Insect mitochondrial genomics 3: the complete mitochondrial genome sequences of representatives from two neuropteroid orders: a dobsonfly (order Megaloptera) and a giant lacewing and an owlfly (order Neuroptera)

Abstract

We describe the complete mitochondrial genomes from representatives of two orders of the Neuropterida: a dobsonfly, Corydalus cornutus (Megaloptera: Corydalidae, GenBank Accession No. FJ171323), a giant lacewing Polystoechotes punctatus (Neuroptera: Polystoechotidae, FJ171325), and an owlfly, Ascaloptynx appendiculatus (Neuroptera: Ascalaphidae, FJ171324). The dobsonfly sequence is 15,687 base pairs with a major noncoding (A+T rich) region of approximately 967 bp. The gene content and organization of the dobsonfly is identical to that of most insects. The giant lacewing sequence is 16 036 bp with a major noncoding region of about 1123 bp, while the owlfly sequence is 15,877 bp with a major noncoding region of about 1066 bp. The two Neuroptera sequences include a transposition of two tRNA genes, tRNATrp and tRNACys. These tRNA genes are coded on opposite strands and overlap by seven residues in the standard insect mitochondrial gene arrangement. Thus, the transposition required a duplication of at least the region of overlap. It is likely that the transposition occurred by a duplication of both genes followed by deletion of one copy of each gene. Examination of this region in two other neuropteroid species, a snakefly, Agulla sp. (Raphidioptera: Raphidiidae), and an antlion, Myrmeleon immaculatus (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae), shows that the rearrangement is widespread in the order Neuroptera but not present in either of the other two orders of Neuropterida.