Conservation of human gamma-X centromeric satellite DNA among primates with an autosomal localization in certain Old World monkeys

Gamma-X satellite DNA is a 220-bp tandemly arranged repetitive DNA with spe cificity for the centromeric region of the human X chromosome. The conserva tion of this human X centromeric satellite DNA sequence in primate species was evaluated by comparative fluorescence in-situ hybridization to metaphas e chromosome preparations of the great apes and three Old World monkeys. Ho mologous gamma-X DNA were detected at centromeric locations in all six prim ate species. For the great apes, gamma-X was exclusively localized to the c entromeric regions of the X chromosomes. Among the Old World monkeys studie d, only the golden monkey exhibited localization to the X chromosome. In th e black-and-white colobus and the pig-tailed macaque, human gamma-X sequenc es were localized to the pericentromeric regions of autosomes 1 and 4, resp ectively.