The complete mitochondrial genome of the onychophoran Epiperipatus biolleyi reveals a unique transfer RNA set and provides further support for the ecdysozoa hypothesis

Onychophora (velvet worms) play a crucial role in current discussions on position of arthropods. The ongoing Articulata/Ecdysozoa debate is in need of additional ground pattern characters for Panarthropoda (Arthropoda, Tardigrada, and Onychophora). Hence, Onychophora is an important outgroup taxon in resolving the relationships among arthropods, irrespective of whether morphological or molecular data are used. To date, there has been a noticeable lack of mitochondrial genome data from onychophorans. Here, we present the first complete mitochondrial genome sequence of an onychophoran, Epiperipatus biolleyi (Peripatidae), which shows several characteristic features. Specifically, the gene order is considerably different from that in other arthropods and other bilaterians. In addition, there is a lack of 9 tRNA genes usually present in bilaterian mitochondrial genomes. All these missing tRNAs have anticodon sequences corresponding to 4-fold degenerate codons, whereas the persisting 13 tRNAs all have anticodons pairing with 2-fold degenerate codons. Sequence-based phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial protein-coding genes provides a robust support for a clade consisting of Onychophora, Priapulida, and Arthropoda, which confirms the Ecdysozoa hypothesis. However, resolution of the internal ecdysozoan relationships suffers from a cluster of long-branching taxa (including Nematoda and Platyhelminthes) and a lack of data from Tardigrada and further nemathelminth taxa in addition to nematodes and priapulids.     

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Pelargonium x hortorum: organization and evolution of the largest and most highly rearranged chloroplast genome of land plants

The chloroplast genome of Pelargonium x hortorum has been completely sequenced. It maps as a circular molecule of 217,942 bp and is both the largest and most rearranged land plant chloroplast genome yet sequenced. It features 2 copies of a greatly expanded inverted repeat (IR) of 75,741 bp each and, consequently, diminished single-copy regions of 59,710 and 6,750 bp. Despite the increase in size and complexity of the genome, the gene content is similar to that of other angiosperms, with the exceptions of a large number of pseudogenes, the recognition of 2 open reading frames (ORF56 and ORF42) in the trnA intron with similarities to previously identified mitochondrial products (ACRS and pvs-trnA), the losses of accD and trnT-ggu and, in particular, the presence of a highly divergent set of rpoA-like ORFs rather than a single, easily recognized gene for rpoA. The 3-fold expansion of the IR (relative to most angiosperms) accounts for most of the size increase of the genome, but an additional 10% of the size increase is related to the large number of repeats found. The Pelargonium genome contains 35 times as many 31 bp or larger repeats than the unrearranged genome of Spinacia. Most of these repeats occur near the rearrangement hotspots, and 2 different associations of repeats are localized in these regions. These associations are characterized by full or partial duplications of several genes, most of which appear to be nonfunctional copies or pseudogenes. These duplications may also be linked to the disruption of at least 1 but possibly 2 or 3 operons. We propose simple models that account for the major rearrangements with a minimum of 8 IR boundary changes and 12 inversions in addition to several insertions of duplicated sequence.     

啮总目昆虫的线粒体基因组多样性及系统发育研究进展

啮总目包括啮虫目（皮虱和书虱）和虱目（羽虱和吸虱）,是农业和医学等领域具有重要经济意义和研究价值的类群,目前已鉴定和描述的物种超过10 000个。啮总目昆虫线粒体基因组的变异性在昆虫各类群中最为剧烈,这些变异包括基因组的结构、基因排序、基因含量和链上分布等诸多方面。本文全面分析和总结了啮总目昆虫裂化线粒体基因组的进化属性,并结合两侧对称动物线粒体基因组的裂化特征重构了线粒体基因组环裂化的过程。引入“线粒体基因组核型”的概念来描述动物线粒体基因组丰富的变异程度。动物线粒体的染色体有减小的趋势,而线粒体基因组的裂化正是体现这种趋势的一种重要策略。同时,总结和探讨了目前具有争议的啮总目主要类群间的系统发育关系。本综述为啮总目昆虫线粒体基因组学、啮总目系统发生关系以及两侧对称动物线粒体基因组进化模式的研究提供一个新的视角。     

