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White KH, Keepers K, Kane N, Lendemer JC. Discovery of New Genomic Configuration of Mating-Type Loci in the Largest Lineage of Lichen-Forming Fungi. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evae094. [PMID: 38686438 PMCID: PMC11126327 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The genetic architecture of mating-type loci in lichen-forming fungi has been characterized in very few taxa. Despite the limited data, and in contrast to all other major fungal lineages, arrangements that have both mating-type alleles in a single haploid genome have been hypothesized to be absent from the largest lineage of lichen-forming fungi, the Lecanoromycetes. We report the discovery of both mating-type alleles from the haploid genomes of three species within this group. Our results demonstrate that Lecanoromycetes are not an outlier among Ascomycetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin H White
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Kyle Keepers
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Nolan Kane
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - James C Lendemer
- Department of Botany, Research and Collections, CEC 3148, The New York State Museum, Albany, NY 12230, USA
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2
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A comparative genomic analysis of lichen-forming fungi reveals new insights into fungal lifestyles. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10724. [PMID: 35750715 PMCID: PMC9232553 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14340-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Lichen-forming fungi are mutualistic symbionts of green algae or cyanobacteria. We report the comparative analysis of six genomes of lichen-forming fungi in classes Eurotiomycetes and Lecanoromycetes to identify genomic information related to their symbiotic lifestyle. The lichen-forming fungi exhibited genome reduction via the loss of dispensable genes encoding plant-cell-wall-degrading enzymes, sugar transporters, and transcription factors. The loss of these genes reflects the symbiotic biology of lichens, such as the absence of pectin in the algal cell wall and obtaining specific sugars from photosynthetic partners. The lichens also gained many lineage- and species-specific genes, including those encoding small secreted proteins. These genes are primarily induced during the early stage of lichen symbiosis, indicating their significant roles in the establishment of lichen symbiosis.Our findings provide comprehensive genomic information for six lichen-forming fungi and novel insights into lichen biology and the evolution of symbiosis.
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Genetic Analyses of Discrete Geographic Samples of a Golden Chanterelle in Canada Reveal Evidence for Recent Regional Differentiation. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13071110. [PMID: 35885893 PMCID: PMC9319088 DOI: 10.3390/genes13071110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The wild edible mushroom Cantharellus enelensis is a recently described species of the golden chanterelles found in eastern North America. At present, the genetic diversity and population structure of C. enelensis are not known. In this study, we analyzed a total of 230 fruiting bodies of C. enelensis that were collected from three regions of Canada: near the east and west coasts of Newfoundland (NFLD), with 110 fruiting bodies each, and around Hamilton, Ontario (10 fruiting bodies). Among the 110 fruiting bodies from each coast in NFLD, 10 from 2009 were without specific site information, while 100 sampled in 2010 were from each of five patches separated by at least 100 m from each other. Each fruiting body was genotyped at three microsatellite loci. Among the total 28 multilocus genotypes (MLGs) identified, 2 were shared among all three regions, 4 were shared between 2 of the t3hree regions, and the remaining 22 were each found in only 1 region. Minimal spanning network analyses revealed several region-specific MLG clusters, consistent with geographic specific mutation and expansion. Though the most frequently observed MLGs were shared among local (patch) and regional populations, population genetic analyses revealed that both local and regional geographic separations contributed significantly to the observed genetic variation in the total sample. All three regional populations showed excess heterozygosity; for the eastern NFLD population, we reject the null hypothesis of Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) at all three loci. However, the analyses of clone-corrected samples revealed that most loci were in HWE. Together, our results suggest that the three discrete regional populations of C. enelensis were likely colonized from a common refugium since the last ice age. However, the local and regional populations are diverging from each other through mutation, drift, and selection at least partly due to heterozygous advantage.
