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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Microbiol.

Sec. Systems Microbiology

Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1605218

This article is part of the Research TopicPathogenic microorganisms and biosafetyView all 5 articles

Mitochondrial Genome Characterization, Evolution and Intron Dynamics of the Entomopathogenic Genus Cordyceps

Provisionally accepted
JinLong JiaJinLong Jia1,2,3Li Cheng pengLi Cheng peng4Mei TangMei Tang1,2,3Hefa LiaoHefa Liao1,2,3Zhu Liang YangZhu Liang Yang2,3Yanan WangYanan Wang5Ming LiMing Li6Wenbo ZengWenbo Zeng7*Yuanbing WangYuanbing Wang2,3*
  • 1School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China
  • 2State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Natural Medicines, Kunming Institute of Botany, KunMing, China
  • 3Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia & Yunnan Key Laboratory for Fungal Diversity and Green Development, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, KunMing, China
  • 4Institute of Biotechnology and Germplasm Resources, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kuming, Yunnan Province, China
  • 5State Key Laboratory of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
  • 6Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Virology & Immunology, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, KunMing, China
  • 7Institute of Sanqi Research, Wenshan University, Yunnan, Yunnan Province, China

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The complete mitogenomes of six Cordyceps species (C. cicadae, C. cocoonihabita, C. militaris, C. neopruinosa, C. pruinosa, and C. tenuipes) were sequenced, assembled, and annotated in this study. Additionally, the previously published mitogenome of C. blackwelliae was also included for comparative analysis. The mitogenomes of these seven Cordyceps species are circular DNA molecules ranging length from 29,929 to 51,692 bp, containing 15 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two rRNAs, and 25 to 27 tRNAs, as well as four to 21 open reading frames (ORFs). The rps3 gene appears to be under relaxed selection pressure across Cordyceps species.The non-conserved PCGs, such as homing endonucleases and proteins of unknown functions, show dynamic evolutionary patterns, highlighting the genetic diversity among the species. Introns, recognized as key contributors to mitogenome size variation, frequently undergo gain and loss events, further contributing to genomic diversity.The comparative analysis revealed both conserved and variable elements within the mitogenomes of the seven Cordyceps species. Phylogenetic analysis using 14 PCGs generated a well-supported topology that clarified the evolutionary relationships among Cordyceps species. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the conservatism and variability of mitogenomes within the genus Cordyceps, enhancing our understanding of their origin, evolution, and genetic diversity.

Keywords: Cordyceps, Mitochondrial Genome, intron, phylogenetic analysis, Comparative genomics

Received: 03 Apr 2025; Accepted: 26 May 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Jia, peng, Tang, Liao, Yang, Wang, Li, Zeng and Wang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence:
Wenbo Zeng, Institute of Sanqi Research, Wenshan University, Yunnan, 663000, Yunnan Province, China
Yuanbing Wang, State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Natural Medicines, Kunming Institute of Botany, KunMing, China

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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