The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the little egret (Egretta garzetta)

Many phylogenetic questions in the Ciconiiformes remain unresolved and complete mitogenome data are urgently needed for further molecular investigation. In this work, we determined the complete mitogenome sequence of the little egret (Egretta garzetta). The genome was 17,361 bp in length and the gene organization was typical of other avian mtDNA. In protein-coding genes (PCGs), a C insertion was found in ND3, and COIII and ND4 terminated with incomplete stop codons (T). tRNA-Val and tRNA-Ser (AGY) were unable to fold into canonical cloverleaf secondary structures because they had lost the DHU arms. Long repetitive sequences consisting of five types of tandem repeats were found at the 3′ end of Domain III in the control region. A phylogenetic analysis of 11 species of Ciconiiformes was done using complete mitogenome data and 12 PCGs. The tree topologies obtained with these two strategies were identical, which strongly confirmed the monophyly of Ardeidae, Threskiorothidae and Ciconiidae. The phylogenetic analysis also revealed that Egretta was more closely related to Ardea than to Nycticorax in the Ardeidae, and Platalea was more closely related to Threskiornis than to Nipponia in the Threskiornithidae. These findings contribute to our understanding of the phylogenetic relationships of Ciconiiformes based on complete mitogenome data.     

中华攀雀线粒体基因组全序列测定与分析

该研究使用长PCR扩增和引物步移法测定了中华攀雀(Remiz consobrinus)线粒体基因组全序列,在对序列进行拼接和注释的基础上,分析了其结构、序列组成及蛋白编码基因密码子使用情况等,并对22个tRNA和2个rRNA的二级结构以及控制区结构进行了预测及系统发育分析,为雀形目鸟类的系统发育研究提供了新信息。中华攀雀线粒体基因组全长16737bp,GenBank登录号KC463856,碱基A、T、C、G的含量分别为27.8%、21.5%、35.4%及15.3%,37个基因排列顺序与已报道的其他鸟类基本一致,包含13个蛋白编码基因、22个tRNA基因、2个rRNA基因及1个非编码的控制区(D-loop),有18对基因间共存在77bp的间隔,7对基因间共存在30bp的重叠。除ND3基因的起始密码子为ATT外,其余均为标准的ATG,11个蛋白编码基因的终止密码子为TAA、TAG、AGA或AGG,2个为不完全终止密码子T(COⅢ、ND4)。除tRNASer-AGNDHU臂缺失外,其余21个tRNA均可形成典型的三叶草结构,在出现的27处碱基错配中有19处为常见的G-U错配。SrRNA和LrRNA二级结构分别包含3个结构域47个茎环结构和6个结构域60个茎环结构,与所发表的其他鸟类rRNA二级结构大体一致。中华攀雀控制区发现了同样存在于其他鸟类控制区的保守框F-box、D-box、C-box、B-box、Bird similarity-box和CSB1-box。该研究支持将攀雀科作为独立的科,同时,支持莺总科与攀雀科的单系性。     

蜱螨线粒体基因组研究进展

蜱螨亚纲包括蜱类和螨类, 是节肢动物中物种多样性最高的类群之一。本文综述了当前已测序的28种蜱螨线粒体基因组的研究成果。概括起来, 蜱螨线粒体基因组具有以下特点： （1）大小变异显著, 其中柑橘全爪螨Panonychus citri线粒体基因组在目前已测节肢动物中最小（13 077 bp）; （2）一般碱基组成偏向A和T, 但6种蜱螨具有相反的GC-偏斜（正值）; （3）基因组的碱基组成及A+T富集区的位置、 长度和拷贝数等变异显著, 其中4种叶螨的A+T含量最高, 其A+T富集区在目前已测节肢动物中最短（44~57 bp）; （4）基因高度重排, 特别是真螨总目的种类, 但重排与高分类阶元无相关性; （5）真螨总目部分螨类的tRNA基因极度缩短, 不能形成经典的三叶草二级结构。作者建议要进一步测定更多蜱螨的线粒体基因组, 验证蜱螨非典型tRNA基因的生物学功能性, 分析蜱螨线粒体基因组的分子进化机制, 开展蜱螨线粒体转录组研究等。     

