Complete mitochondrial DNA sequence of the Australian freshwater crayfish, Cherax destructor (Crustacea: Decapoda: Parastacidae): a novel gene order revealed

The complete mitochondrial DNA sequence was determined for the Australian freshwater crayfish <i>Cherax destructor</i> (Crustacea: Decapoda: Parastacidae). The 15,895-bp genome is circular with the same gene composition as that found in other metazoans. However, we report a novel gene arrangement with respect to the putative arthropod ancestral gene order and all other arthropod mitochondrial genomes sequenced to date. It is apparent that 11 genes have been translocated (<i>ND1, ND4, ND4L, Cyt b, srRNA,</i> and <i>tRNAs Ser(UGA), Leu(CUN)</i>, <i>Ile</i>, <i>Cys</i>, <i>Pro</i>, and <i>Val</i>), two of which have also undergone inversions (<i>tRNAs Pro</i> and <i>Val</i>). The ‘duplication/random loss’ mechanism is a plausible model for the observed translocations, while ‘intramitochondrial recombination’ may account for the gene inversions. In addition, the arrangement of rRNA genes is incompatible with current mitochondrial transcription models, and suggests that a different transcription mechanism may operate in <i>C. destructor</i>.<br>