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The Mitochondrial DNA Control Region of Muscidae Flies: Evolution and Structural Conservation in a Dipteran Context

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Abstract

The structure and evolution of the mtDNA control region (CR) and its flanking genes in economically important dipterans from the family Muscidae (Brachycera: Calyptratae), Haematobia irritans, Musca domestica, Atherigona orientalis, and Stomoxys calcitrans are presented in this paper, along with the description of short noncoding intergenic regions possibly related to CR flanking sequences in Stomoxys calcitrans and Ophyra aenescens mtDNAs (ScIR and OaIR, respectively). S. calcitrans showed a large CR with an ∼550-bp element tandemly repeated and a duplicated tRNAIle gene. The characterization of H. irritans, M. domestica, A. orientalis, and S. calcitrans CR sequences led to the identification of seven conserved sequence blocks homologous to the elements previously described for Calliphoridae and Oestridae species (Brachycera: Calyptratae). Comparative analysis with Drosophila species (Brachycera: Acalyptratae) revealed four conserved regions. The putative functional roles of the conserved elements in the regulation of replication and transcription processes are addressed. The characterization of the structural organization of the mitochondrial genome CR demonstrates the plasticity of the mtDNA molecule in family Muscidae.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank those who provided Muscidae samples: Mariana L. Lyra, Pablo Fresia, Santos Gama, Stella Lanzzeri, Estela Martines, Arnaldo Maggi, Alberto Guglielmone, Alfredo Coronado, Patrícia Thyssen, and Ana C. M. Junqueira. We also thank Rosângela A. Rodrigues, Cristina F. Abreu, Joan G. Barau, Pedro C. Feijão, and Fabio O. Dias for technical assistance and Cláudio J. B. Carvalho and Arício X. Linhares for the taxonomic identification of O. aenescens and A. orientalis, respectively. This work, as well as A.C.L., was supported by the Programa Especial de Estímulo à Fixação de Doutores sponsored by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (PROFIX/CNPq; Grant 540.602/01-9). A.M.L.A.E. was supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP; Grant 03/01458-9), and M.T.O. by a fellowship from Coordenadoria de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES).

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Correspondence to Ana C. Lessinger.

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[Reviewing Editor: Dr. Martin Kreitman]

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Oliveira, M.T., Azeredo-Espin, A.M.L. & Lessinger, A.C. The Mitochondrial DNA Control Region of Muscidae Flies: Evolution and Structural Conservation in a Dipteran Context. J Mol Evol 64, 519–527 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-006-0099-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-006-0099-6

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