A hotspot of gene order rearrangement by tandem duplication and random loss in the vertebrate mitochondrial genome

Most reported examples of change in vertebrate mitochondrial (mt) gene order could be explained by a tandem duplication followed by random loss of redundant genes (tandem duplication-random loss [TDRL] model). Under this model of evolution, independent loss of genes arising from a single duplication in an ancestral species are predicted, and remnant pseudogenes expected, intermediate states that may remain in rearranged genomes. However, evidence for this is rare and largely scattered across vertebrate lineages. Here, we report new derived mt gene orders in the vertebrate "WANCY" region of four closely related caecilian amphibians. The novel arrangements found in this genomic region (one of them is convergent with the derived arrangement of marsupials), presence of pseudogenes, and positions of intergenic spacers fully satisfy predictions from the TDRL model. Our results, together with comparative data for the available vertebrate complete mt genomes, provide further evidence that the WANCY genomic region is a hotspot for gene order rearrangements and support the view that TDRL is the dominant mechanism of gene order rearrangement in vertebrate mt genomes. Convergent gene rearrangements are not unlikely in hotspots of gene order rearrangement by TDRL.     

瓦氏黄颡鱼线粒体全基因组序列分析及系统进化

鲿科鱼类种类繁多, 外形相似, 形态学分类较为困难。为了给鲿科鱼类乃至鲇形目鱼类的系统进化研究积累基础资料, 文章采用参照近缘物种线粒体基因组设计覆盖全基因组引物的方法, 利用16对引物对瓦氏黄颡鱼(Pelteobagrus vachelli)线粒体全基因组进行扩增, PCR产物转化到质粒后测序, 最终获得线粒体基因组全序列, 其全长为16 527 bp, 包括2个rRNA基因、22个tRNA基因、13个编码蛋白质基因和一个非编码控制区。瓦氏黄颡鱼(P. vachelli)线粒体基因组结构和基因排列顺序与现已公布的鲇形目鱼类完全一致, 序列分析表明, 与鲇形目其他种属间具有较高的同源性, 与拟鲿属的同源性最高(91%)。利用鲇形目共4科6属9种及3个外群的线粒体全基因组序列, 从线粒体基因组水平探讨了鲿科鱼类及其在鲇形目的系统进化地位, 结果表明: 鲿科鱼类的瓦氏黄颡鱼(P. vachelli)、黄颡鱼(Pelteobagrus fulvidraco)、光泽黄颡鱼(Pelteobagrus nitidus)及越南拟鲿(Pseudobagrus tokiensis)构成一单系群; 拟鲿属与黄颡鱼属的关系较近; 黄颡鱼属中瓦氏黄颡鱼(P. vachelli)与光泽黄颡鱼(P.nitidus)的关系近于黄颡鱼(P. fulvidraco)。     

褶纹冠蚌线粒体基因组全序列分析

采用LA-PCR(Long amplification polymerase chain reaction )扩增方法首次获得褶纹冠蚌(Cristaria plicata)线粒体基因组全序列。分析表明:序列全长15 712 bp, 包括13个蛋白质基因、22个tRNA基因、2个rRNA基因和26个长度为2~328 bp的非编码区。A、T、C、G碱基组成分别为36.54%、27.22%、23.22%、13.02%。大部分基因在L链编码, 其中ND3~ND5、ND4L、COI~COIII、ATP6、ATP8、tRNA^Asp和tRNA^His在H链编码。基因排列与同科的射线佩饰真珠蚌(Lampsilis ornata)一致, 与三角帆蚌(Hyriopsis cumingii)在COII和12S rRNA之间存在差异。13个蛋白质基因具有I(AUU、AUC)、V(GUG)、M (AUA、AUG)3种起始密码子, 除ND2终止密码子为不完整的T, 其余基因均为典型的UAA或UAG。22个tRNA中, 除tRNA^Thr、tRNA^Lys、tRNA^Ser(UCN)、tRNA^Asp、tRNA^Arg、tRNA^Tyr和tRNA^Met之外, 其他15个tRNA都具有典型三叶草结构。与其他淡水双壳贝类一样, 褶纹冠蚌具有ATP8基因, 该基因可能与细胞质的渗透压平衡有关。     

