The distinct biological effects of neurotrophins are mediated in part through their binding to the high-affinity neurotrophin receptors represented by the Trk family of receptor tyrosine kinases. Using the technique of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), we cloned several partial cDNAs encoding trkA, trkB, and trkC from fetal brains of African green monkeys. Southern analysis of PCR products showed that the ventral tegmental area of adult monkey and ventral midbrains of fetal monkeys of E59, E81, E91, and E150 days of gestation expressed all three trk gene transcripts, whereas only trkB and trkC mRNAs were detectable in the adult substantia nigra. The nucleotide sequences of the cloned monkey trk cDNAs are highly homologous to their human counterparts, and we detected a splice variant of trkC that has recently been described in humans, but not in rodents. Moreover, sequencing of trkC cDNAs derived from four fetal monkey midbrains revealed two novel variants with single nucleotide substitution. A missense mutation (AAT to AGT) was identified in the codon corresponding to codon 361 of the deduced human TrkC sequence, converting an encoded Asn to Ser. The second variant involves a silent transition at the third nucleotide of the codon Gly 362 (GGC to GGA). Furthermore, three of the four potential alleles involving these two trkC variants were detected in these monkeys, indicating that a segregation of multiple trkC alleles occurs in a geographically contained population of feral monkeys.