LAUSR

The mitochondrial genome of Ophiostoma himal-ulmi, a species endemic to the Western Himalayas and a member of the Dutch elm disease-causing fungi, has been sequenced and characterized. The mitochondrial genome was compared with other available genomes for members of the Ophiostomatales, including other agents of Dutch elm disease (Ophiostoma ulmi, Ophiostoma novo-ulmi subspecies novo-ulmi and Ophiostoma novo-ulmi subspecies americana) and it was noted that gene synteny is highly conserved and variability among members of the Dutch-elm disease-causing fungi is primarily due to the number of intron insertions. Among the Dutch elm disease-causing fungi examined, O. himal-ulmi has the largest mitochondrial genomes ranging from 94 934 bp to 111 712 bp due to the expansion of the number of introns.