[Bioinformatics analysis of CO I gene of Simulium quinquestriatum]

The genomic DNA was extracted from Simulium quinquestriatum (Sq) and its CO I gene was amplified by PCR. The PCR product was purified and cloned into plasmid pMD18-T vector. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into Escherichia coli DH5alpha and then identified by digestion with restriction enzyme and PCR amplification. The amplified fractions (1 621 bp) included complete CO I gene (1 542 bp, GenBank accession number: DQ534949), 5' tRNA-Tyr and 3' tRNA-Leu partial fraction. The CO I gene sequence had a high identity (99%) with that of S. quinquestriatum (GenBank accession number: AY251520). Bioinformatics analysis showed that the Sq-CO I open reading frame encoded a 513-amino acid protein with M(r) 5565, pI5.84. Structural prediction showed this protein possessed a conservative domain of CO I gene.