{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,19]],"date-time":"2026-05-19T14:20:33Z","timestamp":1779200433199,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,1]],"date-time":"2025-05-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1746057600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001691","name":"Japan Society for the Promotion of Science","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["KAKENHI (22H02505)"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["KAKENHI (22H02505)"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001691","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Vet. Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the complete mitochondrial genomes of <jats:italic>Fasciola gigantica<\/jats:italic> isolated from cattle, sheep, and goats in Sudan, aiming to provide new insights into genetic diversity, evolutionary dynamics, and host adaptation.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Mitochondrial genomes were sequenced using high-throughput Illumina MiSeq technology, yielding sequences of 14,483 bp, slightly longer than the reference genome (14,478 bp). A sliding window analysis was conducted to assess nucleotide diversity, and phylogenetic analyses were performed using complete mitochondrial sequences, including and excluding non-coding regions.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Key genetic variations were observed, including a non-canonical start codon (GTG) in the ND5 gene and an alternative stop codon (TAA) in ND4. Length polymorphisms in ND4L and <jats:italic>cox1<\/jats:italic> suggested potential mitochondrial efficiency adaptations. Non-coding regions showed minor length differences, with the long non-coding region extending by 20 bp and the short by 4 bp. Sliding window analysis identified ND4 and ND5 as the most variable genes, while <jats:italic>cox1<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>nd1,<\/jats:italic><jats:italic>and<\/jats:italic><jats:italic>cox2<\/jats:italic> were the most conserved. Phylogenetic analysis showed distinct clustering of Sudanese <jats:italic>F. gigantica<\/jats:italic> isolates with strong bootstrap support. Excluding the D-loop preserved phylogenetic structure, while D-loop-specific analysis revealed high variability, particularly in the sheep isolate.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title><jats:p>These findings highlight significant genetic variation and evolutionary divergence among <jats:italic>F. gigantica<\/jats:italic> isolates in Sudan. The observed diversity, particularly within non-coding and variable coding regions, underscores the influence of regional evolutionary pressures and host-associated adaptations. This work enhances understanding of <jats:italic>F. gigantica<\/jats:italic>\u2019s genetic landscape and supports the development of more targeted molecular surveillance and control strategies for fascioliasis in endemic regions.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2025.1577469","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,1]],"date-time":"2025-05-01T05:38:19Z","timestamp":1746077899000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Comprehensive mitochondrial genomics of Fasciola gigantica from Sudan: insights into genetic diversity, evolutionary dynamics, and host adaptation"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Bashir","family":"Salim","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nouh 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