Length polymorphism and structural organization of the A+T-rich region of mitochondrial DNA in Antheraea pernyi (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae)

First complete mitochondrial genome of Antheraea pernyi Guérin-Méneville 1855 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) from North Korea

This study reports the first complete mitochondrial genome of Antheraea pernyi Guérin-Méneville 1855 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) strain Dingzhou_1, a silkworm resource serving silk production in North Korea. The mitochondrial genome is circular with 15,573 bp in length encoding 37 typical mitochondrial genes (13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes). The 553-bp A + T-rich region harbors a repeat region composed of 6 ∼ 38 bp tandem repeat units, as found in other known inbred strains from Chinese populations. The phylogenetic analysis clustered Dingzhou_1 from North Korea together with Chinese Liaoning population, suggesting that oak silkworm in North Korea might be introduced from her neighbor China Liaoning.