MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA FROM A SPIDER-MITE - ISOLATION, RESTRICTION MAP ANDPARTIAL SEQUENCE OF THE CYTOCHROME-OXIDASE SUBUNIT-I GENE

Mitochondrial (mt) DNA of the phytophagous mite Tetranychus urticae wa s purified and a restriction map was constructed. The 12.5 kb long gen ome is the shortest animal mtDNA known. A 564 bp clone comprising part of the gene for cytochrome oxidase subunit I was sequenced. As has be en found in insects, the mitochondrial sequences of mites are extremel y A+T rich (75% on average, 96.5% at the third codon position).