Genetic Conservation and Population Management of Non-Human Primates: Parentage Determination Using Seven Microsatellite-Based Multiplexes

Conservation of non-human primates receives much attention, with nearly 350 of the more than 520 recorded primate species classified as threatened. To conduct effective population management, monitoring genetic diversity within species is of key importance, as it can offer insights into the levels of inbreeding within groups or populations. To examine kinship within the macaque breeding groups housed at the Biomedical Primate Research Centre, located in Rijswijk, The Netherlands, we have developed seven microsatellite-based multiplexes for parentage analysis. These multiplexes comprise a unique set of 23 short tandem repeats (STR) distributed across 15 chromosomes. Extensive validation has been conducted across 2217 Indian rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and 759 long-tailed macaques (M. fascicularis), demonstrating that these STR markers are highly polymorphic and segregate. Most markers exhibit a polymorphic information content (PIC) value above 0.5, illustrating that they are highly informative and valuable in providing us with a reliable parentage determination. Beyond macaques, we manifested that the multiplexes are also suitable for addressing parentage issues in apes and other Old World monkey species. Furthermore, this assay works on DNA isolated from both invasive and non-invasive derived material (e.g., hair follicles and potentially feces). Thus, we present here seven validated multiplexes suitable for parentage analysis in apes and Old World monkey species. These multiplexes support future colony management objectives for various captive populations and, given the applicability of non-invasive techniques, could also be valuable for monitoring free-ranging primate populations.