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Worthy FR, Schaefer DA, Wanasinghe D, Xu JC, Wang LS, Wang XY. Acquisition of green algal photobionts enables both chlorolichens and chloro-cyanolichens to activate photosynthesis at low humidity without liquid water. AOB PLANTS 2024; 16:plae025. [PMID: 38770101 PMCID: PMC11102867 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plae025] [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: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria require liquid water for photosynthesis, whereas green algae can photosynthesise with water vapour alone. We discovered that several Lobaria spp. which normally have cyanobacteria as the sole photobiont, in some regions of the trans-Himalayas also harboured green algae. We tested whether green algal acquisition was: limited to high elevations; obtained from neighbouring chloro-Lobaria species; enabled photosynthesis at low humidity. Lobaria spp. were collected from 2000 to 4000 m elevation. Spectrophotometry quantified green algal abundance by measuring chlorophyll b (absent in cyanobacteria). Thalli cross-sections visually confirmed green algal presence. We sequenced gene regions: Lobaria (ITS-EF-1α-RPB2), green algae (18S-RBC-L) and Nostoc (16S). Phylogenetic analysis determined myco-photobiont associations. We used a custom closed-circuit gas exchange system with an infrared gas analyser to measure CO2 exchange rates for desiccated specimens at 33%, 76%, 86% and 98% humidity. Cross-sections revealed that the photobiont layers in putative cyano-Lobaria contained both cyanobacteria and green algae, indicating that they should be considered chloro-cyanolichens. Chloro-Lobaria had no visible cephalodia nor cyanobacteria in the photobiont layer. Chloro-Lobaria and chloro-cyano-Lobaria had comparable levels of chlorophyll b. Chloro-Lobaria usually contained Symbiochloris. Chloro-cyano-Lobaria mainly associated with Parachloroidium and Nostoc; infrequently with Symbiochloris, Apatococcus, Chloroidium, Pseudochlorella, Trebouxia. Sequences from two green algal genera were obtained from within some thalli. Desiccated specimens of every Lobaria species could attain net photosynthesis with light exposure and 33% humidity. CO2 exchange dynamics over a five-day period differed between species. At all elevations, chloro-cyano-Lobaria spp. had abundant green algae in the photobiont layer, but green algal strains mostly differed to those of chloro-Lobaria spp. Both chloro-Lobaria and chloro-cyano-Lobaria were capable of conducting photosynthesis without liquid water. The data strongly suggest that they attained positive net photosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Ruth Worthy
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Fungal Diversity and Green Development, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- Honghe Centre for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Douglas Allen Schaefer
- Honghe Centre for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Dhanushka Wanasinghe
- Honghe Centre for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- Department of Soil Science, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11362, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jian Chu Xu
- Honghe Centre for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Li Song Wang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Fungal Diversity and Green Development, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Xin Yu Wang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory for Fungal Diversity and Green Development, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
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García-Breijo FJ, Molins A, Reig-Armiñana J, Barreno E. The Tripartite Lichen Ricasolia virens: Involvement of Cyanobacteria and Bacteria in Its Morphogenesis. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1517. [PMID: 37375019 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11061517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Ricasolia virens is an epiphytic lichen-forming fungus mainly distributed in Western Europe and Macaronesia in well-structured forests with ecological continuity that lack eutrophication. It is considered to be threatened or extinct in many territories in Europe (IUCN). Despite its biological and ecological relevance, studies on this taxon are scarce. The thalli are tripartite, and the mycobiont has a simultaneous symbiotic relationship with cyanobacteria and green microalgae, which represent interesting models to analyse the strategies and adaptations resulting from the interactions of lichen symbionts. The present study was designed to contribute to a better understanding of this taxon, which has shown a clear decline over the last century. The symbionts were identified by molecular analysis. The phycobiont is Symbiochloris reticulata, and the cyanobionts (Nostoc) are embedded in internal cephalodia. Light, transmission electron and low-temperature scanning microscopy techniques were used to investigate the thallus anatomy, ultrastructure of microalgae and ontogeny of pycnidia and cephalodia. The thalli are very similar to its closest relative, Ricasolia quercizans. The cellular ultrastructure of S. reticulata by TEM is provided. Non-photosynthetic bacteria located outside the upper cortex are introduced through migratory channels into the subcortical zone by the splitting of fungal hyphae. Cephalodia were very abundant, but never as external photosymbiodemes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J García-Breijo
