Complete sequence and gene organization of the mitochondrial genome of Podocnemis unifilis (Pleurodira: Podocnemididae)

Abstract

The mitochondrial genome of Podocnemis unifilis (Pleurodira: Podocnemididae) is 16,493 bp in length, which contains 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNAs, 22 transfer RNAs, and a control region. The A+T content of the overall base composition of H-strand is 61.7% (T: 27.7%, C: 25.5%, A: 34.0%, G: 12.8%). ATP6, ATP8, CO3, ND4-6 and Cyt b genes begin with ATG as start codon, ND1, ND2 and ND4L begin with ATT, CO1 starts with GTG, CO2 starts with ATA, ND3 starts with ATC. ATP6, CO2, ND4L and ND5 genes are terminated with TAA as stop codon, ND1, ND2, ND3, ND6 and CO1 end with TAG, and the other four protein-coding genes end with an incomplete stop codon (a single stop nucleotide T or TA). A long unit repeat region is found in the control region.