背瘤丽蚌F型线粒体基因组全序列分析

部分双壳贝类的线粒体遗传方式是特殊的双重单亲遗传方式:F型存在于雌性体细胞组织和性腺中,M型仅存在于雄性个体的性腺中。通过LA-PCR扩增、SHOT-GUN测序、软件拼接获得背瘤丽蚌(Lamprotula leai)F型线粒体基因组全序列。线粒体基因组全长为16530 bp,包括13个蛋白质编码基因,22个tRNA其中包括2个tRNA^Ser和2个tRNA^Leu,2个SrRNA及27个长度不等的非编码区,最长的两个非编码区分别为969 bp、228 bp。比较分析已登录到GenBank中的淡水蚌类F型线粒体结构特征,结果显示背瘤丽蚌F型A+T含量为60.28%,表现出A+T偏好性,淡水蚌类线粒体基因组长度的差异主要表现为非编码区长度的差异。此外,背瘤丽蚌mtDNA的COⅡ-12S rRNA区域基因排列存在差异,是ND3、tRNA^His、tRNA^Ala、tRNA^Ser1、tRNA^Ser2、tRNA^Glu、ND2、tRNA^Met 8个基因发生重排造成。F型线粒体序列构建的系统进化树中,淡水蚌类和海水双壳贝类分别聚为一支。研究结果为进一步研究淡水珍珠蚌的DUI线粒体遗传方式和种质资源保护奠定基础,为双壳贝类mtDNA基因重排提供依据。     

Complete mtDNA sequence of the North American freshwater mussel,Lampsilis ornata (Unionidae): an examination of the evolution and phylogenetic utility of mitochondrial genome organization in Bivalvia (Mollusca)

Molluscs in general, and bivalves in particular, exhibit an extraordinary degree of mitochondrial gene order variation when compared with other metazoans. Two factors inhibiting our understanding the evolution of gene rearrangement in bivalves are inadequate taxonomic sampling and failure to examine gene order in a phylogenetic framework. Here, we report the first complete nucleotide sequence (16,060 bp) of the mitochondrial (mt) genome of a North American freshwater bivalve, Lampsilis ornata (Mollusca: Paleoheterodonta: Unionidae). Gene order and mt genome content is examined in a comparative phylogenetic framework for Lampsilis and five other bivalves, representing five families. Mitochondrial genome content is shown to vary by gene duplication and loss among taxa and between male and female mitotypes within a species. Although mt gene arrangement is highly variable among bivalves, when optimized on an independently derived phylogenetic hypothesis, it allows for the reconstruction of ancestral gene order states and indicates the potential phylogenetic utility of the data. However, the interpretation of reconstructed ancestral gene order states must take in to account both the accuracy of the phylogenetic estimation and the probability of character state change across the topology, such as the presence/absence of atp8 in bivalve lineages. We discuss what role, if any, doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI) and recombination between sexual mitotypes may play in influencing gene rearrangement of the mt genome in some bivalve lineages.     

