Complete mitochondrial genome of the Starhead Topminnow Fundulus dispar (Cyprinodontiformes: Fundulidae).

Topminnows of the Teleost genus Fundulus serve as model organisms in ecotoxicology because of their broad physiological tolerance and propensity to breed in captivity. This research has been primarily limited to intraspecific comparisons, due to incomplete understanding of the evolutionary history of the genus, which is necessary for use of phylogenetic comparative methods. Interspecific relationships of topminnows remain unresolved, despite recent advances in mitochondrial and nuclear genome sequencing. Specifically, interrelationships of a group containing the starhead topminnows (Fundulus blairae, F. dispar, F. escambiae, F. lineolatus, and F. nottii) typically yield low node support values. Here, we present the first annotated mitochondrial genome of the Starhead Topminnow (F. dispar) and provide a phylogenetic hypothesis for starhead topminnows within the genus Fundulus. DNA was isolated from a specimen of F. dispar collected in Kentucky, USA. The circular genome is 16,564 bp long and contains 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNAs (rRNA), 22 transfer RNAs (tRNA), and one control region (D-loop). Our phylogenetic analysis supports a sister relationship between F. dispar and a group containing F. notatus and F. olivaceus. This data helps to resolve the phylogenetic placement of starhead topminnows.

Complete Genome Sequences of Mycobacteriophages Candle, Schatzie, Sumter, and Waleliano.

Mycobacteriophages Candle, Schatzie, Sumter, and Waleliano were isolated from soil using the host bacterium Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155. Candle, Schatzie, and Sumter were discovered in Alabama and Waleliano in Maryland. The bacteriophages have been assigned clusters based on nucleotide similarity, as follows: Candle, R; Schatzie, J; Sumter, A1; and Waleliano, B4.

Complete Genome Sequences of Mycobacteriophages Kwksand96 and Cane17.

Bacteriophages Kwksand96 and Cane17 were isolated from Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155. M. smegmatis is host to the highest number of phages analyzed from one species. Both mycobacteriophages were isolated from soil in west Alabama. Kwksand96 and Cane17 belong to subclusters B1 and C1, respectively, based on mycobacteriophage nucleotide sequence similarity.