The complete mitochondrial genome of Pseudocellus pearsei (Chelicerata: Ricinulei) and a comparison of mitochondrial gene rearrangements in Arachnida

Abstract

Background: Mitochondrial genomes are widely utilized for phylogenetic and population genetic analyses among animals. In addition to sequence data the mitochondrial gene order and RNA secondary structure data are used in phylogenetic analyses. Arachnid phylogeny is still highly debated and there is a lack of sufficient sequence data for many taxa. Ricinulei (hooded tickspiders) are a morphologically distinct clade of arachnids with uncertain phylogenetic affinities.

Mitochondrial genome sequence of Unionicola foili (Acari: Unionicolidae): a unique gene order with implications for phylogenetic inference

“…The emerging characteristics of this group include compact, extensively rearranged genomes and tRNA structures that are highly derived when compared to those of other arthropods. Although these characteristics are not universally shared across the arachnids, there are a growing number of examples of rearranged genomes and unusual tRNA structures in non-Trombidiformes Arachnida (Jeyaprakash and Hoy 2007;Fahrein et al 2007;Masta and Boore 2004;Domes et al 2008). The wealth of unusual features in these groups has generated intriguing hypotheses on a range of topics including genome recombination (Shao et al 2005), RNA editing (Masta and Boore 2004), loss of tRNA genes (Domes et al 2008), and the possibility of non-standard translation of some ORFs (Jeyaprakash and Hoy 2007).…”

Mitochondrial genome sequence of Unionicola parkeri (Acari: Trombidiformes: Unionicolidae): molecular synapomorphies between closely-related Unionicola gill mites

“…All tRNA annotations were confirmed by sequence alignment. Our U. parkeri annotation predicts the non-canonical tRNAs that is typical of Acari and some other arachnids (Masta and Boore 2004;Shao et al 2005;Fahrein et al 2007;Masta and Boore 2008;Ernsting et al 2009;Klimov and O'Connor 2009). Sequence alignments (Fig.…”

“…Typically, Acari tRNAs lack either the T-arm or D-arm, and occasionally part of the acceptor stem (Ernsting et al 2009;Masta and Boore 2004;Shao et al 2005;Fahrein et al 2007). They tend to be markedly truncated, some approaching what is believed to be the minimal length to maintain functionality (Ohtsuki et al 2002;Okimoto and Wolstenholme 1990).…”

A comparison of the mitochondrial genomes from two families of Solifugae (Arthropoda: Chelicerata): Eremobatidae and Ammotrechidae

“…Nothopuga sp. is identical to the specimen misidentified as Oltacola gomezi, in Fahrein et al (2007). DNA was extracted from the legs using the (Qiagen) "DNeasy kit" according to the manufacturer's protocol, except for reduced final elution volumes.…”

“…Arthropods show a moderate degree of variation in gene order (see Fahrein et al, 2007 for an overview of chelicerate gene orders). Some changes in gene order have been demonstrated to be useful characters that provide support for relationships that had not otherwise been wellsupported by sequence data.…”