Comparative analysis of mitochondrial genomes of five aphid species (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and phylogenetic implications

PLoS One. 2013 Oct 17;8(10):e77511. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077511. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Insect mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) are of great interest in exploring molecular evolution, phylogenetics and population genetics. Only two mitogenomes have been previously released in the insect group Aphididae, which consists of about 5,000 known species including some agricultural, forestry and horticultural pests. Here we report the complete 16,317 bp mitogenome of Cavariella salicicola and two nearly complete mitogenomes of Aphis glycines and Pterocomma pilosum. We also present a first comparative analysis of mitochondrial genomes of aphids. Results showed that aphid mitogenomes share conserved genomic organization, nucleotide and amino acid composition, and codon usage features. All 37 genes usually present in animal mitogenomes were sequenced and annotated. The analysis of gene evolutionary rate revealed the lowest and highest rates for COI and ATP8, respectively. A unique repeat region exclusively in aphid mitogenomes, which included variable numbers of tandem repeats in a lineage-specific manner, was highlighted for the first time. This region may have a function as another origin of replication. Phylogenetic reconstructions based on protein-coding genes and the stem-loop structures of control regions confirmed a sister relationship between Cavariella and pterocommatines. Current evidence suggest that pterocommatines could be formally transferred into Macrosiphini. Our paper also offers methodological instructions for obtaining other Aphididae mitochondrial genomes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aphids / classification*
  • Aphids / genetics*
  • Base Composition
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Gene Order
  • Genome, Mitochondrial*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • Open Reading Frames
  • Phylogeny*
  • RNA, Ribosomal / chemistry
  • RNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • RNA, Transfer / chemistry
  • RNA, Transfer / genetics
  • Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid
  • Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid

Substances

  • RNA, Ribosomal
  • RNA, Transfer

Associated data

  • GENBANK/KC332935
  • GENBANK/KC840675
  • GENBANK/KC840676

Grants and funding

The work was supported by grants from the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (31272348), National Science Funds for Distinguished Young Scientists (31025024), National Science Fund for Fostering Talents in Basic Research (J1210002), the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China (2011FY120200), and a grant from the Key Laboratory of the Zoological Systematics and Evolution of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (O529YX5105). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.