- Departamento de Ecosistemas Agroforestales, ETSIAMN, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 València, Spain
| | - Arantzazu Molins
- Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva (ICBiBE), Botánica, Universitat de València, C/Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Agroambientales y de Economía del Agua (INAGEA), Departamento de Biología, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), Ctra. Valldemossa Km.7., 07122 Palma de Malllorca, Spain
| | - José Reig-Armiñana
- Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva (ICBiBE), Botánica, Universitat de València, C/Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
| | - Eva Barreno
- Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva (ICBiBE), Botánica, Universitat de València, C/Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
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Magain N, Miadlikowska J, Goffinet B, Goward T, Pardo-De la Hoz C, Jüriado I, Simon A, Mercado-Díaz J, Barlow T, Moncada B, Lücking R, Spielmann A, Canez L, Wang L, Nelson P, Wheeler T, Lutzoni F, Sérusiaux E. High species richness in the lichen genus Peltigera ( Ascomycota, Lecanoromycetes): 34 species in the dolichorhizoid and scabrosoid clades of section Polydactylon, including 24 new to science. PERSOONIA 2023; 51:1-88. [PMID: 38665978 PMCID: PMC11041898 DOI: 10.3767/persoonia.2023.51.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Applying molecular methods to fungi establishing lichenized associations with green algae or cyanobacteria has repeatedly revealed the existence of numerous phylogenetic taxa overlooked by classical taxonomic approaches. Here, we report taxonomical conclusions based on multiple species delimitation and validation analyses performed on an eight-locus dataset that includes world-wide representatives of the dolichorhizoid and scabrosoid clades in section Polydactylon of the genus Peltigera. Following the recommendations resulting from a consensus species delimitation approach and additional species validation analysis (BPP) performed in this study, we present a total of 25 species in the dolichorhizoid clade and nine in the scabrosoid clade, including respectively 18 and six species that are new to science and formally described. Additionally, one combination and three varieties (including two new to science) are proposed in the dolichorhizoid clade. The following 24 new species are described: P. appalachiensis, P. asiatica, P. borealis, P. borinquensis, P. chabanenkoae, P. clathrata, P. elixii, P. esslingeri, P. flabellae, P. gallowayi, P. hawaiiensis, P. holtanhartwigii, P. itatiaiae, P. hokkaidoensis, P. kukwae, P. massonii, P. mikado, P. nigriventris, P. orientalis, P. rangiferina, P. sipmanii, P. stanleyensis, P. vitikainenii and P. willdenowii; the following new varieties are introduced: P. kukwae var. phyllidiata and P. truculenta var. austroscabrosa; and the following new combination is introduced: P. hymenina var. dissecta. Each species from the dolichorhizoid and scabrosoid clades is morphologically and chemically described, illustrated, and characterised with ITS sequences. Identification keys are provided for the main biogeographic regions where species from the two clades occur. Morphological and chemical characters that are commonly used for species identification in the genus Peltigera cannot be applied to unambiguously recognise most molecularly circumscribed species, due to high variation of thalli formed by individuals within a fungal species, including the presence of distinct morphs in some cases, or low interspecific variation in others. The four commonly recognised morphospecies: P. dolichorhiza, P. neopolydactyla, P. pulverulenta and P. scabrosa in the dolichorhizoid and scabrosoid clades represent species complexes spread across multiple and often phylogenetically distantly related lineages. Geographic origin of specimens is often helpful for species recognition; however, ITS sequences are frequently required for a reliable identification. Citation: Magain N, Miadlikowska J, Goffinet B, et al. 2023. High species richness in the lichen genus Peltigera (Ascomycota, Lecanoromycetes): 34 species in the dolichorhizoid and scabrosoid clades of section Polydactylon, including 24 new to science. Persoonia 51: 1-88. doi: 10.3767/persoonia.2023.51.01.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. Magain
- Evolution and Conservation Biology, InBioS Research Center, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B22, Quartier vallée 1, Chemin de la vallée 4, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Box 90338, Durham, North Carolina, 27708 USA
| | - J. Miadlikowska
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Box 90338, Durham, North Carolina, 27708 USA
| | - B. Goffinet
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Unit 3043, University of Connecticut, 75 North Eagleville road, Storrs CT, 06269-3043 USA
| | - T. Goward
- Beaty Biodiversity Museum, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - C.J. Pardo-De la Hoz
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Box 90338, Durham, North Carolina, 27708 USA
| | - I. Jüriado
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, J. Liivi 2, Tartu 50409, Estonia; Institute of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Fr. R. Kreutzwaldi 5, Tartu 51006, Estonia
| | - A. Simon
