New Mitogenomes of the Polypedilum Generic Complex (Diptera: Chironomidae): Characterization and Phylogenetic Implications

Abstract

Mitochondrial genomics, as a useful marker for phylogenetics and systematics of organisms, are important for molecular biology studies. The phylogenetic relationships of the Polypedilum generic complex remains controversial, due to lack taxonomy and molecular information. In this study, we newly sequenced mitogenomes of 14 species of the Polypedilum generic complex. Coupled with three recently published sequences, we analyzed the nucleotide composition, sequence length, and evolutionary rate of this generic complex. The control region showed the highest AT content. The evolution rate of protein coding genes was as follows: ATP8 > ND6 > ND5 > ND3 > ND2 > ND4L > ND4 > COX1 > ND1 > CYTB > APT6 > COX2 > COX3. We reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships among the genera within the Polypedilum generic complex based on 19 mitochondrial genomes (seventeen ingroups and two outgroups), using Bayesian Inference (BI) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) methods for all databases. Phylogenetic analysis of 19 mitochondrial genomes demonstrated that the Endochironomus + Synendotendipes was sister to Phaenopsectra + Sergentia.

Codon bias analysis of the mitochondrial genome reveals natural selection in the nonbiting midge Microtendipes umbrosus Freeman, 1955 (Diptera: Chironomidae)

“…Furthermore, it can enhance our understanding of the evolutionary mechanisms underlying mitochondrial gene coding. The increasing availability of Chironomidae mitochondrial genomes has been instrumental in resolving the phylogenetic relationship of this family (Li et al 2022, Zhang et al 2023). And a growing number of studies have used codon bias analysis to investigate the adaptability of chironomids to their living environment (Zheng et al 2021, Lin et al 2022).…”

New mitogenomes from the genus Cricotopus (Diptera: Chironomidae, Orthocladiinae): Characterization and phylogenetic implications

“…A dated phylogeny of Chironomidae at subfamily and lower taxonomic levels has been constructed (Cranston et al, 2012) using only four genes: two ribosomal, one nuclear and one mitochondrial gene. As an increasing number of chironomid mitogenomes are published (Fang et al, 2022, 2023; Lei et al, 2021; Li et al, 2022; Lin, Liu, et al, 2022; Lin, Zhao, et al, 2022; Qi et al, 2023; Zhang et al, 2023; Zheng et al, 2021, 2022), it is becoming possible to compare the utility of additional mitochondrial genes, or whole genomes, for phylogenetic studies of chironomids at both higher and lower taxonomic levels.…”