-related polycythaemia suggests that geladas are able to sustain adequate tissue-oxygen delivery despite environmental hypoxia. Finally, we identified numerous genes and genomic regions exhibiting accelerated rates of evolution, as well as gene families exhibiting expansions in the gelada lineage, potentially reflecting altitude-related selection. Our findings lend insight into putative mechanisms of high-altitude adaptation while suggesting promising avenues for functional hypoxia research.

Notes

Please cite the linked publication(s) when using this dataset.

Funding provided by: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
Award Number: DFG KN1097/3-1

Funding provided by: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 1736249

Funding provided by: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 2114465

Funding provided by: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 1723228

Funding provided by: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 1255974

Funding provided by: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 0715179

Funding provided by: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 1255974

Funding provided by: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 1848900

Funding provided by: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 2013888

Funding provided by: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 1723237

Funding provided by: National Science Foundation
Award Number: 2010309

Funding provided by: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Award Number: R01HL087216

Funding provided by: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute on Aging*
Crossref Funder Registry ID:
Award Number: R00AG051764

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gelada_hemoglobin.txt

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Additional details

Related works

Is cited by
10.1038/s41559-022-01703-4 (DOI)