Thirteen new sequences of Protostrongylus oryctolagi (Protostrongylidae) and comparative and evolutionary mitogenomics of the Strongylida nematodes (Nematoda)

The order Strongylida comprises of a diverse group of parasitic nematodes with significant ecological, veterinary, and medical importance. Markers obtained from mitochondrial genome have played and continue to play a key role in the characterization of species of nematodes. Complete mitogenomes are still unavailable for many Strongylida species. In this study, we report the sequencing and characterization of thirteen novel mitogenomes for the family Protostrongylidae, obtained from different specimens of Protostrongylus oryctolagi, Baboš, 1955 a parasite of the hare. In this study, complete or near-complete mitogenomes, available in public data banks, of a large selection of Strongylida were re-annotated and combined with the new genomes in large data set. This latter was studied to investigate gene organization, nucleotide composition, and mitogenomic evolution. Comparative analyses revealed conserved gene content but notable micro-rearrangements across taxa. Further analyses implied a phylogenetic reconstruction using concatenated alignment encompassing the mitochondrial protein-coding genes done to explore the complex evolutionary relationships within Strongylida. Additionally, studies were performed to test the value as molecular signatures of the variable regions identified within the mitogenomes. The identification of new markers for species identification and phylogenetic inference was indeed a goal of this study. These findings will contribute to resolve taxonomic ambiguities and enhance our understanding of nematode evolution, particularly within Protostrongylidae.