The Baylor College of Medicine Human Genome Sequencing Center is sequencing and assembling the genome of the baboon (genus Papio). A high quality draft sequence of the reference genome has been produced from an olive baboon (Papio anubis), using read data produced by the Sanger, 454 and Illumina platforms. The latest version of the baboon genome adds Pacific Biosciences RS long reads (12x whole genome coverage) using DNA from an animal that comes from the same population as of the reference animal. The RS reads were mapped and gaps filled in the existing assembly using PBJelly2 software (English, Richards et al. 2012).

In addition to the deep sequence coverage of the reference olive baboon, BCM-HGSC has generated whole genome coverage from additional olive baboons, as well as individuals representing hamadryas (P. hamadryas), Guinea (P. papio), yellow (P. cynocephalus), chacma (P. ursinus) kinda (P. kindae) baboons and Gelada (Theropithecus gelada), an outgroup to Papio. Comparative analyses of these data are in progress and will result in a description of genomic diversity within and among species of the genus Papio and it’s close relatives.

Baboons are important both as a well-studied and diverse evolutionary radiation of Old World monkeys, and as laboratory primates commonly used in biomedical research. Although closely related, the species within this genus differ in social behavior, ecology, body size and other fundamental characteristics. In the laboratory, baboons are used as models of several human diseases, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, hypertension, epilepsy, infectious disease and various aspects of basic neurobiology. The project is funded by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).

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