title: The complete sequence of the mitochondrial genome of the African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus).
abstract: The complete mitochondrial genome of the African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) was sequenced. The molecule was sequenced via next generation sequencing and primer walking. The size of the genome is 17,346 bp in length. Comparison with the mitochondrial DNA of two other penguin genomes that have so far been reported was conducted namely; Little blue penguin (Eudyptula minor) and the Rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome). This analysis made it possible to identify common penguin mitochondrial DNA characteristics. The S. demersus mtDNA genome is very similar, both in composition and length to both the E. chrysocome and E. minor genomes. The gene content of the African penguin mitochondrial genome is typical of vertebrates and all three penguin species have the standard gene order originally identified in the chicken. The control region for S. demersus is located between tRNA-Glu and tRNA-Phe and all three species of penguins contain two sets of similar repeats with varying copy numbers towards the 3' end of the control region, accounting for the size variance. This is the first report of the complete nucleotide sequence for the mitochondrial genome of the African penguin, S. demersus. These results can be subsequently used to provide information for penguin phylogenetic studies and insights into the evolution of genomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, University of the Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa; Inqaba Biotechnical Industries (Pty) Ltd, P.O. Box 14356, Hatfield 0028, South Africa. Electronic address: Christiaan.Labuschagne@inqababiotec.co.za.
authors.forename: Christiaan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Labuschagne
authors.forename: Antoinette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kotzé
authors.forename: J Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Grobler
authors.forename: Desiré L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Dalton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D054629:Genome, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D010802:Phylogeny; D013045:Species Specificity; D046429:Spheniscidae / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial
keywords: A; ATP; Ala; Arg; Asn; Asp; C; COX; CR; CSB; Cys; Cytb; DNA; Eudyptes chrysocome; Eudyptula minor; G; Gln; Glu; Gly; H; His; Ile; L; Leu; Little blue penguin; Met; NAD; NADH; NADH dehydrogenase; ND; Next generation sequencing; PCG; PCR; Phe; Pro; RNA; Rockhopper penguin; S; Ser; T; Thr; Tm; Trp; Tyr; U; Val; aa; adenosine; adenosine 5-triphosphate; alanine; amino acid; arginine; asparagine; aspartic acid; base pair(s); bp; conserved sequence blocs; control region; cysteine; cytochrome b; cytochrome c oxidase; cytosine; deoxyribonucleic acid; glutamic acid; glutamine; glycine; guanine; heavy; histidine; isoleucine; kb; kilobase; leucine; light; melting temperature; methionine; min; minute; mitochondrial DNA; mtDNA; nano gram; ng; nicotinamide–adenine dinucleotide; nicotinamide–adenine dinucleotide (reduced); pM; phenylalanine; pico mole; polymerase chain reaction; proline; protein coding gene; rRNA; ribonucleic acid; ribosomal ribonucleic acid; s; second; serine; subunit; tRNA; threonine; thymine; transfer ribonucleic acid; tryptophan; tyrosine; uracil; valine