Characterisation of the mitochondrial genome of Parafilaroides normani (lungworm) of Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus (Australian fur seal)

Abstract

Parafilaroides normani is a metastrongyloid nematode of clinical relevance in some species of pinnipeds. The taxonomy, biology and epidemiology of this and related species are not well understood. Mitochondrial (mt) DNA can provide markers for studies in these areas, but genetic data are scant. Here, we characterised the mt genome of P. normani. Adults of this nematode were collected from Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus from Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia, and genomic DNA was extracted from individuals. The complete mt genome was amplified from DNA from a single adult male by long-range PCR, as two overlapping amplicons (~5 and ~10 kb), and then sequenced employing 454 technology (Roche). The mt genome was assembled from reads of ~300 bp and annotated using an established bioinformatic pipeline. This circular mt genome is 13,411 bp and contains two ribosomal RNA, 12 protein-coding and 22 transfer RNA genes, consistent with those of other lungworms studied to date. This mt genome is intended to provide a source of genetic markers for future investigations of the biology, epidemiology and systematics of Parafilaroides spp. and related lungworms.