The complete mitochondrial genome of the critically endangered Vietnamese three-striped box turtle (Testudines: Geoemydidae)

Abstract

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Vietnamese three-striped box turtle (Cuora cyclornata) was first determined in this study. It was a circular molecule of 16,594 bp in length, consisting of 37 genes typically found in other vertebrates. The AT content of the overall base composition of the whole mitogenome was 60.39%, while the control region was 70.23%. Two ETAS and 4 CSBs were identified, while a remarkable feature was found in the control region: a large number of (TTATTATA)10 direct tandem repeats followed by (TTATA)n (n = 10, 8 and 1), which were spaced into three domains by (TA)n (n = 1, 1 and 2). The sequence information could play an important role in the study of phylogenetic relationships in turtles and preservation of genetic resources for helping conservation of the endangered species.