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4
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Severn-Ellis AA, Schoeman MH, Bayer PE, Hane JK, Rees DJG, Edwards D, Batley J. Genome Analysis of the Broad Host Range Necrotroph Nalanthamala psidii Highlights Genes Associated With Virulence. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:811152. [PMID: 35283890 PMCID: PMC8914235 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.811152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Guava wilt disease is caused by the fungus Nalanthamala psidii. The wilt disease results in large-scale destruction of orchards in South Africa, Taiwan, and several Southeast Asian countries. De novo assembly, annotation, and in-depth analysis of the N. psidii genome were carried out to facilitate the identification of characteristics associated with pathogenicity and pathogen evolution. The predicted secretome revealed a range of CAZymes, proteases, lipases and peroxidases associated with plant cell wall degradation, nutrient acquisition, and disease development. Further analysis of the N. psidii carbohydrate-active enzyme profile exposed the broad-spectrum necrotrophic lifestyle of the pathogen, which was corroborated by the identification of putative effectors and secondary metabolites with the potential to induce tissue necrosis and cell surface-dependent immune responses. Putative regulatory proteins including transcription factors and kinases were identified in addition to transporters potentially involved in the secretion of secondary metabolites. Transporters identified included important ABC and MFS transporters involved in the efflux of fungicides. Analysis of the repetitive landscape and the detection of mechanisms linked to reproduction such as het and mating genes rendered insights into the biological complexity and evolutionary potential of N. psidii as guava pathogen. Hence, the assembly and annotation of the N. psidii genome provided a valuable platform to explore the pathogenic potential and necrotrophic lifestyle of the guava wilt pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita A. Severn-Ellis
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
- Aquaculture Research and Development, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Watermans Bay, WA, Australia
| | - Maritha H. Schoeman
- Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Crops, Agricultural Research Council, Nelspruit, South Africa
| | - Philipp E. Bayer
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - James K. Hane
- Centre for Crop and Disease Management, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
| | - D. Jasper G. Rees
- Agricultural Research Council, Biotechnology Platform, Pretoria, South Africa
- Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - David Edwards
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Jacqueline Batley
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
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5
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Nagel JH, Wingfield MJ, Slippers B. Next-generation sequencing provides important insights into the biology and evolution of the Botryosphaeriaceae. FUNGAL BIOL REV 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fbr.2021.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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6
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Lücking R, Leavitt SD, Hawksworth DL. Species in lichen-forming fungi: balancing between conceptual and practical considerations, and between phenotype and phylogenomics. FUNGAL DIVERS 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s13225-021-00477-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
AbstractLichens are symbiotic associations resulting from interactions among fungi (primary and secondary mycobionts), algae and/or cyanobacteria (primary and secondary photobionts), and specific elements of the bacterial microbiome associated with the lichen thallus. The question of what is a species, both concerning the lichen as a whole and its main fungal component, the primary mycobiont, has faced many challenges throughout history and has reached new dimensions with the advent of molecular phylogenetics and phylogenomics. In this paper, we briefly revise the definition of lichens and the scientific and vernacular naming conventions, concluding that the scientific, Latinized name usually associated with lichens invariably refers to the primary mycobiont, whereas the vernacular name encompasses the entire lichen. Although the same lichen mycobiont may produce different phenotypes when associating with different photobionts or growing in axenic culture, this discrete variation does not warrant the application of different scientific names, but must follow the principle "one fungus = one name". Instead, broadly agreed informal designations should be used for such discrete morphologies, such as chloromorph and cyanomorph for lichens formed by the same mycobiont but with either green algae or cyanobacteria. The taxonomic recognition of species in lichen-forming fungi is not different from other fungi and conceptual and nomenclatural approaches follow the same principles. We identify a number of current challenges and provide recommendations to address these. Species delimitation in lichen-forming fungi should not be tailored to particular species concepts but instead be derived from empirical evidence, applying one or several of the following principles in what we call the LPR approach: lineage (L) coherence vs. divergence (phylogenetic component), phenotype (P) coherence vs. divergence (morphological component), and/or reproductive (R) compatibility vs. isolation (biological component). Species hypotheses can be established based on either L or P, then using either P or L (plus R) to corroborate them. The reliability of species hypotheses depends not only on the nature and number of characters but also on the context: the closer the relationship and/or similarity between species, the higher the number of characters and/or specimens that should be analyzed to provide reliable delimitations. Alpha taxonomy should follow scientific evidence and an evolutionary framework but should also offer alternative practical solutions, as long as these are scientifically defendable. Taxa that are delimited phylogenetically but not readily identifiable in the field, or are genuinely cryptic, should not be rejected due to the inaccessibility of proper tools. Instead, they can be provisionally treated as undifferentiated complexes for purposes that do not require precise determinations. The application of infraspecific (gamma) taxonomy should be restricted to cases where there is a biological rationale, i.e., lineages of a species complex that show limited phylogenetic divergence but no evidence of reproductive isolation. Gamma taxonomy should not be used to denote discrete phenotypical variation or ecotypes not warranting the distinction at species level. We revise the species pair concept in lichen-forming fungi, which recognizes sexually and asexually reproducing morphs with the same underlying phenotype as different species. We conclude that in most cases this concept does not hold, but the actual situation is complex and not necessarily correlated with reproductive strategy. In cases where no molecular data are available or where single or multi-marker approaches do not provide resolution, we recommend maintaining species pairs until molecular or phylogenomic data are available. This recommendation is based on the example of the species pair Usnea aurantiacoatra vs. U. antarctica, which can only be resolved with phylogenomic approaches, such as microsatellites or RADseq. Overall, we consider that species delimitation in lichen-forming fungi has advanced dramatically over the past three decades, resulting in a solid framework, but that empirical evidence is still missing for many taxa. Therefore, while phylogenomic approaches focusing on particular examples will be increasingly employed to resolve difficult species complexes, broad screening using single barcoding markers will aid in placing as many taxa as possible into a molecular matrix. We provide a practical protocol how to assess and formally treat taxonomic novelties. While this paper focuses on lichen fungi, many of the aspects discussed herein apply generally to fungal taxonomy. The new combination Arthonia minor (Lücking) Lücking comb. et stat. nov. (Bas.: Arthonia cyanea f. minor Lücking) is proposed.
