title: [Determining mitochondrial molecular markers suitable for genetic diversity analysis of Cordyceps militaris].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To screen efficient molecular markers suitable for genetic diversity analysis of Cordyceps militaris from mitochondrial DNA.
  
  
  METHODS
  We amplified 12 mitochondrial DNA fragments and 3 nuclear DNA fragments from each of 20 C. militaris isolates and analyzed nucleotide variations on these DNA fragments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We revealed a greatly higher genetic variation in mitochondrial DNA fragments than in nuclear DNA fragments. Specifically, C. militaris isolates exhibited intron presence/absence diversity in some mitochondrial fragments, and more variable sites were found in mitochondrial fragments than in nuclear fragments. The extent of nucleotide variations also varied by mitochondrial fragment, and intronic proteins seemed to be more vulnerable to amino acid changes than exonic proteins. Genetic diversity increased with the number of molecular markers used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We recommended using (in order) nad3-cox2. cox2-nad5, cox2, cox3, cob, and cox1 for future genetic diversity and population genetic studies of C. militaris.
authors.forename: Yongjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lihong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xingzhong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D032661:Cordyceps / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005656:Fungal Proteins