- Evolution and Conservation Biology, InBioS Research Center, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B22, Quartier vallée 1, Chemin de la vallée 4, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Unit 3043, University of Connecticut, 75 North Eagleville road, Storrs CT, 06269-3043 USA
| | - J.A. Mercado-Díaz
- Science & Education, The Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois, 60605 USA
| | - T. Barlow
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Box 90338, Durham, North Carolina, 27708 USA
| | - B. Moncada
- Licenciatura en Biología, Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, Cra. 4 No. 26B-54, Torre de Laboratorios, Herbario, Bogotá, Colombia; current address: Botanischer Garten, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 6–8, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - R. Lücking
- Botanischer Garten, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 6–8, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - A. Spielmann
- Laboratòrio de Botanica / Liquenologia, Instituto de Biociencias, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande – MS, Brazil
| | - L. Canez
- Laboratòrio de Botanica / Liquenologia, Instituto de Biociencias, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande – MS, Brazil
| | - L.S. Wang
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, CAS, Kunming 650201, China
| | - P. Nelson
- Natural and Behavioral Sciences Division, University of Maine – Fort Kent, Fort Kent, ME, USA
| | - T. Wheeler
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - F. Lutzoni
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Box 90338, Durham, North Carolina, 27708 USA
| | - E. Sérusiaux
- Evolution and Conservation Biology, InBioS Research Center, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B22, Quartier vallée 1, Chemin de la vallée 4, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
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Almer J, Resl P, Gudmundsson H, Warshan D, Andrésson ÓS, Werth S. Symbiont-specific responses to environmental cues in a threesome lichen symbiosis. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:1045-1061. [PMID: 36478478 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Photosymbiodemes are a special case of lichen symbiosis where one lichenized fungus engages in symbiosis with two different photosynthetic partners, a cyanobacterium and a green alga, to develop two distinctly looking photomorphs. We compared gene expression of thallus sectors of the photosymbiodeme-forming lichen Peltigera britannica containing cyanobacterial photobionts with thallus sectors with both green algal and cyanobacterial photobionts and investigated differential gene expression at different temperatures representing mild and putatively stressful conditions. First, we quantified photobiont-mediated differences in fungal gene expression. Second, because of known ecological differences between photomorphs, we investigated symbiont-specific responses in gene expression to temperature increases. Photobiont-mediated differences in fungal gene expression could be identified, with upregulation of distinct biological processes in the different morphs, showing that interaction with specific symbiosis partners profoundly impacts fungal gene expression. Furthermore, high temperatures expectedly led to an upregulation of genes involved in heat shock responses in all organisms in whole transcriptome data and to an increased expression of genes involved in photosynthesis in both photobiont types at 15 and 25°C. The fungus and the cyanobacteria exhibited thermal stress responses already at 15°C, the green algae mainly at 25°C, demonstrating symbiont-specific responses to environmental cues and symbiont-specific ecological optima.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin Almer
- Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.,Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Philipp Resl
- Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.,Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Hörður Gudmundsson
- Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Denis Warshan
- Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Ólafur S Andrésson
- Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Silke Werth
- Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
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Borgato L, Ertz D, Van Rossum F, Verbeken A. The Diversity of Lichenized Trentepohlioid Algal (Ulvophyceae) Communities is Driven by Fungal Taxonomy and Ecological Factors. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2022; 58:582-602. [PMID: 35460260 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Trentepohliales are a group of both free-living and lichenized algae, with most diversity occurring in tropical regions. Recent studies showed that the abundance of lichens with a trentepohlioid photobiont has been increasing in temperate habitats, probably because of global warming, which makes them an interesting study case. A detailed molecular study of the diversity of lichenized Trentepohliales, epiphytic as well as epilithic, was performed in three forests of north-western Europe. Additional samples of lichens of the Arthoniales order (associating essentially with a trentepohlioid photobiont) from other European regions and from other continents were also sequenced. A total of 195 algal sequences were obtained. Phylogenetic analyses with rbcL and ITS loci were performed and associations between phylogenetic distances of photobionts and ecological factors (substratum, climate or Wirth indices, mycobiont taxonomy, and geographic location) were tested