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7
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Boluda CG, Rico VJ, Naciri Y, Hawksworth DL, Scheidegger C. Phylogeographic reconstructions can be biased by ancestral shared alleles: The case of the polymorphic lichen Bryoria fuscescens in Europe and North Africa. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:4845-4865. [PMID: 34252241 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Large phylogeographic studies on lichens are scarce, and none involves a single species within which different lineages show fixed alternative dispersal strategies. We investigated Bryoria fuscescens (including B. capillaris) in Europe and western North Africa by phenotypically characterizing 1400 specimens from 64 populations and genotyping them with 14 microsatellites. We studied population structure and genetic diversity at the local and continental scales, discussed the post-glacial phylogeography, and compared dispersal capacities of phenotypes with and without soralia. Our main hypothesis is that the estimated phylogeography, migration routes, and dispersal capacities may be strongly biased by ancestral shared alleles. Scandinavia is genetically the richest area, followed by the Iberian Peninsula, the Carpathians, and the Alps. Three gene pools were detected: two partially linked to phenotypic characteristics, and the third one genetically related to the American sister species B. pseudofuscescens. The comparison of one gene pool producing soredia and one not, suggested both as panmictic, with similar levels of isolation by distance (IBD). The migration routes were estimated to span from north to south, in disagreement with the assessed glacial refugia. The presence of ancestral shared alleles in distant populations can explain the similar IBD levels found in both gene pools while producing a false signal of panmixia, and also biasing the phylogeographic reconstruction. The incomplete lineage sorting recorded for DNA sequence loci also supports this hypothesis. Consequently, the high diversity in Scandinavia may rather come from recent immigration into northern populations than from an in situ diversification. Similar patterns of ancestral shared polymorphism may bias the phylogeographical reconstruction of other lichen species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos G Boluda
- Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacognosia y Botánica (U.D. Botánica), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.,Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland.,Laboratoire de Systématique Végétale et Biodiversité, Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques and Université de Genève, Chambésy, Switzerland
| | - Víctor J Rico
- Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacognosia y Botánica (U.D. Botánica), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Yamama Naciri
- Laboratoire de Systématique Végétale et Biodiversité, Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques and Université de Genève, Chambésy, Switzerland
| | - David L Hawksworth
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, UK.,Comparative Fungal Biology, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK
| | - Christoph Scheidegger
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
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Ament-Velásquez SL, Tuovinen V, Bergström L, Spribille T, Vanderpool D, Nascimbene J, Yamamoto Y, Thor G, Johannesson H. The Plot Thickens: Haploid and Triploid-Like Thalli, Hybridization, and Biased Mating Type Ratios in Letharia. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2021; 2:656386. [PMID: 37744149 PMCID: PMC10512270 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2021.656386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
The study of the reproductive biology of lichen fungal symbionts has been traditionally challenging due to their complex lifestyles. Against the common belief of haploidy, a recent genomic study found a triploid-like signal in Letharia. Here, we infer the genome organization and reproduction in Letharia by analyzing genomic data from a pure culture and from thalli, and performing a PCR survey of the MAT locus in natural populations. We found that the read count variation in the four Letharia specimens, including the pure culture derived from a single sexual spore of L. lupina, is consistent with haploidy. By contrast, the L. lupina read counts from a thallus' metagenome are triploid-like. Characterization of the mating-type locus revealed a conserved heterothallic configuration across the genus, along with auxiliary genes that we identified. We found that the mating-type distributions are balanced in North America for L. vulpina and L. lupina, suggesting widespread sexual reproduction, but highly skewed in Europe for L. vulpina, consistent with predominant asexuality. Taken together, we propose that Letharia fungi are heterothallic and typically haploid, and provide evidence that triploid-like individuals are hybrids between L. lupina and an unknown Letharia lineage, reconciling classic systematic and genetic studies with recent genomic observations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Veera Tuovinen
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Linnea Bergström
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Toby Spribille
- Biological Sciences CW 405, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Dan Vanderpool
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Juri Nascimbene
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Yoshikazu Yamamoto
- Department of Bioproduction Science, Faculty of Bioresource Sciences, Akita Prefectural University, Akita, Japan
