Confirmation, via in situ hybridization, of the occurrence of Robertsonian translocations during lemur evolution by localization of GLUDP1 DNA sequences on lemur chromosomes.

A human genomic DNA sequence derived from glutamate dehydrogenase pseudogene 1 was used as a probe for in situ hybridization to the chromosomes of three lemur species, Eulemur fulvus mayottensis (EFU), E. macaco macaco (EMA), and E. coronatus (ECO). This sequence, which is 98% homologous to the nucleotide sequence of the gene for human glutamate dehydrogenase (GLUD), was found on homologous bands of three morphologically similar chromosome segments, EFU14, EMA5p, and ECO8q, confirming that different Robertsonian translocations occurred during the evolution of these three species. These loci on the lemur chromosomes probably correspond to the human GLUD locus.