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Title: The American cranberry mitochondrial genome reveals the presence of selenocysteine (tRNA-Sec and SECIS) insertion machinery in land plants

Author
item FAJARDO, DIEGO - University Of Wisconsin
item SCHLAUTMAN, BRANDON - University Of Wisconsin
item Steffan, Shawn
item Polashock, James
item VORSA, NICHOLI - Rutgers University
item Zalapa, Juan

Submitted to: Gene
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/29/2013
Publication Date: 2/25/2014
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/58836
Citation: Fajardo, D., Schlautman, B., Steffan, S.A., Polashock, J.J., Vorsa, N., Zalapa, J.E. 2014. The American cranberry mitochondrial genome reveals the presence of selenocysteine (tRNA-Sec and SECIS) insertion machinery in land plants. Gene. 536(2):336-343.

Interpretive Summary: Due the development of next-generation sequencing technology, it is now possible to sequence whole organellar genomes of understudied, but commercially important crop species such as cranberry. We used state-of-the-art molecular methods and computer-based approaches to reconstruct the cranberry mitochondrial genome. Investigations of the cranberry mitochondrial genome are needed to investigate genome size, organization, gene content, and variation within the species and for comparative purposes with other species. The published whole mitochondrial genome of cranberry will help investigate cellular energy production and characterize genome evolution and evolutionary relationships in this and other closely related plant species.

Technical Abstract: The American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) mitochondrial genome was assembled and reconstructed from whole genome 454 Roche GS-FLX and Illumina shotgun sequences. Compared with other Asterids, the reconstruction of the genome revealed an average size mitochondrion (459,678 nt) with comparatively little repetitive sequences and DNA of plastid origin. The complete mitochondrial genome of cranberry was annotated obtaining a total of 33 genes classified based on their putative function, plus three ribosomal RNAs, and 17 transfer RNAs. The annotation of mitochondrial genes and RNAs showed the presence a tRNA-SeC and traces of SECIS-like protein elements lost in plant evolution. Matrenal organellar cranberry inheritance was inferred by analyzing variation in the cranberry mitochondria and plastid genomes. This is the first de novo assembly and annotation of a complete mitochondrial genome in the Ericales order.