ARS | Publication request: PARTIAL MITOCHONDRIAL GENOME SEQUENCES OF OSTRINIA NUBILALIS AND OSTRINIA FURNICALIS

Submitted to: International Journal of Biological Sciences
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: October 15, 2004
Publication Date: October 15, 2004
Citation: Coates, B.S., Sumerford, D.V., Hellmich II, R.L., Lewis, L.C. 2004. Partial mitochondrial genome sequences of Ostrinia nubilalis and Ostrinia furnicalis. International Journal of Biological Sciences. 1:13-18.

Interpretive Summary: European corn borer is a serious insect pest of corn in the United States. Damage and control costs for this insect exceed $1 billion from an annual crop valued at more than $22 billion. In this study, the entire DNA sequence from mitochondria was obtained for this insect and its nearest relative, the Asian corn borer. Understanding mitochondrial DNA change in the European corn borer will allow scientists to use this information to consider evolutionary questions and to identify population trends. This information will be useful for all stakeholders interested in understanding the genetics of European corn borers and finding novel ways to control European corn borers.

Technical Abstract: Contiguous 14,535-nt and 14,536-nt near complete mitochondrial genome sequences respectively were obtained for Ostrinia nubilalis and Ostrinia furnicalis. Translocation of trnM was observed compared to Drosophila and the hexanucleotide ATTTAG may initiate cox1 translation. The overall percentage AT of O. nubilalis and O. furnicalis mitochondrial genomes (80.2 and 80.4%, respectively) contrasted with intergenic regions (IGS; greater than or equal to 91.9%) and third codon positions (greater than or equal to 92.8%), suggesting directional evolution at neutral sites. Changes at 2-fold degenerate sites mostly are limited to transitions due to synonymous implications required by purifying selection (Ka/Ks approximately 0.1518), and within gene degeneracy level influences substitution rate. Data estimates O. nubilalis and O. furnicalis speciation occurred 1.8 to 6.9 mya. Mutation trends among Ostrinia might pervade other insect lineages.