AUTHOR=Lu Xin-yan , Zhang Quan-fu , Jiang Dan-dan , Liu Ya-fang , Chen Bin , Yang Shuang-ping , Shao Zong-ti , Jiang Hang , Wang Jian , Fang Yi-hao , Du Chun-hong , Yang Xing 

TITLE=Complete mitogenomes and phylogenetic relationships of Haemaphysalis nepalensis and Haemaphysalis yeni

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2022.1007631

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2022.1007631

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=<p>The mitochondrial genome may include crucial data for understanding phylogenetic and molecular evolution. We sequenced the complete mitogenome of <italic>Haemaphysalis nepalensis</italic> and <italic>Haemaphysalis yeni</italic> for the first time. <italic>H. nepalensis and H. yeni</italic>'s complete mitogenomes were 14,720 and 14,895 bp in size, respectively, and both contained two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and 13 protein-coding genes (PCG). <italic>Haemaphysalis nepalensis</italic> have one control region (D-loop). The adenine + thymine concentration of the genomes of <italic>H. nepalensis</italic> and <italic>H. yeni</italic> was 77.75 and 78.41%, respectively. The codon use pattern and amino acid content of proteins were both observed to be affected by the AT bias. Genes in the mitogenome were organized and located in a comparable manner to previously known genes from <italic>Haemaphysalis</italic> ticks. Mitochondrial PCGs were used to perform phylogenetic relationships based on the Minimum Evolution (ME) approach using MEGA 7.0 software, the results reveal that <italic>H. nepalensis</italic> has tight links with <italic>H. tibetensis, H. yeni</italic> and <italic>H. kolonini</italic> share a sister group relationship, and that <italic>H. nepalensis</italic> and <italic>H. yeni</italic> belong to <italic>Haemaphysalis</italic>. The results of this study include the following: (i) discovered and supplied new tick records (<italic>H. nepalensis</italic>) for China, (ii) provided the first complete mitochondrial genome for <italic>H. nepalensis</italic> and <italic>H. yeni</italic> and revealed their phylogenetic relationships, and (iii) the features of the mitochondrial genome of <italic>H. nepalensis</italic> and <italic>H. yeni</italic> provided more genetic reference for Phylogeography, systematics, and population genetics of the <italic>Haemaphysalis</italic> species.</p>