Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of the cloacal tapeworm Cloacotaenia megalops (Cestoda: Hymenolepididae).
The cloacal tapeworm Cloacotaenia megalops (Hymenolepididae) is one of the most common cestode parasites of domestic and wild ducks worldwide. However, limited information is available regarding its epidemiology, biology, genetics and systematics. This study provides characterisation of the complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of C. megalops.



The complete mt genome of C. megalops was obtained by long PCR, sequenced and annotated.



The length of the entire mt genome of C. megalops is 13,887 bp; it contains 12 protein-coding, 2 ribosomal RNA and 22 transfer RNA genes, but lacks an atp8 gene. The mt gene arrangement of C. megalops is identical to that observed in Anoplocephala magna and A. perfoliata (Anoplocephalidae), Dipylidium caninum (Dipylidiidae) and Hymenolepis diminuta (Hymenolepididae), but differs from that reported in taeniids owing to the position shift between the tRNA (L1) and tRNA (S2) genes. The phylogenetic position of C. megalops was inferred using Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods based on the concatenated amino acid data for 12 protein-coding genes. Phylogenetic trees showed that C. megalops is sister to Anoplocephala spp. (Anoplocephalidae) + Pseudanoplocephala crawfordi + Hymenolepis spp. (Hymenolepididae) indicating that the family Hymenolepididae is paraphyletic.



The complete mt genome of C. megalops is sequenced. Phylogenetic analyses provided an insight into the phylogenetic relationships among the families Anoplocephalidae, Hymenolepididae, Dipylidiidae and Taeniidae. This novel genomic information also provides the opportunity to develop useful genetic markers for studying the molecular epidemiology, biology, genetics and systematics of C. megalops.
State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China. guoaijiang@caas.cn.|Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. guoaijiang@caas.cn.
Aijiang
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Guo
D000818:Animals; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D002589:Cestoda / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D002590:Cestode Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D002988:Cloaca / Q000469:parasitology*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D004372:Ducks / Q000469:parasitology; D023061:Gene Order; D050259:Genes, Mitochondrial; D049751:Genome, Helminth; D054629:Genome, Mitochondrial; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal
Cestoda; Cloacotaenia megalops; Hymenolepididae; Mitochondrial genome; Phylogenetic analyses; Tapeworm