Complete mtDNA sequences of two millipedes suggest a new model for mitochondrial gene rearrangements: duplication and nonrandom loss.

Full Abstract

We determined the complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences of the millipedes Narceus annularus and Thyropygus sp. (Arthropoda: Diplopoda) and identified, in both genomes, all 37 genes typical for metazoan mtDNA. The arrangement of these genes is identical in the two millipedes, but differs from others found in arthropod mtDNAs in the location of at least four genes or gene blocks. This novel gene arrangement is unusual for animal mtDNA in that genes with identical transcriptional polarities are clustered in the genome, and the two clusters are separated by two noncoding regions. The only exception to this pattern is the gene for cysteine tRNA, which is located in the part of the genome that otherwise contains all genes with the opposite transcriptional polarity. We suggest that a mechanism involving complete mtDNA duplication followed by the loss of genes, predetermined by their transcriptional polarity and location in the genome, could generate this gene arrangement from the one ancestral for arthropods. The proposed mechanism has important implications for phylogenetic inferences that are drawn on the basis of gene arrangement comparisons.

Author information

Author/s: Lavrov, Dennis V (DV); Boore, Jeffrey L (JL); Brown, Wesley M (WM);

Affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. dlavrov(-atsign-)bch.umontreal.ca

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Journal: Molecular biology and evolution (Mol Biol Evol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Feb; vol 19 (issue 2) : pp 163-9

Dates: Created 2002/01/21; Completed 2002/03/14; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 11801744, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.