| | - Göran Thor
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hanna Johannesson
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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9
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Muggia L, Ametrano CG, Sterflinger K, Tesei D. An Overview of Genomics, Phylogenomics and Proteomics Approaches in Ascomycota. Life (Basel) 2020; 10:E356. [PMID: 33348904 PMCID: PMC7765829 DOI: 10.3390/life10120356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungi are among the most successful eukaryotes on Earth: they have evolved strategies to survive in the most diverse environments and stressful conditions and have been selected and exploited for multiple aims by humans. The characteristic features intrinsic of Fungi have required evolutionary changes and adaptations at deep molecular levels. Omics approaches, nowadays including genomics, metagenomics, phylogenomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and proteomics have enormously advanced the way to understand fungal diversity at diverse taxonomic levels, under changeable conditions and in still under-investigated environments. These approaches can be applied both on environmental communities and on individual organisms, either in nature or in axenic culture and have led the traditional morphology-based fungal systematic to increasingly implement molecular-based approaches. The advent of next-generation sequencing technologies was key to boost advances in fungal genomics and proteomics research. Much effort has also been directed towards the development of methodologies for optimal genomic DNA and protein extraction and separation. To date, the amount of proteomics investigations in Ascomycetes exceeds those carried out in any other fungal group. This is primarily due to the preponderance of their involvement in plant and animal diseases and multiple industrial applications, and therefore the need to understand the biological basis of the infectious process to develop mechanisms for biologic control, as well as to detect key proteins with roles in stress survival. Here we chose to present an overview as much comprehensive as possible of the major advances, mainly of the past decade, in the fields of genomics (including phylogenomics) and proteomics of Ascomycota, focusing particularly on those reporting on opportunistic pathogenic, extremophilic, polyextremotolerant and lichenized fungi. We also present a review of the mostly used genome sequencing technologies and methods for DNA sequence and protein analyses applied so far for fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Muggia
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Claudio G. Ametrano
- Grainger Bioinformatics Center, Department of Science and Education, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL 60605, USA;
| | - Katja Sterflinger
- Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Institute of Natual Sciences and Technology in the Arts, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Donatella Tesei
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna, Austria;
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Keuler R, Garretson A, Saunders T, Erickson RJ, St Andre N, Grewe F, Smith H, Lumbsch HT, Huang JP, St Clair LL, Leavitt SD. Genome-scale data reveal the role of hybridization in lichen-forming fungi. Sci Rep 2020; 10:1497. [PMID: 32001749 PMCID: PMC6992703 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58279-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Advancements in molecular genetics have revealed that hybridization may be common among plants, animals, and fungi, playing a role in evolutionary dynamics and speciation. While hybridization has been well-documented in pathogenic fungi, the effects of these processes on speciation in fungal lineages with different life histories and ecological niches are largely unexplored. Here we investigated the potential influence of hybridization on the emergence of morphologically and reproductively distinct asexual lichens. We focused on vagrant forms (growing obligately unattached to substrates) within a clade of rock-dwelling, sexually reproducing species in the Rhizoplaca melanophthalma (Lecanoraceae, Ascomycota) species complex. We used phylogenomic data from both mitochondrial and nuclear genomes to infer evolutionary relationships and potential patterns of introgression. We observed multiple instances of discordance between the mitochondrial and nuclear trees, including the clade comprising the asexual vagrant species R. arbuscula, R. haydenii, R. idahoensis, and a closely related rock-dwelling lineage. Despite well-supported phylogenies, we recovered strong evidence of a reticulated evolutionary history using a network approach that incorporates both incomplete lineage sorting and hybridization. These data suggest that the rock-dwelling western North American subalpine endemic R. shushanii is potentially the result of a hybrid speciation event, and introgression may have also played a role in other taxa, including vagrant species R. arbuscula, R. haydenii and R. idahoensis. We discuss the potential roles of hybridization in terms of generating asexuality and novel morphological traits in lichens. Furthermore, our results highlight the need for additional study of reticulate phylogenies when investigating species boundaries and evolutionary history, even in cases with well-supported topologies inferred from genome-scale data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Keuler
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 4102 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Alexis Garretson
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 4102 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Theresa Saunders
