Abstract
The complete mitochondrial genome of the Mongolian gerbil, Meriones unguiculatus, was sequenced. The 16,360 bp long genome has 37 genes typical for rodent mitogenomes, including 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes, and 13 protein-coding genes. The total GC content of the mitochondrial genome is 36.96% with the base composition of 32.61% A, 23.71% C, 13.24% G, and 30.44% T. Translational terminators of three genes (cytb, cox3, and nad4) were generated by the addition of 3′ A residues to the mRNA. This novel rodent mitochondrial genome will provide comparable information for understanding the rodent mitochondrial evolution.
Declaration of interest
The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest. This research was supported by 2013 Research Grant from Kangwon National University (C1010348-01-01).