We have characterized the complete mitochondrial genome of a Korean ikonnikov's bat species, Myotis ikonnikovi. Total length of the mitogenome is 16,585 bp with a total base composition of 34.0% A, 30.4% T, 22.8% C and 12.8% G. The mitogenome consists of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA (12S and 16S RNA) genes, 22 tRNA genes and 1 control region. The mitogenome of M. ikonnikovi exhibited similar features compared with the previously determined mitogenome of a Myotis species, M. formosus. The results will contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying mitogenome evolution in the genus Myotis bats.

Almost all examined cockroaches harbor an obligate intracellular endosymbiont, Blattabacterium cuenoti. On the basis of genome content, Blattabacterium has been inferred to recycle nitrogen wastes and provide amino acids and cofactors for its hosts. Most Blattabacterium strains sequenced to date harbor a genome of ∼630 kbp, with the exception of the termite Mastotermes darwiniensis (∼590 kbp) and Cryptocercus punctulatus (∼614 kbp), a representative of the sister group of termites. Such genome reduction may have led to the ultimate loss of Blattabacterium in all termites other than Mastotermes. In this study, we sequenced 11 new Blattabacterium genomes from three species of Cryptocercus in order to shed light on the genomic evolution of Blattabacterium in termites and Cryptocercus. All genomes of Cryptocercus-derived Blattabacterium genomes were reduced (∼614 kbp), except for that associated with Cryptocercus kyebangensis, which comprised 637 kbp. Phylogenetic analysis of these genomes and their content indicates that Blattabacterium experienced parallel genome reduction in Mastotermes and Cryptocercus, possibly due to similar selective forces. We found evidence of ongoing genome reduction in Blattabacterium from three lineages of the C. punctulatus species complex, which independently lost one cysteine biosynthetic gene. We also sequenced the genome of the Blattabacterium associated with Salganea taiwanensis, a subsocial xylophagous cockroach that does not vertically transmit gut symbionts via proctodeal trophallaxis. This genome was 632 kbp, typical of that of nonsubsocial cockroaches. Overall, our results show that genome reduction occurred on multiple occasions in Blattabacterium, and is still ongoing, possibly because of new associations with gut symbionts in some lineages.

The complete mitochondrial genome of a Korean Ussurian tube-nosed bat, Murina ussuriensis, was determined. The mitochondrial genome of M. ussuriensis is 17,285 bp in length with a total base composition of 33.8% A, 28.9% T, 23.8% C, and 13.4% G. All the protein-coding genes (total length of 11,401 bp) were encoded in H-strand except for ND6 in L-strand. The total length of 22 tRNA genes was 1516 bp varying from 62 bp (tRNA (Ser) ((AGY))) to 74 bp (tRNA (Leu) ((UUR)) and tRNA (Gln)). The 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA genes were 972 and 1558 bp in length, respectively. The D-loop region was 2496 bp in length.

We characterized the complete mitogenome of Pipistrellus coromandra (Indian pipistrelle) for comparative analysis of mitogenomes and for resolving the phylogenetic relationship of four tribes in the subfamily Vespertilioninae. The mitogenome size of P. coromandra was 17,153 bp, with a control region and a typical set of 37 mitochondrial genes. The nucleotide composition of the P. coromandra mitogenome showed an AT bias with a nucleotide composition of 33.5% A, 30.7% T, 13.3% G, and 22.5% C. The mitochondrial protein-coding genes in P. coromandra use the standard start codon (ATN), two stop codons (TAA and AGA), and two incomplete stop codons (TA-and T-). The intertribal relationship of four tribes was highly resolved from the phylogenetic analysis of mitogenome sequences.

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