Bio 3950 - Biotechnology          May2024            Dr Carr

Restriction Endonuclease mapping

Part II: Construct Restriction Maps of several subspecies of A. mellifera likely to be found in Newfoundland hives. Identify Restriction Endonucleases that could be used to identify species, based on PCR fragment data in Part I.

1) Retrieve complete mtDNA genome sequence for Apis mellifera mellifera voucher 1410: accession KY926884
    Retrieve complete mtDNA genome from [two] additional subspecies of A. mellifera, as instructed.

2) For these subspecies:
          Choose Complete Record / File / GenBank:
GenBank: Create File as KY926884.gb
                        [
File *.gb is a flatfile that includes coordinates for genes]

           Choose Complete Record / File / GenBank: FASTA: Create file as: KY926884.FASTA
                        [File *.FASTA is the complete sequence, with leading string to identify it]

3) Start a new Alignment.
     Open MEGA: Click on ALIGN icon; choose Align / Edit; select "Insert sequence from file";
          select KY926884.fasta and the other subspecies *.fasta files.

The primer pair amplifies a region that includes the genes NADH2, Cox1 & the 5' end of Cox2, near the 5' end of the genome.  

                Three tRNA genes: last one tRNA-Trp runs         [1722 - 1793] =     71 + 1 =     72 bp
            Second ORF: "cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1"      [1794 - 3354] = 1560 + 1 = 1561 bp
                One tRNA gene: tRNA-Leu runs                          [3355 - 3424] =     69 + 1 =     70 bp
            Third ORF
"cytochrome c oxidase subunit 2"         [3618 - 4295] =   677 + 1 =   678 bp
                 Two tRNA genes: tRNA-Asp runs                        [4294 - 4362] =     68 + 1 =    69 bp

             Region spans [1722 - 4362] = 2640 +1 = 2,641 bp

4) Align all sequences by eye. Trim all sequences to the 2,641 bp target: remove 5' end, remove 3' end

5) Identify all  Restriction Sites in each sequence with RestrictionMapper v.3. [Parameters TBD]
    Construct a restriction map for the [three] subspecies as directed.     

4) Compare maps. identify Restriction sites that could be used to distinguish the subspecies in your set.


Important note
: the mtDNA Genetic Code for invertebrates differs in several respects from the "Universal" code. Note especially that AUA, AUU, and in Apis honeybees AUC can act as Start (Initiation) Codons. This means that the first amino acid in Apis ORFs can be Isoleucine (Ile, I) instead of the expected Methionine (Met, M). Also, UGA codes for Tryptophan (Trp, W) instead of acting as a Stop Codon.



All text & Figure material © 2024 by Steven M. Carr