Mitochondrial genome of Angiostrongylus vasorum: comparison with congeners and implications for studying the population genetics and epidemiology of this parasite

Abstract

Angiostrongylus vasorum is a strongylid nematode of major clinical relevance in canids, causing angiostrongylosis. In spite of its increasing importance, the genetics, epidemiology and biology of this parasite are not entirely understood. Mitochondrial (mt) DNA provides useful markers for studies of these areas, but genetic data are scant for A. vasorum and its congeners. Here, the mitochondrial genome was amplified by long-range polymerase chain reaction (long-PCR) from a portion of a single male adult of A. vasorum, sequenced using 454 technology and annotated employing a semi-automated bioinformatic pipeline. This circular mitochondrial genome is 13,422 bp and contains 12 protein-encoding, 22 transfer RNA, and two ribosomal RNA genes, consistent with its congeners and other secernentean nematodes. This mt genome represents a rich source of markers for future investigations of the population genetics and epidemiology of A. vasorum. Molecular tools, employing such mt markers, should be useful for explorations into host specificity and for prospecting for cryptic species, and might also underpin the diagnosis of canine angiostrongylosis.