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SUMMARY:Splits and mergers of minichromosomes created the most complex and
  dynamic mitochondrial genome organization seen in animals - Dr Renfu Shao
  - University of the Sunshine Coast\, Queensland\, Australia
DTSTART:20160531T150000Z
DTEND:20160531T160000Z
UID:TALK66394@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:46772
DESCRIPTION:Fragmented mitochondrial (mt) genomes have been reported in 11
  species/subspecies of sucking lice (suborder Anoplura) that infest humans
 \, chimpanzees\, pigs\, horses and rodents. There is substantial variation
  among these lice in mt karyotype: the number of minichromosomes of a spec
 ies/subspecies ranges from 9 to 20\; the number of genes in a minichromoso
 me ranges from 1 to 8\; gene arrangement in a minichromosome differs betwe
 en species\, even in the same genus. We sequenced the mt genome of the gua
 naco louse\, Microthoracius praelongiceps\, to help establish the ancestra
 l mt karyotype for sucking lice and understand how fragmented mt genomes e
 volved. The guanaco louse has 12 mt minichromosomes\; each minichromosome 
 has 2–5 genes and a non-coding region. The guanaco louse shares many fea
 tures with rodent lice in mt karyotype\, more than with other sucking lice
 . The guanaco louse\, however\, is more closely related phylogenetically t
 o human lice\, chimpanzee lice\, pig lice and horse lice than to rodent li
 ce. By analysis of shared features in mt karyotype\, we infer that the mos
 t recent common ancestor of sucking lice\, which lived ~75 MYA\, had 11 mi
 nichromosomes\; each minichromosome had 1–6 genes and a non-coding regio
 n. As sucking lice diverged\, splitting of mt minichromosomes occurred man
 y times in the lineages leading to the lice of humans\, chimpanzees and ro
 dents whereas merging of minichromosomes occurred in the lineage leading t
 o the lice of pigs and horses. Together\, splits and mergers of minichromo
 somes created the most complex and dynamic mt genome organization seen in 
 animals.
LOCATION:Department of Biochemistry - Sanger Building\, Seminar Room
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