Genetics, Vol 118, 649-663, Copyright © 1988


INVESTIGATIONS

Drosophila melanogaster Mitochondrial DNA: Gene Organization and Evolutionary Considerations

R. Garesse
Departamento de Bioquimica and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid 28029, Spain

The sequence of a 8351-nucleotide mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) fragment has been obtained extending the knowledge of the Drosophila melanogaster mitochondrial genome to 90% of its coding region. The sequence encodes seven polypeptides, 12 tRNAs and the 3' end of the 16S rRNA and CO III genes. The gene organization is strictly conserved with respect to the Drosophila yakuba mitochondrial genome, and different from that found in mammals and Xenopus. The high A + T content of D. melanogaster mitochondrial DNA is reflected in a reiterative codon usage, with more than 90% of the codons ending in T or A, G + C rich codons being practically absent. The average level of homology between the D. melanogaster and D. yakuba sequences is very high (roughly 94%), although insertion and deletions have been detected in protein, tRNA and large ribosomal genes. The analysis of nucleotide changes reveals a similar frequency for transitions and transversions, and reflects a strong bias against G+C on both strands. The predominant type of transition is strand specific.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
BioinformaticsHome page
S. Gog, M. Bader, and E. Ohlebusch
GENESIS: genome evolution scenarios
Bioinformatics, March 1, 2008; 24(5): 711 - 712.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
S. Saito, K. Tamura, and T. Aotsuka
Replication Origin of Mitochondrial DNA in Insects
Genetics, December 1, 2005; 171(4): 1695 - 1705.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol Biol EvolHome page
A. Mizi, E. Zouros, N. Moschonas, and G. C. Rodakis
The Complete Maternal and Paternal Mitochondrial Genomes of the Mediterranean Mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis: Implications for the Doubly Uniparental Inheritance Mode of mtDNA
Mol. Biol. Evol., April 1, 2005; 22(4): 952 - 967.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol. Biol. CellHome page
D. Maier, C. L. Farr, B. Poeck, A. Alahari, M. Vogel, S. Fischer, L. S. Kaguni, and S. Schneuwly
Mitochondrial Single-stranded DNA-binding Protein Is Required for Mitochondrial DNA Replication and Development in Drosophila melanogaster
Mol. Biol. Cell, April 1, 2001; 12(4): 821 - 830.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
R. Nielsen and D. M. Weinreich
The Age of Nonsynonymous and Synonymous Mutations in Animal mtDNA and Implications for the Mildly Deleterious Theory
Genetics, September 1, 1999; 153(1): 497 - 506.
[Abstract] [Full Text]