Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 23, 2026

A Magnetic-Bead-Based Mosquito DNA Extraction Protocol for Next-Generation Sequencing
Published on: April 15, 2021
Large mitochondrial genome and mitochondrial DNA size polymorphism in the mosquito parasite, Romanomermis culicivorax
T O Powers1, E G Platzer, B C Hyman
1Department of Nematology, University of California, Riverside 92521.
Abstract:
Physical characterization of the mitochondrial genome derived from the obligate mosquito parasite, Romanomermis culicivorax has generated some surprising physical properties regarding the molecular structure of nematode mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Restriction enzyme analysis of this mtDNA has revealed a mitochondrial genome size of approximately 26 kb, the largest metazoan mtDNA reported to date. Isofemale lineages are monomorphic for one of three size variants, differing by 500-1,000 base pairs, present in our original field population. Cloned hybridization probes derived from a single region exhibiting a 600 bp size polymorphism share strong homology with several spatially separated sites distributed about the mtDNA. This suggests that the homology is a result of repeated DNA sequence elements contained within this mitochondrial genome that contribute to mtDNA size polymorphism.
Related Concept Videos
Animal Mitochondrial Genetics
Comparing Mitochondrial, Chloroplast, and Prokaryotic Genomes
Export of Mitochondrial and Chloroplast Genes
Diversity of Protists I
Size and Structure of Viral Genomes