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 4102 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Robert J Erickson
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 4102 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Nathan St Andre
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 4102 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Felix Grewe
- Grainger Bioinformatics Center, Science & Education, The Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 60605, USA
| | - Hayden Smith
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 4102 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - H Thorsten Lumbsch
- Grainger Bioinformatics Center, Science & Education, The Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 60605, USA
| | - Jen-Pan Huang
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Rd, Section 2, Nankang District, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Larry L St Clair
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 4102 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
- M. L. Bean Life Science Museum, Brigham Young University, 1115 MLBM, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Steven D Leavitt
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 4102 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602, USA.
- M. L. Bean Life Science Museum, Brigham Young University, 1115 MLBM, Provo, UT, 84602, USA.
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11
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Bradshaw M, Grewe F, Thomas A, Harrison CH, Lindgren H, Muggia L, St Clair LL, Lumbsch HT, Leavitt SD. Characterizing the ribosomal tandem repeat and its utility as a DNA barcode in lichen-forming fungi. BMC Evol Biol 2020; 20:2. [PMID: 31906844 PMCID: PMC6945747 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1571-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Regions within the nuclear ribosomal operon are a major tool for inferring evolutionary relationships and investigating diversity in fungi. In spite of the prevalent use of ribosomal markers in fungal research, central features of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) evolution are poorly characterized for fungi in general, including lichenized fungi. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the nrDNA has been adopted as the primary DNA barcode identification marker for fungi. However, little is known about intragenomic variation in the nrDNA in symbiotic fungi. In order to better understand evolution of nrDNA and the utility of the ITS region for barcode identification of lichen-forming fungal species, we generated nearly complete nuclear ribosomal operon sequences from nine species in the Rhizoplaca melanophthalma species complex using short reads from high-throughput sequencing. Results We estimated copy numbers for the nrDNA operon, ranging from nine to 48 copies for members of this complex, and found low levels of intragenomic variation in the standard barcode region (ITS). Monophyly of currently described species in this complex was supported in phylogenetic inferences based on the ITS, 28S, intergenic spacer region, and some intronic regions, independently; however, a phylogenetic inference based on the 18S provided much lower resolution. Phylogenetic analysis of concatenated ITS and intergenic spacer sequence data generated from 496 specimens collected worldwide revealed previously unrecognized lineages in the nrDNA phylogeny. Conclusions The results from our study support the general assumption that the ITS region of the nrDNA is an effective barcoding marker for fungi. For the R. melanophthalma group, the limited amount of potential intragenomic variability in the ITS region did not correspond to fixed diagnostic nucleotide position characters separating taxa within this species complex. Previously unrecognized lineages inferred from ITS sequence data may represent undescribed species-level lineages or reflect uncharacterized aspects of nrDNA evolution in the R. melanophthalma species complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Bradshaw
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 4102 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Felix Grewe
- Grainger Bioinformatics Center, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Anne Thomas
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 4102 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Cody H Harrison
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 4102 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | | | - Lucia Muggia
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Giorgieri 10, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Larry L St Clair
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 4102 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602, USA.,M. L. Bean Life Science Museum, Brigham Young University, 4102 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | | | - Steven D Leavitt
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 4102 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602, USA. .,M. L. Bean Life Science Museum, Brigham Young University, 4102 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602, USA.
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12
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Keepers KG, Pogoda CS, White KH, Anderson Stewart CR, Hoffman JR, Ruiz AM, McCain CM, Lendemer JC, Kane NC, Tripp EA. Whole Genome Shotgun Sequencing Detects Greater Lichen Fungal Diversity Than Amplicon-Based Methods in Environmental Samples. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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