The mitochondrial genome sequence of the Bornean orang-utan (Pongo pygmaeus) malaria parasite, Plasmodium pitheci.

ABSTRACT: This study presents the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Plasmodium pitheci, a malaria parasite that infects Bornean orang-utans (Pongo pygmaeus). The mitochondrial genome spans 5871 bp in length encoding all essential mitochondrial genes in a conserved arrangement typical of Plasmodium species. Using Bayesian phylogenetic analyses, the evolutionary relationships of P. pitheci with other Plasmodium species that infect non-human primates were investigated. Findings of this study confirm that the previously identified Plasmodium sp. VM and VS and Plasmodium sp. Pongo clade A and clade B from orang-utans correspond to P. pitheci. However, the taxonomic classification of Plasmodium sp. Pongo clade C remains unresolved. The detection of P. pitheci infections in orang-utans across Borne

SUBMITTER: Dharmayanthi AB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12505591 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature