Open AccessLong-read sequencing reveals atypical mitochondrial genome structure in a New Zealand marine isopod
Author(s) -
William S. Pearman,
Sarah J. Wells,
James Dale,
Olin Silander,
Nikki E. Freed
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
royal society open science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 51
ISSN - 2054-5703
DOI - 10.1098/rsos.211550
Subject(s) - biology , mitochondrial dna , genome , lineage (genetic) , evolutionary biology , isopoda , genetics , chromosome , taxon , gene , zoology , ecology , crustacean
Most animal mitochondrial genomes are small, circular and structurally conserved. However, recent work indicates that diverse taxa possess unusual mitochondrial genomes. In Isopoda, species in multiple lineages have atypical and rearranged mitochondrial genomes. However, more species of this speciose taxon need to be evaluated to understand the evolutionary origins of atypical mitochondrial genomes in this group. In this study, we report the presence of an atypical mitochondrial structure in the New Zealand endemic marine isopod,Isocladus armatus. Data from long- and short-read DNA sequencing suggest thatI. armatus has two mitochondrial chromosomes. The first chromosome consists of two mitochondrial genomes that have been inverted and fused together in a circular form, and the second chromosome consists of a single mitochondrial genome in a linearized form. This atypical mitochondrial structure has been detected in other isopod lineages, and our data from an additional divergent isopod lineage (Sphaeromatidae) lends support to the hypothesis that atypical structure evolved early in the evolution of Isopoda. Additionally, we find that an asymmetrical site previously observed across many species within Isopoda is absent inI. armatus , but confirm the presence of two asymmetrical sites recently reported in two other isopod species.