The mtDNA sequence of the ostrich and the divergence between paleognathous and neognathous birds

The complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecule of the ostrich, Struthio camelus, was sequenced. The size of the molecule is 16,591 nucleotides. Since the ostrich represents the paleognathous birds, comparison with the mtDNA of the neognathous chicken, the only avian species reported so far in databases, made it possible to identify common and, probably, general avian mtDNA characteristics. Relative to other vertebrates, the avian NADH6 and tRNA-Glu genes are positioned upstream of the control region rather than the cytochrome b gene. The NADH3 gene of the ostrich is terminated by a stop codon at position 207. Thus, the gene is about 140 nucleotides shorter than in other vertebrates. The sequence for L-strand origin of replication is missing in both birds, and four transfer RNA genes of the two avian mtDNAs deviate from common characteristics of tRNAs of vertebrate mtDNAs by having an adenine (and not a thymidine) at position 8. Due to the absence of suitable fossils, most paleontological datings of avian divergences are conjectural. Molecular dating of the divergence between the ostrich and the chicken indicates that these two avian lineages separated 80-90 MYA. Phylogenetic analysis of complete cytochrome b genes of six avian orders showed that Passeriformes represent the earliest divergence among recent birds, contradicting the commonly accepted notion of a basal position of the Palaeognathae among recent birds.