by variation partitioning and phylogenetic signal analyses. The high number of rbcL algal haplotypes found in some lichens or on different substrata revealed that the Trentepohliales diversity in extratropical regions was underestimated. The phylogenetic patterns showed selectivity of some photobionts in their fungal partner choice and vice-versa, while others were linked with several haplotypes. Photobionts seemed to be less selective than mycobionts. The main factors influencing lichenized algal community were climate and mycobiont species. Coevolution between mycobionts and photobionts as well as switching between free living and lichenized lifestyles appeared to drive the evolution of Trentepohliales and might explain the high cryptic diversity observed, which might be changing in some regions due to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Borgato
- Research Group Mycology, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, Gent, BE-9000, Belgium
- Research Department, Meise Botanic Garden, Nieuwelaan 38, Meise, BE-1860, Belgium
| | - Damien Ertz
- Research Department, Meise Botanic Garden, Nieuwelaan 38, Meise, BE-1860, Belgium
- Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Service Général de l'Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique, rue A. Lavallée 1, Bruxelles, BE-1080, Belgium
| | - Fabienne Van Rossum
- Research Department, Meise Botanic Garden, Nieuwelaan 38, Meise, BE-1860, Belgium
- Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Service Général de l'Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique, rue A. Lavallée 1, Bruxelles, BE-1080, Belgium
| | - Annemieke Verbeken
- Research Group Mycology, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, Gent, BE-9000, Belgium
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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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Nelsen MP. Sharing and double-dating in the lichen world. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:1751-1754. [PMID: 33720470 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Historic and modern efforts to understand lichen diversity and evolution have overwhelmingly concentrated on that of the fungal partner, which represents one of the most taxonomically diverse nutritional modes among the Fungi. But what about the algal and cyanobacterial symbionts? An explosion of studies on these cryptic symbionts over the past 20+ years has facilitated a richer understanding of their diversity, patterns of association, and the symbiosis itself. In a From the Cover article in this issue of Molecular Ecology, Dal Forno et al. (2021) provide new insight into one of the most fascinating lichen symbioses. By sequencing cyanobacterial symbionts from over 650 specimens, they reveal the presence of overlooked cyanobacterial diversity, evidence for symbiont sharing among distantly related fungi, and utilize a comparative dating framework to demonstrate temporal discordance among interacting fungal and cyanobacterial lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew P Nelsen
- Negaunee Integrative Research Center and Grainger Bioinformatics Center, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL, USA
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8
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Cornet L, Magain N, Baurain D, Lutzoni F. Exploring syntenic conservation across genomes for phylogenetic studies of organisms subjected to horizontal gene transfers: A case study with Cyanobacteria and cyanolichens. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2021; 162:107100. [PMID: 33592234 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the evolutionary history of symbiotic Cyanobacteria at a fine scale is essential to unveil patterns of associations with their hosts and factors driving their spatiotemporal interactions. As for bacteria in general, Horizontal Gene Transfers (HGT) are expected to be rampant throughout their evolution, which justified the use of single-locus phylogenies in macroevolutionary studies of these photoautotrophic bacteria. Genomic approaches have greatly increased the amount of molecular data available, but the selection of orthologous, congruent genes that are more likely to reflect bacterial macroevolutionary histories remains problematic. In this study, we developed a synteny-based approach and searched for Collinear Orthologous Regions (COR), under the assumption that genes that are present in the same order and orientation across a wide monophyletic clade are less likely to have undergone HGT. We searched sixteen reference Nostocales genomes and identified 99 genes, part of 28 COR comprising three to eight genes each. We then developed a bioinformatic pipeline, designed to minimize inter-genome contamination and processed twelve Nostoc-associated lichen metagenomes. This reduced our original dataset to 90 genes representing 25 COR, which were used to infer phylogenetic relationships within Nostocales and among lichenized Cyanobacteria. This dataset was narrowed down further to 71 genes representing 22 COR by selecting only genes part of one (largest) operon per COR. We found a relatively high level of congruence among trees derived from the 90-gene dataset, but congruence was only slightly higher among genes within a COR compared to genes across COR. However, topological congruence was significantly higher among the 71 genes part of one operon per COR. Nostocales phylogenies resulting from concatenation and species tree approaches based on the 90- and 71-gene datasets were highly congruent, but the most highly supported result was obtained when using synteny, collinearity, and operon information (i.e., 71-gene dataset) as gene selection criteria, which outperformed larger datasets with more genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luc Cornet
