Molecular Study of Energy Related Mitochondrial Genes in Arabian and Bactrian Camels

Abstract

The single-humped camel, Camelus dromedaries inhabiting Afro-Arabia and the double-humped camel, Camelus bactrianus inhabiting central Asia are the only species in their genus. The present study aimed to amplify and partially sequence the mitochondrial DNA genes encoding for NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1, cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1, ATP synthase subunit 6 (ATP6), cytochrome b and displacement region (d-loop) in the single-humped camel and compare it to their counterparts already sequenced for the double-humped camel. These energy-related genes showed amino acid substitutions gradually increased according to their locations among macromolecular energy transducers. Both ATP synthase 6 in the central core and cytochrome b in the inner mitochondrial membrane acquired the greatest substitutions of 5 and 7 amino acids, respectively. Cytochrome c oxidase is the terminal complex of the electron transport chain of the inner mitochondrial membrane and it showed no substitutions. These substitutions seemed to be correlated with the energy metabolism in both camel phenotypes. The d-loop showed tandem repeats of six nucleotides at its 3` end with polymorphism between both species without any evidence relates such variation to energy production.