The complete mitochondrial genome of a Buckfast bee, Apis mellifera (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Northern Ireland

Hisashi Okuyama; John Hill; Stephen John Martin; Jun-Ichi Takahashi

doi:10.1080/23802359.2018.1450660

The complete mitochondrial genome of a Buckfast bee, Apis mellifera (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Northern Ireland

Mitochondrial DNA B Resour. 2018 Mar 13;3(1):338-339. doi: 10.1080/23802359.2018.1450660.

Authors

Hisashi Okuyama¹, John Hill², Stephen John Martin³, Jun-Ichi Takahashi¹

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Life Sciences, Kyoto Sangyo University, Kyoto, Japan.
² Randalstown and District Beekeepers' Association, Crumlin Co Antrim, UK.
³ School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester, UK.

Abstract

We analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome of the 'Buckfast bee', Apis mellifera, collected from North Ireland, UK. It consisted of a circular molecule of 16,353 bp. The genome contained 13 protein-coding, 22 tRNA, and 2 rRNA genes, along with one A + T-rich control region. The average AT content was 84.9%. The genes ATP8 and ATP6 shared 19 nucleotides. A phylogenetic analysis, suggested that the matriline 'Buckfast bee' has remained most closely related to the A. mellifera ligustica race from which it originated in 1917, despite being cross-bred with many other A. mellifera races over the past 100 years.

Keywords: Apis mellifera ligustica; Buckfast bee; Ireland; honeybee; origin.