The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the black-capped capuchin (Cebus apella)

The phylogenetic relationships of primates have been extensively investigated, but key issues remain unresolved. Complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) data have many advantages in phylogenetic analyses, but such data are available for only 46 primate species. In this work, we determined the complete mitogenome sequence of the black-capped capuchin (Cebus apella). The genome was 16,538 bp in size and consisted of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, two rRNAs and a control region. The genome organization, nucleotide composition and codon usage did not differ significantly from those of other primates. The control region contained several distinct repeat motifs, including a putative termination-associated sequence (TAS) and several conserved sequence blocks (CSB-F, E, D, C, B and 1). Among the protein-coding genes, the COII gene had lower nonsynonymous and synonymous substitutions rates while the ATP8 and ND4 genes had higher rates. A phylogenetic analysis using Maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods and the complete mitogenome data for platyrrhine species confirmed the basal position of the Callicebinae and the sister relationship between Atelinae and Cebidae, as well as the sister relationship between Aotinae (Aotus) and Cebinae (Cebus/Saimiri) in Cebidae. These conclusions agreed with the most recent molecular phylogenetic investigations on primates. This work provides a framework for the use of complete mitogenome information in phylogenetic analyses of the Platyrrhini and primates in general.     

The mitochondrial genome of the moss Physcomitrella patens sheds new light on mitochondrial evolution in land plants

The phylogenetic positions of bryophytes and charophytes, together with their genome features, are important for understanding early land plant evolution. Here we report the complete nucleotide sequence (105,340 bp) of the circular-mapping mitochondrial DNA of the moss Physcomitrella patens. Available evidence suggests that the multipartite structure of the mitochondrial genome in flowering plants does not occur in Physcomitrella. It contains genes for 3 rRNAs (rnl, rns, and rrn5), 24 tRNAs, and 42 conserved mitochondrial proteins (14 ribosomal proteins, 4 ccm proteins, 9 nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunits, 5 ATPase subunits, 2 succinate dehydrogenase subunits, apocytochrome b, 3 cytochrome oxidase subunits, and 4 other proteins). We estimate that 5 tRNA genes are missing that might be encoded by the nuclear genome. The overall mitochondrial genome structure is similar in Physcomitrella, Chara vulgaris, Chaetosphaeridium globosum, and Marchantia polymorpha, with easily identifiable inversions and translocations. Significant synteny with angiosperm and chlorophyte mitochondrial genomes was not detected. Phylogenetic analysis of 18 conserved proteins suggests that the moss-liverwort clade is sister to angiosperms, which is consistent with a previous analysis of chloroplast genes but is not consistent with some analyses using mitochondrial sequences. In Physcomitrella, 27 introns are present within 16 genes. Nine of its intron positions are shared with angiosperms and 4 with Marchantia, which in turn shares only one intron position with angiosperms. The phylogenetic analysis as well as the syntenic structure suggest that the mitochondrial genomes of Physcomitrella and Marchantia retain prototype features among land plant mitochondrial genomes.     

土蜂科线粒体基因组序列测定和分析

【目的】本研究旨在通过针尾部(Aculeata)昆虫线粒体基因组系统发育分析认知土蜂科(Scoliidae)的单系性及系统发育位置。【方法】利用Illumina Hiseq2500二代测序技术测序土蜂科3属5种的线粒体基因组,并进行注释和分析;基于针尾部昆虫36个线粒体基因组13个蛋白质编码基因(protein-coding genes, PCGs)和2个rRNA基因序列采用最大似然法(maximum likelihood, ML)和贝叶斯法(Bayesian inference, BI)法构建系统发育树。【结果】新测序的土蜂科5个线粒体基因组为五带波壁土蜂Colpa quinquecincta线粒体基因组(GenBank登录号：OM103696),齿石波壁土蜂Colpa tartara线粒体基因组(GenBank登录号：OM103697),厚大长腹土蜂Megacampsomeris grossa线粒体基因组(GenBank登录号：OM103796),台湾大长腹土蜂Megacampsomeris formosensis线粒体基因组(GenBank登录号：OM142776)和斯式土蜂Sc...     

The mitochondrial genome sequence and molecular phylogeny of the turkey, Meleagris gallopavo

The mitochondrial genome (mtGenome) has been little studied in the turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo ), a species for which there is no publicly available mtGenome sequence. Here, we used PCR-based methods with 19 pairs of primers designed from the chicken and other species to develop a complete turkey mtGenome sequence. The entire sequence (16 717 bp) of the turkey mtGenome was obtained, and it exhibited 85% similarity to the chicken mtGenome sequence. Thirteen genes and 24 RNAs (22 tRNAs and 2 rRNAs) were annotated. An mtGenome-based phylogenetic analysis indicated that the turkey is most closely related to the chicken, Gallus gallus , and quail, Corturnix japonica . Given the importance of the mtGenome, the present work adds to the growing genomic resources needed to define the genetic mechanisms that underlie some economically significant traits in the turkey.     

