Primate evolution of a human chromosome 1 hypervariable repetitive element.

The clone designated hMF #1 represents a clustered DNA family, located on chromosome 1, consisting of tandem arrays displaying a monomeric length of 40 bp and a repetition frequency of approximately 7 x 10(3) copies per haploid genome. The sequence hMF #1 reveals multiple restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) when human genomic DNA is digested with a variety of 4-6-bp recognition sequence restriction enzymes (i.e., Taq I, Eco RI, Pst I, etc.). When hamster and mouse genomic DNA was digested and analyzed, no cross-species homology could be observed. Further investigation revealed considerable hybridization in the higher primates (chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan) as well as some monkey species. The evolutionary relationship of this repetitive DNA sequence, found in humans, to that of other primates was explored using two hybridization methods: DNA dot blot to establish copy number and Southern DNA analysis to examine the complexity of the RFLPs. Homology to the hMF #1 sequence was found throughout the suborder Anthropoidea in 14 ape and New and Old World monkey species. However the sequence was absent in one species of the suborder Prosimii. Several discrepancies between "established" evolutionary relationships and those predicted by hMF #1 exist, which suggests that repetitive elements of this type are not reliable indicators of phylogenetic branching patterns. The phenomenon of marked diversity between sequence homologies and copy numbers of dispersed repetitive DNA of closely related species has been observed in Drosophila, mice, Galago, and higher primates. We report here a similar phenomenon for a clustered repeat that may have originated at an early stage of primate evolution.