Complete mitochondrial genome of Hepialus gonggaensis (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae), the host insect of Ophiocordyceps sinensis

Abstract

The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Hepialus gonggaensis was sequenced for the first time. The complete mtDNA sequence was 15,940 bp in length and contained 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and an AT-rich region, the gene composition and the arrangement of which were identical to other insects of Hepialidae. The overall base composition of the heavy strand was 41.14% A, 40.24% T, 11.17% C, and 7.45% G, with an AT content of 81.37%. The necleotide sequence data of 13 protein-coding genes of H. gonggaensis and other 10 Lepidoptera species were used for constructing the phylogenetic tree. It revealed that H. gonggaensis and other four Hepialidae species were clustered to a clade with high bootstraps values.

Thitarodes shambalaensis sp. nov. (Lepidoptera, Hepialidae): a new host of the caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis supported by genome-wide SNP data

“…CO1 sequences of our samples collected at Yajiageng valley are closely related (within 2% divergence) to known sequences labeled as T. gonggaensis in the study of Shi et al (2016). The type locality of the species is “Kangding” (Fu and Huang 1991); Shi et al (2016) collected the sample at Gonggashanxiang (29°32'24.0"N, 101°35'24.0"E), 65 km south west of Kangding.…”

“…CO1 sequences of our samples collected at Yajiageng valley are closely related (within 2% divergence) to known sequences labeled as T. gonggaensis in the study of Shi et al (2016). The type locality of the species is “Kangding” (Fu and Huang 1991); Shi et al (2016) collected the sample at Gonggashanxiang (29°32'24.0"N, 101°35'24.0"E), 65 km south west of Kangding. The locality of Shi et al (2016) is also 57 km southwest of the samples of T. gonggaensis collected in this study, thus explaining the divergence with samples collected in our studies.…”

“…Although the city is one of the most prominent trading centers for caterpillar fungus, it is located at a relatively low elevation (2,500 m) and is not a known habitat of caterpillar fungus. These species, like samples of T. gonggaensis in this study and in Shi et al (2016), were most likely collected in the mountains around Kangding city. Specimens of these four other species are difficult to access and no genomic data has been published at this time.…”

“…These samples cluster into three highly supported clades in the phylogeny when other available CO1 sequences of Thitarodes is taken into account (Fig. 9A): (1) All samples from the Yajiageng valley (GenBank accession number MK226959) form a monophyletic clade that exhibits less than 3% divergence from a deposited sequence of T. gonggaensis (Fu & Huang, 1991) in GenBank by Shi et al (2016). (2) All samples collected at a lower altitude habitat at Gangbogeng valley (GenBank accession number MK226960) formed a highly supported clade with no known sister group that is less than 10% divergent.…”

“…The type locality of the species is “Kangding” (Fu and Huang 1991); Shi et al (2016) collected the sample at Gonggashanxiang (29°32'24.0"N, 101°35'24.0"E), 65 km south west of Kangding. The locality of Shi et al (2016) is also 57 km southwest of the samples of T. gonggaensis collected in this study, thus explaining the divergence with samples collected in our studies.…”