Loss of mitochondrial single stranded DNA-binding protein (mtSSB) gene is associated with mitochondrial genome fragmentation in Psocodea (bark lice, book lice, and parasitic lice)

The loss of mtSSB gene is correlated with mt genome fragmentation but is not the cause of mt genome fragmentation. Rather, it is plausible that fragmented mt genomes with multiple small-sized minichromosomes may make mtSSB gene and mtSSB protein less critical or unnecessary, leading to their loss eventually in the species with fragmented mt genomes.