- InBioS - PhytoSYSTEMS, Eukaryotic Phylogenomics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Magain
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Evolution and Conservation Biology, InBioS, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Denis Baurain
- InBioS - PhytoSYSTEMS, Eukaryotic Phylogenomics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
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Dal Forno M, Lawrey JD, Sikaroodi M, Gillevet PM, Schuettpelz E, Lücking R. Extensive photobiont sharing in a rapidly radiating cyanolichen clade. Mol Ecol 2020; 30:1755-1776. [PMID: 33080083 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have uncovered remarkable diversity in Dictyonema s.lat. basidiolichens, here recognized as subtribe Dictyonemateae. This group includes five genera and 148 species, but hundreds more await description. The photobionts of these lichens belong to Rhizonema, a recently resurrected cyanobacterial genus known by a single species. To further investigate photobiont diversity within Dictyonemateae, we generated 765 new cyanobacterial sequences from 635 specimens collected from 18 countries. The ITS barcoding locus supported the recognition of 200 mycobiont (fungal) species among these samples, but the photobiont diversity was comparatively low. Our analyses revealed three main divisions of Rhizonema, with two repeatedly recovered as monophyletic (proposed as new species), and the third mostly paraphyletic. The paraphyletic lineage corresponds to R. interruptum and partnered with mycobionts from all five genera in Dictyonemateae. There was no evidence of photobiont-mycobiont co-speciation, but one of the monophyletic lineages of Rhizonema appears to partner predominantly with one of the two major clades of Cora (mycobiont) with samples collected largely from the northern Andes. Molecular clock estimations indicate the Rhizonema species are much older than the fungal species in the Dictyonemateae, suggesting that these basidiolichens obtained their photobionts from older ascolichen lineages and the photobiont variation in extant lineages of Dictyonemateae is the result of multiple photobiont switches. These results support the hypothesis of lichens representing "fungal farmers," in which diverse mycobiont lineages associate with a substantially lower diversity of photobionts by sharing those photobionts best suited for the lichen symbiosis among multiple and often unrelated mycobiont lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Dal Forno
- Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, TX, USA.,Department of Botany, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
| | - James D Lawrey
- Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | | | | | - Eric Schuettpelz
- Department of Botany, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Robert Lücking
- Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Research Associate, Science & Education, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL, USA
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10
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Elvebakk A, Hong SG, Park CH. Hispidopannaria and Phormopsora, two new and small, but evolutionary old Pannariaceae lichen genera from southern South America. Mycol Prog 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s11557-020-01632-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Based on phylogenetic analyses of the ITS, nuclear large subunit rRNA, mitochondrial small subunit rRNA, and MCM7 genes, species previously treated as Pannaria hispidula and P. isabellina are shown to represent two new Pannariaceae genera, Hispidopannaria and Phormospsora. Each genus forms monophyletic clades, both in multilocus phylogeny and in single gene phylogenies. In the multilocus phylogeny, both genera together formed a monophyletic clade as a sister group to the genus Pannaria, whereas this monophyly was not maintained in single gene phylogenies. Hispidopannaria differs from Pannaria in having large, geotropically arranged, hispid squamules, IKI+ internal ascus structures, and perispores with irregular pulvinate verrucae and apical extensions. The southern South American, TLC-negative species H. hispidula is generitype and is concentrated to trunks in the evergreen Nothofagus forests of south-central Chile. Psoroma dasycladum, a similar endemic species from the Juan Fernández Archipelago, is also transferred to Hispidopannaria. Phormopsora is monospecific and is the only member of Pannariaceae which contains norstictic and connorstictic acids. Its thallus of large, branched squamules with large, foliose cephalodia and its bullate perispores with long-apiculate apical extensions also separate it from Pannaria. Its species, Phormopsora isabellina, has a similar distribution as H. hispidula on the South American mainland, but is more widespread. The position of these two small genera as a sister group to the large and diverse genus Pannaria, indicates a long period of slow evolutionary rate, with the island endemic Hispidopannaria dasyclada as an exception. Reproductive isolation and photobiont specialization are partly suggested to explain their slow evolution and lack of surviving speciation.
