01423nas a2200133   4500008004100000245006700041210006700108260001300175300001200188490000700200520098000207100002601187856007601213       2000                        eng d00aMitochondrial genome organization and vertebrate phylogenetics0 aMitochondrial genome organization and vertebrate phylogenetics  cDecember  a745-7520 v233 aWith the advent of DNA sequencing techniques the organization of the vertebrate mitochondrial genome shows variation between higher taxonomic levels. The most conserved gene order is found in placental mammals, turtles, fishes, some lizards and Xenopus. Birds, other species of lizards, crocodilians, marsupial mammals, snakes, tuatara, lamprey, and some other amphibians and one species of fish have gene orders that are less conserved. The most probable mechanism for new gene rearrangements seems to be tandem duplication and multiple deletion events, always associated with tRNA sequences. Some new rearrangements seem to be typical of monophyletic groups and the use of data from these groups may be useful for answering phylogenetic questions involving vertebrate higher taxonomic levels. Other features such as the secondary structure of tRNA, and the start and stop codons of protein-coding genes may also be useful in comparisons of vertebrate mitochondrial genomes.1 aPereira, Sergio, Luiz  ufile://localhost/Users/breda/Desktop/Documents/Literature/P/Pereira.pdf