The complete mitochondrial genome of Dunaliella salina CS-265: insights into gene content and phylogenetic placement

Abstract

We report the complete mitochondrial genome of the halotolerant green alga Dunaliella salina CS-265, isolated from a hypersaline lake in central Australia. The genome is a circular DNA molecule of 30,073 bp, encoding seven protein-coding genes, nine rRNAs, and three tRNAs. Four core genes (cox1, cob, nad1, and nad5) are fragmented by multiple introns, whereas others remain intact. The absence of ATP synthase subunits and ribosomal protein genes reflects ongoing reductive evolution in Dunaliella mitochondria. This genome adds a new organellar resource from an Australian isolate, complementing previous studies and providing further insight into mitochondrial genome dynamics in halotolerant green algae.