Complete sequence and gene organization of the mitochondrial genome for Hubbard's sportive lemur (Lepilemur hubbardorum)

Abstract

The complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome of Hubbard's or Zombitse sportive lemur (Lepilemur hubbardorum) was generated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, primer-walking sequencing and fragment cloning. Comparative analyses of Hubbard's sportive lemur were conducted with available complete mitochondrial genome sequences from eight other lemur species. The mitochondrial genome of Hubbard's sportive lemur is 16,854 base pairs (bp) and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes and one control region. Three rare start codons were found, in which GTG is the start codon for the ATPase 6 subunit gene (ATP), ATC for the NADH dehydrogenase (ND) 2 subunit gene, and ATT for the ND5 subunit gene. In the control region, sequence analysis found one repetitive unit between conserved sequence blocks (CSB)-1 and CSB-2 for L. hubbardorum. Comparative analysis of eight other lemur species showed different repetitive units between and outside of these two blocks. According to the phylogenetic analysis of the 12 heavy-strand encoded protein-coding genes, all nine lemur species representative of four lemuriformes families were monophyletic. This template and the newly designed primers described in this study will allow scientists to generate comparative sequences for all sportive lemurs to validate phylogenetic discrepancies in the genus Lepilemur and to evaluate evolutionary and biogeographic models.