The complete mitochondrial genome of the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepodiptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract

The complete mitochondrial genome of the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepodiptera: Noctuidae) was determined (GenBank accession number JX316220). The genome is 15,365 bp long with 37 typical animal mitochondrial genes and an A+T-rich region. As in other sequenced mitochondrial genomes of Lepidoptera, trnM was rearranged to the upstream of trnI–trnQ–trnM cluster compared with the pupative ancestral arrangement of insects. All protein-coding genes start with ATN start codon except for the gene cox1, which uses CGA as in other lepidopteran species. Eight protein-coding genes stop with termination codon TAA. Five protein-coding genes use incomplete stop codons TA or T. The A+T-rich region is located between rrnS and trnM with a length of 331 bp. This is the third completely sequenced mitochondrial genome from the family Noctuidae of Lepidoptera.

Keywords::

• Insect
• mitochondrial genome
• gene rearrangement
• start codon

Declaration of interest: Funding for this study was provided jointly by the National Science Foundation of China (No. 31101661), Beijing New Star Program on Science and Technology (No. 2010B027), Special Fund for the Promotion and Innovation of Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences (No. KJCX201104009), and Beijing Excellent Talents Program (No. 2010D002020000010). The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.