Although much is known about genetic variation in human and African great
ape (chimpanzee, bonobo, and gorilla) genomes, substantially less is known
about variation in gene-expression profiles within and among these species.
This information is necessary for defining transcriptional regulatory networks
that contribute to complex phenotypes unique to humans or the African great
apes. We took a systematic approach to this problem by investigating
gene-expression profiles in well-defined cell populations from humans,
bonobos, and gorillas. By comparing these profiles from 18 human and 21
African great ape primary fibroblast cell lines, we found that gene-expression
patterns could predict the species, but not the age, of the fibroblast donor.
Several differentially expressed genes among human and African great ape
fibroblasts involved the extracellular matrix, metabolic pathways, signal
transduction, stress responses, as well as inherited overgrowth and
neurological disorders. These gene-expression patterns could represent
molecular adaptations that influenced the development of species-specific
traits in humans and the African great apes.