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11
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Nelsen MP, Lücking R, Boyce CK, Lumbsch HT, Ree RH. The macroevolutionary dynamics of symbiotic and phenotypic diversification in lichens. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:21495-21503. [PMID: 32796103 PMCID: PMC7474681 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2001913117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Symbioses are evolutionarily pervasive and play fundamental roles in structuring ecosystems, yet our understanding of their macroevolutionary origins, persistence, and consequences is incomplete. We traced the macroevolutionary history of symbiotic and phenotypic diversification in an iconic symbiosis, lichens. By inferring the most comprehensive time-scaled phylogeny of lichen-forming fungi (LFF) to date (over 3,300 species), we identified shifts among symbiont classes that broadly coincided with the convergent evolution of phylogenetically or functionally similar associations in diverse lineages (plants, fungi, bacteria). While a relatively recent loss of lichenization in Lecanoromycetes was previously identified, our work instead suggests lichenization was abandoned far earlier, interrupting what had previously been considered a direct switch between trebouxiophycean and trentepohlialean algal symbionts. Consequently, some of the most diverse clades of LFF are instead derived from nonlichenized ancestors and re-evolved lichenization with Trentepohliales algae, a clade that also facilitated lichenization in unrelated lineages of LFF. Furthermore, while symbiont identity and symbiotic phenotype influence the ecology and physiology of lichens, they are not correlated with rates of lineage birth and death, suggesting more complex dynamics underly lichen diversification. Finally, diversification patterns of LFF differed from those of wood-rotting and ectomycorrhizal taxa, likely reflecting contrasts in their fundamental biological properties. Together, our work provides a timeline for the ecological contributions of lichens, and reshapes our understanding of symbiotic persistence in a classic model of symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew P Nelsen
- Department of Science and Education, Negaunee Integrative Research Center, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL 60605;
| | - Robert Lücking
- Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - C Kevin Boyce
- Department of Geological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - H Thorsten Lumbsch
- Department of Science and Education, Negaunee Integrative Research Center, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL 60605
| | - Richard H Ree
- Department of Science and Education, Negaunee Integrative Research Center, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL 60605
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12
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Lindgren H, Moncada B, Lücking R, Magain N, Simon A, Goffinet B, Sérusiaux E, Nelsen MP, Mercado-Díaz JA, Widhelm TJ, Lumbsch HT. Cophylogenetic patterns in algal symbionts correlate with repeated symbiont switches during diversification and geographic expansion of lichen-forming fungi in the genus Sticta (Ascomycota, Peltigeraceae). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2020; 150:106860. [PMID: 32473336 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2020.106860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Species in the fungal genus Sticta form symbiotic associations primarily with either green algae or cyanobacteria, but tripartite associations or photosymbiodemes involving both types of photobionts occur in some species. Sticta is known to associate with green algae in the genus Symbiochloris. However, previous studies have shown that algae from other genera, such as Heveochlorella, may also be suitable partners for Sticta. We examined the diversity of green algal partners in the genus Sticta and assessed the patterns of association between the host fungus and its algal symbiont. We used multi-locus sequence data from multiple individuals collected in Australia, Cuba, Madagascar, Mauritius, New Zealand, Reunion and South America to infer phylogenies for fungal and algal partners and performed tests of congruence to assess coevolution between the partners. In addition, event-based methods were implemented to examine which cophylogenetic processes have led to the observed association patterns in Sticta and its green algal symbionts. Our results show that in addition to Symbiochloris, Sticta associates with green algae from the genera Chloroidium, Coccomyxa, Elliptochloris and Heveochlorella, the latter being the most common algal symbiont associated with Sticta in this study. Geography plays a strong role in shaping fungal-algal association patterns in Sticta as mycobionts associate with different algal lineages in different geographic locations. While fungal and algal phylogenies were mostly congruent, event-based methods did not find any evidence for cospeciation between the partners. Instead, the association patterns observed in Sticta and associated algae, were largely explained by other cophylogenetic events such as host-switches, losses of symbiont and failure of the symbiont to diverge with its host. Our results also show that tripartite associations with green algae evolved multiple times in Sticta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Lindgren
- Science and Education, The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, United States.
