Complete Genome Sequence of a Blochmannia Endosymbiont of Colobopsis nipponica

The complete mitochondrial genome of Uroleucon erigeronense (Thomas, 1878) (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

We have sequenced mitochondrial genome of Uroleucon erigeronense (Thomas, 1878) isolated from Erigeron canadensis in Korea. The circular mitogenome of U. erigeronense is 15,691 bp long including 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a single control region of 968 bp. AT ratio is 84.2%. Additional phylogenetic studies of aphid mitogenomes are required due to the inconsistency found in the three phylogenetic trees.

The investigation of intraspecific characteristics and comparative analyses of the complete mitochondrial genome of Stegobium paniceum (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) assembled from public NGS raw reads of the black truffle, Tuber melanosporum

Due to the rapid development of NGS technologies, a huge amount of NGS raw reads have been accumulated in public repositories, such as the Short Read Archive of NCBI. We successfully rescued the complete mitochondrial genome of Stegobium paniceum, a drug store beetle, from public NGS raw reads of truffle generated from the whole genome project. The circular mitogenome of S. paniceum is 15,474 bp long including 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a single large non-coding region of 803 bp. Intraspecific transfer RNAs structure and sequence variations were investigated and simple sequence repeats identified from three S. paniceum mitochondrial genomes were compared showing their diversities as fundamental data to utilize them in various aspects including developing efficient molecular markers in the family, Ptinidae. Phylogenetic analysis of 23 Bostrichoidea mitochondrial genomes presented better species identification based on phylogenetic analyses and the optimal options for constructing phylogenetic trees based on Bostrichoidea mitochondrial genomes. Our results present not only utilization of public NGS raw read sequences but also intraspecific features of S. paniceum mitochondrial genomes and comparative analysis of Bostrichoidea mitochondrial genomes in various aspects.

A Comparative Analyses of the Complete Mitochondrial Genomes of Fungal Endosymbionts in Sogatella furcifera, White-Backed Planthoppers

Sogatella furcifera Horvath, commonly known as the white-backed planthoppers (WBPH), is an important pest in East Asian rice fields. Fungal endosymbiosis is widespread among planthoppers in the infraorder Fulgoromorpha and suborder Auchenorrhyncha. We successfully obtained complete mitogenome of five WBPH fungal endosymbionts, belonging to the Ophiocordycipitaceae family, from next-generation sequencing (NGS) reads obtained from S. furcifera samples. These five mitogenomes range in length from 55,390 bp to 55,406 bp, which is shorter than the mitogenome of the fungal endosymbiont found in Ricania speculum, black planthoppers. Twenty-eight protein-coding genes (PCGs), 12 tRNAs, and 2 rRNAs were found in the mitogenomes. Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms, two insertions, and three deletions were identified among the five mitogenomes, which were fewer in number than those of four species of Ophiocordycipitaceae, Ophiocordyceps sinensis, Hirsutella thompsonii, Hirsutella rhossiliensis, and Tolypocladium inflatum. Noticeably short lengths (up to 18 bp) of simple sequence repeats were identified in the five WBPH fungal endosymbiont mitogenomes. Phylogenetic analysis based on conserved PCGs across 25 Ophiocordycipitaceae mitogenomes revealed that the five mitogenomes were clustered with that of R. speculum, forming an independent clade. In addition to providing the full mitogenome sequences, obtaining complete mitogenomes of WBPH endosymbionts can provide insights into their phylogenetic positions without needing to isolate the mtDNA from the host. This advantage is of value to future studies involving fungal endosymbiont mitogenomes.

Complete Genome Sequence of Lentilactobacillus parabuchneri Strain KEM

Korean effective microorganisms (KEM) comprise a commercial microbial complex originating from the microorganisms found in traditional Korean fermented foods, including kimchi. Using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, the complete genome sequence of Lentilactobacillus parabuchneri, considered a major species of KEM, was assembled. L. parabuchneri strains display large numbers of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and indels, including gene deletions.

Korean effective microorganisms (KEM) comprise a commercial microbial complex originating from the microorganisms found in traditional Korean fermented foods, including kimchi. Using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, the complete genome sequence of Lentilactobacillus parabuchneri, considered a major species of KEM, was assembled. L. parabuchneri strains display large numbers of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and indels, including gene deletions.