Complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Napialus hunanensis (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae), the host insect of Cordyceps hawkesii

Abstract

Although Napialus hunanensis is important as the host of Cordyceps hawkesii (a valuable medicine in China), it remains poorly known especially on molecular level. To get a better understanding of it, the complete mitogenome was sequenced and annotated. It was 15,301 bp in length, contained 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and an AT rich region. The base composition was 40.68% for A, 41.17% for T, 7.56% for G and 10.59% for C on the heavy strand. Except the COI with CGA and ND1 with TTG, the remaining protein-coding genes started with typical ATN. These coding genes ended up with TAA as well as an incomplete stop codon T (COII and ND3). According to other Hepialidae species, the rearrangement of tRNA^Met in N. hunanensis is the ancestral type. The mitochondrial genome of N. hunanensis is an important source for species identification and phylogenetic analyses.

• Incomplete stop codon
• mitogenome
• Napialus hunanensis
• start codon
• tRNA rearrangement

Declaration of interest

This study was supported by Natural Science Foundation of China (31160081), the National Key Technology R&D Program (2011BAI13B06), Science & Technology Foundations of Education Department in Jiangxi province (GJJ13104), and Foundations from the Administration of Science & Technology in Nanchang city (2010NYZZ037, 2013HZCG008). The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.