| | - Bibiana Moncada
- Licenciatura en Biología, Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, Cra. 4 No. 26D-54, Torre de Laboratorios, Herbario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Robert Lücking
- Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum, Koenigin-Luise-Strasse 6-8, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nicolas Magain
- Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B22, B-4000 Liège, Belgium; Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0338, USA
| | - Antoine Simon
- Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B22, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Bernard Goffinet
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3043, USA
| | - Emmanuël Sérusiaux
- Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B22, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Matthew P Nelsen
- Science and Education, The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, United States
| | - Joel A Mercado-Díaz
- Science and Education, The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, United States; Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, 1025 E. 57(th) street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Todd J Widhelm
- Science and Education, The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, United States
| | - H Thorsten Lumbsch
- Science and Education, The Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, United States
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13
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Lendemer JC, Keepers KG, Tripp EA, Pogoda CS, McCain CM, Kane NC. A taxonomically broad metagenomic survey of 339 species spanning 57 families suggests cystobasidiomycete yeasts are not ubiquitous across all lichens. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2019; 106:1090-1095. [PMID: 31397894 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Lichens are fungi that enter into obligate symbioses with photosynthesizing organisms (algae, cyanobacteria). Traditional narratives of lichens as binary symbiont pairs have given way to their recognition as dynamic metacommunities. Basidiomycete yeasts, particularly of the genus Cyphobasidium, have been inferred to be widespread and important components of lichen metacommunities. Yet, the presence of basidiomycete yeasts across a wide diversity of lichen lineages has not previously been tested. METHODS We searched for lichen-associated cystobasidiomycete yeasts in newly generated metagenomic data from 413 samples of 339 lichen species spanning 57 families and 25 orders. The data set was generated as part of a large-scale project to study lichen biodiversity gradients in the southern Appalachian Mountains Biodiversity Hotspot of southeastern North America. RESULTS Our efforts detected cystobasidiomycete yeasts in nine taxa (Bryoria nadvornikiana, Heterodermia leucomelos, Lecidea roseotincta, Opegrapha vulgata, Parmotrema hypotropum, P. subsumptum, Usnea cornuta, U. strigosa, and U. subgracilis), representing 2.7% of all species sampled. Seven of these taxa (78%) are foliose (leaf-like) or fruticose (shrubby) lichens that belong to families where basidiomycete yeasts have been previously detected. In several of the nine cases, cystobasidiomycete rDNA coverage was comparable to, or greater than, that of the primary lichen fungus single-copy nuclear genomic rDNA, suggesting sampling artifacts are unlikely to account for our results. CONCLUSIONS Studies from diverse areas of the natural sciences have led to the need to reconceptualize lichens as dynamic metacommunities. However, our failure to detect cystobasidiomycetes in 97.3% (330 species) of the sampled species suggests that basidiomycete yeasts are not ubiquitous in lichens.
