Abstract
The circular mitochondrial genome of Yellow-bellied Tit Parus venustulus is 16,778 bp in length, containing 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and a putative control region. All of the genes are encoded on the H-strand, except for one PCG (nad6) gene and eight tRNA genes (tRNAGln, tRNAAla, tRNAAsn, tRNACys, tRNATyr, tRNASer(UCN), tRNAPro and tRNAGlu). All of these PCGs are initiated with ATG, except for cox1, which began with GTG, while stopped by six types of stop codons. All tRNA genes have the potential to fold into typical clover-leaf structure, with exception of the tRNASer(AGY) which lacks the DHU stem.
Declaration of interest
The study was supported by a grant (2011FY120200-3) from the Ministry of Science and Technology and a grant (O529YX5105) from the Key Laboratory of the Zoological Systematics and Evolution of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.