The mitochondrial genome of the lizard Calotes versicolor and a novel gene inversion in South Asian draconine agamids

A complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence was determinedfor the lizard Calotes versicolor (Reptilia; Agamidae). The16,670-bp genome with notable shorter genes for some protein-codingand tRNA genes had the same gene content as that found in othervertebrates. However, a novel gene arrangement was found inwhich the proline tRNA (trnP) gene is located in the light strandinstead of its typical heavy-strand position, providing thefirst known example of gene inversion in vertebrate mtDNAs.A segment of mtDNA encompassing the trnP gene and its flankinggenes and the control region was amplified and sequenced forvarious agamid taxa to investigate timing and mechanism of thegene inversion. The inverted trnP gene organization was sharedby all South Asian draconine agamids examined but by none ofthe other Asian and African agamids. Phylogenetic analyses includingclock-free Bayesian analyses for divergence time estimationsuggested a single occurrence of the gene inversion on a lineageleading to the draconine agamids during the Paleogene period.This gene inversion could not be explained by the tandem duplication/randomloss model for mitochondrial gene rearrangements. Our availablesequence data did not provide evidence for remolding of thetrnP gene by an anticodon switch in a duplicated tRNA gene.Based on results of sequence comparisons and other circumstantialevidence, we hypothesize that inversion of the trnP gene wasoriginally mediated by a homologous DNA recombination and thatthe de novo gene organization that does not disrupt expressionof mitochondrial genes has been maintained in draconine mtDNAsfor such a long period of time.     

Phylogeny, recombination, and mechanisms of stepwise mitochondrial genome reorganization in mantellid frogs from Madagascar

In Malagasy frogs of the family Mantellidae, the genus Mantellais known to possess highly reorganized mitochondrial (mt) genomeswith the following characteristics: 1) some rearranged genepositions, 2) 2 distinct genes and a pseudogene correspondingto the transfer RNA gene for methionine (trnM), and 3) 2 controlregions (CRs) with almost identical nucleotide sequences. Theseunique genomic features were observed concentrated between theduplicated CRs surrounding cytochrome b (cob) and nicotinamideadenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 2 (cnad2) genes.To elucidate the mechanisms and evolutionary pathway that yieldedthe derived genome condition, we surveyed the reorganized genomicportion for all 12 mantellid genera. Our results show that themt genomes of 7 genera retain the ancestral condition. In contrast,adding to Mantella, 4 genera of the subfamily Mantellinae, Blommersia,Guibemantis, Wakea, and Spinomantis, share several derived genomiccharacters. Furthermore, mt genomes of these mantellines showedadditional structural divergences, resulting in different genomeconditions between them. The high frequency of genomic reorganizationdoes not correlate with nucleotide substitution rate. The encounteredmt genomic conditions also suggest the occurrences of stepwisegene duplication and deletion events during the evolution ofmantellines. Simultaneously, the majority of duplication eventsseems to be mediated by general (homologous) or illegitimaterecombination, and general recombination also plays a role inconcerted sequence evolution between multiple CRs. Consideringour observations and recent conditional evidences, the followingoutlines can be expected for recombination processes in mt genomereorganization. 1) The CR is the "hot spot" of recombination;2) highly frequent recombination between CRs may be mediatedby a replication fork barrier lying in the CR; 3) general recombinationhas a potential to cause gene rearrangement in upstream regionsof multiple CRs as the results of gene conversion and unequalcrossing over processes. Our results also suggest that recombinationactivity is not a direct cause of convergent gene rearrangement;rather, homoplasious gene rearrangement seems to be mediatedby persistence of a copied genomic condition through severallineage splits and subsequent parallel deletions.