title: Increased reproductive success of MHC class II heterozygous males among free-ranging rhesus macaques.
abstract: Gene conversion and balancing selection have been invoked to explain the ubiquitous diversity of the antigen-presenting proteins encoded in the vertebrate major histocompatibility complex (MHC). In the present study, direct evidence for over-dominant selection promoting MHC diversity in primates is provided by the observation that, in a large free-ranging population of rhesus macaques, males heterozygous at MHC class II locus Mamu-DQB1 sired significantly more offspring than homozygotes (the male-specific selection coefficient s equals 0.34). This heterozygote advantage appeared to be independent of the actual male Mamu-DQB1 genotype. No similar effect emerged for a captive group of monkeys of similar genetic background but under veterinary care.
authors.affiliation: Deutsches Primatenzentrum, Arbeitsgruppe Primatengenetik, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sauermann
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nürnberg
authors.forename: F B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Bercovitch
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Berard
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trefilov
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Widdig
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmidtke
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krawczak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics*; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal