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Llamas A, Leon-Miranda E, Tejada-Jimenez M. Microalgal and Nitrogen-Fixing Bacterial Consortia: From Interaction to Biotechnological Potential. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:2476. [PMID: 37447037 DOI: 10.3390/plants12132476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Microalgae are used in various biotechnological processes, such as biofuel production due to their high biomass yields, agriculture as biofertilizers, production of high-value-added products, decontamination of wastewater, or as biological models for carbon sequestration. The number of these biotechnological applications is increasing, and as such, any advances that contribute to reducing costs and increasing economic profitability can have a significant impact. Nitrogen fixing organisms, often called diazotroph, also have great biotechnological potential, mainly in agriculture as an alternative to chemical fertilizers. Microbial consortia typically perform more complex tasks than monocultures and can execute functions that are challenging or even impossible for individual strains or species. Interestingly, microalgae and diazotrophic organisms are capable to embrace different types of symbiotic associations. Certain corals and lichens exhibit this symbiotic relationship in nature, which enhances their fitness. However, this relationship can also be artificially created in laboratory conditions with the objective of enhancing some of the biotechnological processes that each organism carries out independently. As a result, the utilization of microalgae and diazotrophic organisms in consortia is garnering significant interest as a potential alternative for reducing production costs and increasing yields of microalgae biomass, as well as for producing derived products and serving biotechnological purposes. This review makes an effort to examine the associations of microalgae and diazotrophic organisms, with the aim of highlighting the potential of these associations in improving various biotechnological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angel Llamas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Campus de Rabanales and Campus Internacional de Excelencia Agroalimentario (CeiA3), Edificio Severo Ochoa, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
| | - Esperanza Leon-Miranda
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Campus de Rabanales and Campus Internacional de Excelencia Agroalimentario (CeiA3), Edificio Severo Ochoa, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
| | - Manuel Tejada-Jimenez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Campus de Rabanales and Campus Internacional de Excelencia Agroalimentario (CeiA3), Edificio Severo Ochoa, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
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2
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Krespach MKC, García-Altares M, Flak M, Hanno Schoeler, Scherlach K, Netzker T, Schmalzl A, Mattern DJ, Schroeckh V, Komor A, Mittag M, Hertweck C, Brakhage AA. Lichen-like association of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Aspergillus nidulans protects algal cells from bacteria. THE ISME JOURNAL 2020; 14:2794-2805. [PMID: 32753730 PMCID: PMC7784976 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-0731-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Organismal interactions within microbial consortia and their responses to harmful intruders remain largely understudied. An important step toward the goal of understanding functional ecological interactions and their evolutionary selection is the study of increasingly complex microbial interaction systems. Here, we discovered a tripartite biosystem consisting of the fungus Aspergillus nidulans, the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, and the algicidal bacterium Streptomyces iranensis. Genetic analyses and MALDI-IMS demonstrate that the bacterium secretes the algicidal compound azalomycin F upon contact with C. reinhardtii. In co-culture, A. nidulans attracts the motile alga C. reinhardtii, which becomes embedded and surrounded by fungal mycelium and is shielded from the algicide. The filamentous fungus Sordaria macrospora was susceptible to azalomycin F and failed to protect C. reinhardtii despite chemotactically attracting the alga. Because S. macrospora was susceptible to azalomycin F, this data imply that for protection the fungus needs to be resistant. Formation of the lichen-like association between C. reinhardtii and A. nidulans increased algal growth. The protection depends on the increased amounts of membrane lipids provided by resistant fungi, thereby generating a protective shelter against the bacterial toxin. Our findings reveal a strategy whereby algae survive lethal environmental algicides through cooperation with fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario K C Krespach
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
- Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - María García-Altares
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
- Metabolomics Platform, Department of Electronic Engineering (DEEEA), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Michal Flak
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
- Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Hanno Schoeler
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
- Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Biologie des Bactéries Intracellulaires, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Dr. Roux, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Kirstin Scherlach
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Tina Netzker
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Anica Schmalzl
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
- Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Derek J Mattern
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Volker Schroeckh
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Anna Komor
- Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Maria Mittag
- Matthias Schleiden Institute of Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Molecular Botany, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Hertweck
- Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
| | - Axel A Brakhage
- Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany.
- Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.
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Pichler G, Stöggl W, Candotto Carniel F, Muggia L, Ametrano CG, Holzinger A, Tretiach M, Kranner I. Abundance and Extracellular Release of Phytohormones in Aero-terrestrial Microalgae (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta) As a Potential Chemical Signaling Source 1. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2020; 56:1295-1307. [PMID: 32452544 PMCID: PMC7689701 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Phytohormones are pivotal signaling compounds in higher plants, in which they exert their roles intracellularly, but are also released for cell-to-cell communication. In unicellular organisms, extracellularly released phytohormones can be involved in chemical crosstalk with other organisms. However, compared to higher plants, hardly any knowledge is available on the roles of phytohormones in green algae. Here, we studied phytohormone composition and extracellular release in aero-terrestrial Trebouxiophyceae. We investigated (a) which phytohormones are produced and if they are released extracellularly, and if extracellular phytohormone levels are (b) affected by environmental stimuli, and (c) differ between lichen-forming and non-lichen-forming species. Three free-living microalgae (Apatococcus lobatus, Chloroidium ellipsoideum, and Myrmecia bisecta) and three lichen-forming microalgae (Asterochloris glomerata, Trebouxia decolorans, and Trebouxia sp.) were studied. Algae were grown on solid media and the following cellular phytohormones were identified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS): indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellin A4 (GA4 ), and zeatin (ZT). Furthermore, IAA, IBA, ABA, jasmonic acid (JA), gibberellin A3 (GA3 ), and GA4 were found to be released extracellularly. IAA and ABA were released by all six species, and IAA was the most concentrated. Phytohormone release was affected by light and water availability, especially IAA in A. glomerata, Trebouxia sp., and C. ellipsoideum. No clear patterns were observed between lichen-forming and non-lichen-forming species. The results are envisaged to contribute valuable baseline information for further studies into the roles of phytohormones in microalgae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregor Pichler
- Department of BotanyUniversity of InnsbruckSternwartestraße 156020InnsbruckAustria
| | - Wolfgang Stöggl
- Department of BotanyUniversity of InnsbruckSternwartestraße 156020InnsbruckAustria
| | | | - Lucia Muggia
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteVia Giorgieri 1034127TriesteItaly
| | | | - Andreas Holzinger
- Department of BotanyUniversity of InnsbruckSternwartestraße 156020InnsbruckAustria
| | - Mauro Tretiach
- Department of Life SciencesUniversity of TriesteVia Giorgieri 1034127TriesteItaly
| | - Ilse Kranner
- Department of BotanyUniversity of InnsbruckSternwartestraße 156020InnsbruckAustria
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Fernández-Brime S, Muggia L, Maier S, Grube M, Wedin M. Bacterial communities in an optional lichen symbiosis are determined by substrate, not algal photobionts. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2020; 95:5298863. [PMID: 30668688 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiz012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Borderline lichens are simple mutualistic symbioses between fungi and algae, where the fungi form loose mycelia interweaving algal cells, instead of forming a lichen thallus. Schizoxylon albescens shows two nutritional modes: it can either live as a borderline lichen on Populus tremula bark or as a saprotroph on Populus wood. This enables us to investigate the microbiota diversity in simple fungal-algal associations and to study the impact of lichenization on the structure of bacterial communities. We sampled three areas in Sweden covering the distribution of Schizoxylon, and using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and fluorescence in situ hybridization we characterized the associated microbiota. Bacterial communities in lichenized and saprotrophic Schizoxylon were clearly distinct, but when comparing the microbiota with the respective substrates, only the fruiting bodies show clear differences in composition and abundance from the communities in the substrates. The colonization by either lichenized or saprotrophic mycelia of Schizoxylon did not significantly influence the microbiota in the substrate. This suggests that in a morphologically simple form of lichenization, as represented by the Schizoxylon-Coccomyxa system, algal-fungal interactions do not significantly influence bacterial communities, but a more complex structure of the lichen thallus is likely required for hosting specific microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Fernández-Brime
- Department of Botany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, PO Box 50007, SE-10405 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lucia Muggia
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Stefanie Maier
- Department of Multiphase Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Hahn-Meitner-Weg 1, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Martin Grube
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Mats Wedin
- Department of Botany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, PO Box 50007, SE-10405 Stockholm, Sweden
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Muggia L, Kraker S, Gößler T, Grube M. Enforced fungal-algal symbioses in alginate spheres. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2018; 365:4992738. [DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fny115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Muggia
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Sigrun Kraker
- Institut of Plant Sciences, University of Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Theodora Gößler
- Institut of Plant Sciences, University of Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Martin Grube
- Institut of Plant Sciences, University of Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria
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Muggia L, Mancinelli R, Tønsberg T, Jablonska A, Kukwa M, Palice Z. Molecular analyses uncover the phylogenetic placement of the lichenized hyphomycetous genus Cheiromycina. Mycologia 2017; 109:588-600. [PMID: 29211626 PMCID: PMC5769673 DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2017.1397476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
The genus Cheiromycina is one of the few genera of lichenized hyphomycetes for which no sexual reproductive stages have been observed. The genus includes species from boreal to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere where it is found growing on bark or wood. Congeners in Cheiromycina are characterized by a noncorticate thallus, nearly immersed in the substrate and presenting powdery unpigmented sporodochia, and containing chlorococcoid photobionts. The relationships of members of Cheiromycina with other fungi are not known. Here we inferred the phylogenetic placement of Cheiromycina using three loci (nuSSU, nuLSU, and mtSSU) representing C. flabelliformis, the type species for the genus, C. petri, and C. reimeri. Our results revealed that the genus Cheiromycina is found within the family Malmideaceae (Lecanorales) where members formed a monophyletic clade sister to the genera Savoronala and Malmidea. This phylogenetic placement and the relationships of Cheiromycina with other lichenized hyphomycetous taxa are here discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Muggia
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Giorgieri 10, 34127Trieste, Italy
| | - Riccardo Mancinelli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Giorgieri 10, 34127Trieste, Italy
- Institute of Environmental Sciences CML, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 2, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Tor Tønsberg
- Department of Natural History, University Museum, University of Bergen, Allegt. 41, 7800, N-5020Bergen, Norway
| | - Agnieszka Jablonska
- Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Martin Kukwa
- Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Zdeněk Palice
- Institute of Botany, Academy of Science of Czech Republic, Zámek 1, CZ-25243Průhonice, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Charles University, Benátská 2, CZ-12801Praha, Czech Republic
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A standardized approach for co-culturing dothidealean rock-inhabiting fungi and lichen photobionts in vitro. Symbiosis 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s13199-017-0479-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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