Utility of syntenic relationships of VDAC1 pseudogenes for not only an understanding of the phylogenetic divergence history of rodents, but also ascertaining possible pseudogene candidates as genuine pseudogenes

•16, 15 and 13 pseudogenes of VDAC1 were identified in rat, mouse and human genome.•4, 2, and 1 sequences were identified as “possible pseudogene candidates”.•2 possible pseudogene candidates of rat were syntenic with 2 pseudogenes of mouse.•1 possible pseudogene candidate of mouse was syntenic with 1 pseudogene of rat.•Synteny was useful for ascertaining possible pseudogenes as genuine pseudogenes.

Rodent and human genomes were screened to identify pseudogenes of the type 1 voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC1) in mitochondria. In addition to the 16 pseudogenes of rat VDAC1 identified in our recent study, 15 and 13 sequences were identified as pseudogenes of VDAC1 in mouse and human genome, respectively; and 4, 2, and 1 sequences, showing lower similarities with the VDAC1 sequence, were identified as “possible pseudogene candidates” in rat, mouse, and human, respectively. No syntenic combination was observed between rodent and human pseudogenes, but 2 and 1 possible pseudogene candidates of VDAC1 of rat and mouse, respectively, were found to have syntenic counterparts in mouse and rat genome, respectively; and these syntenic counterparts were genuine VDAC1 pseudogenes. Therefore, syntenic combinations of pseudogenes of VDAC1 were useful not only for a better understanding of the phylogenetic divergence history of rodents but also for ascertaining possible pseudogene candidates as genuine pseudogenes.