The complete mitochondrial genome of Cervaphis quercus (Insecta: Hemiptera: Aphididae: Greenideinae)

The mitochondrial genome of Cervaphis quercus has been sequenced and annotated. The entire genome of 15,272 bp encodes two ribosomal RNA genes (rrnL and rrnS), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, 13 protein-coding genes and a control region. The genome has the same gene order as that found in the inferred ancestral insect. Nucleotide composition is highly A+T biased. All protein-coding genes use standard mitochondrial initiation codons. Secondary structure models of the two ribosomal RNA genes of C. quercus are similar to those proposed for other insects. All tRNAs have the classic clover-leaf structure, except for the dihydrouridine (DHU) arm of trnS (AGN), which forms a simple loop. The presence of structural elements in the control region is also discussed, with an emphasis on the possible regulation of replication and/or transcription. Comparison with mitochondrial genomes of other aphid species shows their gene arrangements are conserved; however, the variety of repeat regions in species from a different aphid subfamily, Aphidinae, suggests that they resulted from independent evolutionary events.