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MITOCHONDRIAL CODES
Codon Usage
The same mitochondrial
code is shared by several major invertebrate phyla including
the Annelida, Arthropoda, Bryozoa, Mollusca and Nematoda. Several
minor phyla including the Echiura, Pogonophora, and Sipunculida
also share this code, as well as some members of the Platyhelminthes.
However, a small incidence of codon reassignments occurs in
other phyla including the Cnidaria, Echinodermata, Hemichordata,
Vertebrata and Urochordata. Because of these shifts in codon
usage, it is important to employ the appropriate code when translating
a COI sequence into amino acids. However, it is worth emphasizing
that when one is dealing with an unknown taxon, the translation
of sequence information using the standard code will not disturb
the proper taxonomic assignment of the lineage. However, if
a species is assigned to a phylum that employs altered codon
usage rules, the appropriate code should be employed.
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