Complete mitochondrial genome ofGekko swinhonis(Squamata, Gekkonidae)

The first complete mitochondrial DNA of Tenuidactylus dadunensis (Squamata: Gekkonidae) and its phylogeny

The complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of Tenuidactylus dadunensis (Squamata: Gekkonidae) was described by using next-generation sequencing. The total length of mtDNA was 16,893 bp, which contained 13 PCGs (COX1-3, ND1-6, ND4L, ATP6, ATP8, and CYTB), 22 transfer RNA(tRNA) genes, 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and a control region (D-loop). The Bayesian inference tree showed that T. dadunensis was included in Gekkonidae and was a sister taxon to Cyrtopodion scabrum. The complete mtDNA of T. dadunensis will be an important genetic resource to the studies of conservation and research of geckonids.

Characterization of five complete Cyrtodactylus mitogenome structures reveals low structural diversity and conservation of repeated sequences in the lineage

Mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of five Cyrtodactylus were determined. Their compositions and structures were similar to most of the available gecko lizard mitogenomes as 13 protein-coding, two rRNA and 22 tRNA genes. The non-coding control region (CR) of almost all Cyrtodactylus mitogenome structures contained a repeated sequence named the 75-bp box family, except for C. auribalteatus which contained the 225-bp box. Sequence similarities indicated that the 225-bp box resulted from the duplication event of 75-bp boxes, followed by homogenization and fixation in C. auribalteatus. The 75-bp box family was found in most gecko lizards with high conservation (55-75% similarities) and could form secondary structures, suggesting that this repeated sequence family played an important role under selective pressure and might involve mitogenome replication and the likelihood of rearrangements in CR. The 75-bp box family was acquired in the common ancestral genome of the gecko lizard, evolving gradually through each lineage by independent nucleotide mutation. Comparison of gecko lizard mitogenomes revealed low structural diversity with at least six types of mitochondrial gene rearrangements. Cyrtodactylus mitogenome structure showed the same gene rearrangement as found in most gecko lizards. Advanced mitogenome information will enable a better understanding of structure evolution mechanisms.

Complete mitochondrial genomes of two gecko species, Gekko hokouensis and Gekko japonicus (Squamata, Gekkonidae)

The Gekkonidae is the second-most-numerous Family in Sauria and widely distributed around the world. In this paper, the complete mitochondrial genomes of two gecko species, Gekko hokouensis and Gekko japonicas, were sequenced. The lengths of the two mitochondrial genomes (G. hokouensis and G. japonicus) are 17 956 bp and 17 769 bp, respectively. These mitochondrial genomes both contain 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes and a non-coding region (control region). The overall base compositions of the H-strand of G. hokouensis and G. japonicus are 32.1% A, 26.7% T, 27.0% C, 14.2% G and 31.6% A, 25.2% T, 28.6% C, 14.7% G, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that G. hokouensis is a sister clade with G. swinhonis. G. japonicus has a close phylogenetic relationship to the clade of G. hokouensis and G. swinhonis.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Gekko chinensis (Squamata, Gekkonidae)

We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of Gekko chinensis, which is an endemic species to China. The complete mitogenome is 17,906 bp in size, containing 37 genes coding for 13 proteins, two ribosomal RNAs, 22 transfer RNAs, and a control region. The A + T content of the overall base composition of H-strand is 61.1% (T: 27.6%, C: 25.5%, A: 33.5%, and G: 13.4%). The major non-coding region (control region) is 2530 bp in length and the A + T content is 67.9%. Besides, four tandem repeats were found within the control region. In Bayesian inference (BI), maximum likelihood (ML) and maximum parsimony (MP) trees, we found G. chinensis is a sister clade to Gekko swinhonis.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Goniurosaurus luii (Squamata, Eublepharidae)

The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Goniurosaurus luii has been determined in the present paper. The genome was 16,519 bp in length and contained 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and 1 control region (CR). Its gene composition and order was similar to most other Squamate reptiles. The overall base composition of the genome in descending order was 34.11% A, 26. 01% C, 27.43% T, and 12.45% G, with a slight AT bias of 61.54%. CR was located between the tRNA-Pro and tRNA-Phe genes and was 1147 bp in length, some tandem repeat sequences and conserved elements (CSB2-3) were found in the control region.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Teratoscincus roborowskii (Squamata: Gekkonidae)

The complete nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial genome of Teratoscincus roborowskii was sequenced here. It was determined to be 16,644 base pairs in length and contained 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and a control region. The 22 tRNA genes could be folded into the typical cloverleaf structure described for vertebrate mitochondrial tRNAs. The base composition of the heavy strand was 30.33% A, 30.35% C, 14.65% G and 24.67% T. The control region was located between the tRNA-Pro and tRNA-Phe genes and is 1248 bp in length and some tandem repeat sequences were found in it.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of the wild cucumber Cucumis hystrix Chakr. (Cucumis, cucurbitaceae)

The complete nucleotide sequence of the wild cucumber (C. hystrix Chakr.) chloroplast genome has been determined in this study. The genome was composed of 155,031 bp containing a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 25,150 bp, which was separated by a large single-copy region of 86,564 bp and a small single-copy region of 18,166 bp. The chloroplast genome contained 130 known genes, including 89 protein-coding genes, 8 ribosomal RNA genes (4 rRNA species) and 37 tRNA genes (30 tRNA species), with 18 of them located in the IR region. In these genes, 16 contained 1 intron, and 2 genes and one ycf contained 2 introns.