Comparative Mitogenomic Analysis of Damsel Bugs Representing Three Tribes in the Family Nabidae (Insecta: Hemiptera)

Abstract

BackgroundNabidae, a family of predatory heteropterans, includes two subfamilies and five tribes. We previously reported the complete mitogenome of Alloeorhynchus bakeri, a representative of the tribe Prostemmatini in the subfamily Prostemmatinae. To gain a better understanding of architecture and evolution of mitogenome in Nabidae, mitogenomes of five species representing two tribes (Gorpini and Nabini) in the subfamily Nabinae were sequenced, and a comparative mitogenomic analysis of three nabid tribes in two subfamilies was carried out.Methodology/Principal FindingsNabid mitogenomes share a similar nucleotide composition and base bias, except for the control region, where differences are observed at the subfamily level. In addition, the pattern of codon usage is influenced by the GC content and consistent with the standard invertebrate mitochondrial genetic code and the preference for A+T-rich codons. The comparison among orthologous protein-coding genes shows that different genes have been subject to different rates of molecular evolution correlated with the GC content. The stems and anticodon loops of tRNAs are extremely conserved, and the nucleotide substitutions are largely restricted to TψC and DHU loops and extra arms, with insertion-deletion polymorphisms. Comparative analysis shows similar rates of substitution between the two rRNAs. Long non-coding regions are observed in most Gorpini and Nabini mtDNAs in-between trnI-trnQ and/or trnS2-nad1. The lone exception, Nabis apicalis, however, has lost three tRNAs. Overall, phylogenetic analysis using mitogenomic data is consistent with phylogenies constructed mainly form morphological traits.Conclusions/SignificanceThis comparative mitogenomic analysis sheds light on the architecture and evolution of mitogenomes in the family Nabidae. Nucleotide diversity and mitogenomic traits are phylogenetically informative at subfamily level. Furthermore, inclusion of a broader range of samples representing various taxonomic levels is critical for the understanding of mitogenomic evolution in damsel bugs.

Ancestral Gene Organization in the Mitochondrial Genome of Thyridosmylus langii (McLachlan, 1870) (Neuroptera: Osmylidae) and Implications for Lacewing Evolution

“…1). The arrangement of mt genes of T. langii is the same as the putative ancestor of insects [21]–[26] and differs with the other six previously sequenced neuropteran mt genomes which share a common synapomorphic feature of transposition of tRNA Trp and tRNA Cys genes. The rearrangement of tRNA Cys – tRNA Trp – tRNA Tyr (CWY) was considered as a potential synapomorphic character for Neuroptera or some subgroup within the order in the previous study [15].…”

Mitogenome evolution in ladybirds: Potential association with dietary adaptation

“…Generally, gene content in each mitogenome is highly conserved in most animals. The lack of trnI has also been reported in other insects, such as weevils (Haran, Timmermans, & Vogler, 2013;Nan, Wei, & He, 2016;Song, Sheffield, Cameron, Miller, & Whiting, 2010), whiteflies (Thao, Baumann, & Baumann, 2004), and true bugs (Dai, Li, & Jiang, 2012;Li et al, 2012). Similarly, trnI was also detected in six other ladybirds, but it was difficult to determine whether this tRNA was (Table 1).…”

“…Therefore, the loss of trnI seemed not to be directly associated with dietary shifts. The lack of trnI has also been reported in other insects, such as weevils (Haran, Timmermans, & Vogler, 2013;Nan, Wei, & He, 2016;Song, Sheffield, Cameron, Miller, & Whiting, 2010), whiteflies (Thao, Baumann, & Baumann, 2004), and true bugs (Dai, Li, & Jiang, 2012;Li et al, 2012). It is thought that the loss of a tRNAs is compensated by the import of tRNAs from the cytoplasm (Duchêne, Pujol, & Maréchal-Drouard, 2009).…”

Mitochondrial Genomes of Two Barklice, Psococerastis albimaculata and Longivalvus hyalospilus (Psocoptera: Psocomorpha): Contrasting Rates in Mitochondrial Gene Rearrangement between Major Lineages of Psocodea

“…Alignment of the nucleotide sequences of each protein-coding gene and its putative amino acid sequence was with MUSCLE [31], adjusted to preserve the reading frame. Sequences of each rRNA gene were aligned with the GUIDANCE algorithm [32], 33, adjusted to its RNA secondary structure [34]. The alignments of individual genes were concatenated after removing poorly aligned sites using Gblocks 0.91 [35].…”