title: The complete mitochondrial genome of Acanthastrea maxima (Cnidaria, Scleractinia, Lobophylliidae).
abstract: The complete nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial genome of the scleractinian coral Acanthastrea maxima has been obtained, representing the first sequenced mitogenome of a member of the Lobophylliidae. The mitochondrial genome is 18,278  bp in length, the longest sequence among the robust corals sequenced mitogenome to date. The overall GC composition (33.7%) and the gene arrangement are similar to those of the other scleractinian corals, including 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes (rnl and rns) and 2 tRNA genes (tRNA-Met and tRNA-Trp). All genes except tRNA-Trp, atp8, cox1, tRNA-Met and rnl are engulfed by a large group I intron in the nad5 gene. A second group I intron of 1077 bp in length is inserted in the cox1 gene and it encodes a putative homing endonuclease. There are four regions of gene overlaps totalling 22 bp and nine intergenic spacer regions for a total of 2220 bp, of which the cox3-cox2 region may correspond to the putative control region.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences , University of Milano-Bicocca , Piazza della Scienza 2 , Milan , Italy and.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arrigoni
authors.affiliation: b CEA/DSV/IG/Genoscope , Evry Cedex , France.
authors.forename: Benoît
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vacherie
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences , University of Milano-Bicocca , Piazza della Scienza 2 , Milan , Italy and.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Benzoni
authors.affiliation: b CEA/DSV/IG/Genoscope , Evry Cedex , France.
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Barbe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000235:genetics*; D001482:Base Composition / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D059646:Genome Size; D054629:Genome, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics*; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D012343:RNA, Transfer / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D012343:RNA, Transfer
keywords: Coral; genome organization; group I intron; mitogenome; threatened species