Complete mitochondrial DNA sequence of the Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus

The complete nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial genome for the Japane se anchovy Engraulis japonicus (Teleostei: Clupeiformes) was determined. Th e entire genome was purified by gene amplification using the long polymeras e chain reaction (PCR) technique, and products were subsequently used as te mplates for PCR with 56 fish-versatile primers that amplify contiguous, ove rlapping segments of the entire genome. Direct sequencing of the PCR produc ts demonstrated that the genome (16 675 base pairs [bp]) contained the same 37 mitochondrial genes (two ribosomal RNA, 22 transfer RNA and 13 protein- coding genes) as those found in other vertebrates, with the gene order bein g identical to that in typical vertebrates. A major non-coding region betwe en the tRNA(Pro) and tRNA(Phe) genes (1024 bp) was considered to be the con trol (D-loop) region, as it has several conservative blocks characteristic to this region.