Heteroplasmy, inverted repeats, and genetic differentiation of the stingless bee Heterotrigona itama (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini) mitochondrial genome
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Issued Date
2025-12-01
Resource Type
ISSN
00448435
eISSN
12979678
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105023532376
Journal Title
Apidologie
Volume
56
Issue
6
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Apidologie Vol.56 No.6 (2025)
Suggested Citation
Yong H.S., Song S.L., Chua K.O., Liew Y.J.M., Chan K.G., Lim P.E., Eamsobhana P. Heteroplasmy, inverted repeats, and genetic differentiation of the stingless bee Heterotrigona itama (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini) mitochondrial genome. Apidologie Vol.56 No.6 (2025). doi:10.1007/s13592-025-01230-8 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/113436
Title
Heteroplasmy, inverted repeats, and genetic differentiation of the stingless bee Heterotrigona itama (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini) mitochondrial genome
Author's Affiliation
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
A noteworthy feature of the Heterotrigona itama mitochondrial genomes is the absence of the control region. The mitochondrial genome of two Peninsular Malaysia taxa exhibits heteroplasmy. They, and the China taxon, have the same long inverted repeats segment comprising 13 protein coding genes (PCGs), 2 rRNA, and 22 tRNA genes. The two mitogenome variants in both the Peninsular Malaysia taxa exhibit different gene orders involving the inversion of (trnK–trnA–trnI) to (trnI–trnA–trnK). The (trnK–trnA–trnI) gene segment in the “canonical” genome of the Peninsular Malaysia taxa is rearranged as (trnI–trnA–trnK) in the China taxon; the Thailand taxon has the (trnK–trnA–trnI) gene order. The Thailand taxon has the typical 37 genes but with several rearrangements and an inverted segment of nad6–cob–trnS2–nad1 compared to nad1–trnS2–cob–nad6 genes in the Peninsular Malaysia and China taxa. The Peninsular Malaysia and China taxa have identical start and stop codons for 10 PCGs. They differ from the Thailand taxon in five start codons and four stop codons. In the Peninsular Malaysia and China taxa, trnN (asparagine) lacks the TΨC loop, and serine S1 (trnS1) lacks the DHU arm; trnS1 in the Thailand taxon lacks the DHU arm. Based on the complete COX1 gene, the two Peninsular Malaysia taxa are genetically different. The Selangor and China taxa do not show genetic differentiation, and the Thailand taxon is genetically very distinct from the Peninsular Malaysia and China taxa, indicating the possible presence of a species complex.