RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN PRIMATE GENOMICS: A SYMPOSIUM IN HONOR OF DR. LEO WHITEHAIR

National Primate Research Center Over the past five years, there has been rapid progress in the study of primate genomes. The complete sequencing of the human genome has been quickly followed by draft sequencing of the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) genome. Projects are currently underway to produce whole genome sequence assemblies for rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus). It is likely that other primate genomes will also be sequenced to a modest level of coverage. In parallel with whole genome DNA sequence analysis, researchers have developed new tools to investigate broad patterns of gene expression in various species, and begun to use genome sequences to search for evidence of past episodes of natural selection acting on specific primate genes. This symposium will bring together a series of five speakers who are actively working on the analysis of primate genetics and genomics. Speakers will present recent results of their comparative studies of primate genomics. Topics include the whole genome sequence of rhesus macaques, comparison of the human and chimpanzee sequences, large-scale analysis of gene expression in nonhuman primates, and genomic analysis related to the evolution of the brain. 138. A GENOME-WIDE COMPARISON OF RECENT HUMAN AND CHIMPANZEE (PAN TROGLODYTES) SEGMENTAL DUPLICATIONS Z. Cheng and E. E. Eichler University of Washington, Department of Genomic Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA The human genome contains an abundance of large, highly identical duplications and plays a pivotal role in disease process, gene evolution and genome rearrangement. It is unknown whether slow rates of deletion, high rates of duplication or gene conversion are largely responsible for this effect. We present the first global comparison of differences in content of segmental duplication between human and chimpanzee. Combining experimental and computational approaches, we determine that at least ~3 Mb of new genetic material have been fixed within each genome per million years and that these changes have resulted in gene expression differences between the species.