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Affiliation(s)
- James C Lendemer
- Institute of Systematic Botany, The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY, 10458-5126, USA
| | - Kyle G Keepers
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA
| | - Erin A Tripp
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA
- Museum of Natural History, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA
| | - Cloe S Pogoda
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA
| | - Christy M McCain
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA
- Museum of Natural History, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA
| | - Nolan C Kane
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA
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14
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Pardo-De la Hoz CJ, Magain N, Lutzoni F, Goward T, Restrepo S, Miadlikowska J. Contrasting Symbiotic Patterns in Two Closely Related Lineages of Trimembered Lichens of the Genus Peltigera. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2770. [PMID: 30505297 PMCID: PMC6250826 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Species circumscription is key to the characterization of patterns of specificity in symbiotic systems at a macroevolutionary scale. Here, a worldwide phylogenetic framework was used to assess the biodiversity and symbiotic patterns of association among partners in trimembered lichens from the genus Peltigera, section Chloropeltigera. We sequenced six loci of the main fungal partner and performed species discovery and validation analyses to establish putative species boundaries. Single locus phylogenies were used to establish the identity of both photobionts, Nostoc (cyanobacterium) and Coccomyxa (green alga). Distribution and specificity patterns were compared to the closely related clade, section Peltidea, which includes mainly Peltigera species with trimembered thalli. For section Chloropeltigera, eight fungal species (including five newly delimited putative species) were found in association with nine Nostoc phylogroups and two Coccomyxa species. In contrast, eight fungal species (including three newly delimited putative species) in section Peltidea were found in association with only four Nostoc phylogroups and the same two Coccomyxa species as for section Chloropeltigera. This difference in cyanobiont biodiversity between these two sections can potentially be explained by a significantly higher frequency of sexual reproductive structures in species from section Chloropeltigera compared to section Peltidea. Therefore, horizontal transmission of the cyanobiont might be more prevalent in Chloropeltigera species, while vertical transmission might be more common in Peltidea species. All Peltigera species in section Chloropeltigera are generalists in their association with Nostoc compared to more specialized Peltigera species in section Peltidea. Constrained distributions of Peltigera species that associate strictly with one species of green algae (Coccomyxa subellipsoidea) indicate that the availability of the green alga and the specificity of the interaction might be important factors limiting geographic ranges of trimembered Peltigera, in addition to constraints imposed by their interaction with Nostoc partners and by climatic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos José Pardo-De la Hoz
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Nicolas Magain
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - François Lutzoni
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Trevor Goward
- UBC Herbarium, Beaty Biodiversity Museum, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Silvia Restrepo
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
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15
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Ertz D, Guzow-Krzemińska B, Thor G, Łubek A, Kukwa M. Photobiont switching causes changes in the reproduction strategy and phenotypic dimorphism in the Arthoniomycetes. Sci Rep 2018; 8:4952. [PMID: 29563606 PMCID: PMC5862901 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-23219-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Phylogenetic analyses using mtSSU and nuITS sequences of Buellia violaceofusca (previously placed in Lecanoromycetes), a sterile, sorediate lichen having a trebouxioid photobiont, surprisingly prove that the species is conspecific with Lecanographa amylacea (Arthoniomycetes), a fertile, esorediate species with a trentepohlioid photobiont. These results suggest that L. amylacea and B. violaceofusca are photomorphs of the same mycobiont species, which, depending on the photobiont type, changes the morphology and the reproduction strategy. This is the first example of a lichenized fungus that can select between Trebouxia (Trebouxiophyceae) and trentepohlioid (Ulvophyceae) photobionts. Trebouxia photobionts from the sorediate morphotype belong to at least three different phylogenetic clades, and the results suggest that Lecanographa amylacea can capture the photobiont of other lichens such as Chrysothrix candelaris to form the sorediate morphotype. Phylogenetic analyses based on rbcL DNA data suggest that the trentepohlioid photobiont of L. amylacea is closely related to Trentepohlia isolated from fruticose lichens. The flexibility in the photobiont choice enables L. amylacea to use a larger range of tree hosts. This strategy helps the lichen to withstand changes of environmental conditions, to widen its distribution range and to increase its population size, which is particularly important for the survival of this rare species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Ertz
- Botanic Garden Meise, Department Research, Nieuwelaan 38, B-1860, Meise, Belgium. .,Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Direction Générale de l'Enseignement non obligatoire et de la Recherche scientifique, Rue A. Lavallée 1, B-1080, Bruxelles, Belgium.
| | - Beata Guzow-Krzemińska
- Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, PL-80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Göran Thor
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7044, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna Łubek
- Institute of Biology, The Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Świętokrzyska 15A, PL-25-406, Kielce, Poland
| | - Martin Kukwa
- Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, PL-80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
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16
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Magain N, Miadlikowska J, Goffinet B, Sérusiaux E, Lutzoni F. Macroevolution of Specificity in Cyanolichens of the Genus Peltigera Section Polydactylon (Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota). Syst Biol 2018; 66:74-99. [PMID: 28173598 DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syw065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Revised: 08/06/2015] [Accepted: 07/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Patterns of specificity among symbiotic partners are key to a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of symbiotic systems. Specificity of mutualistic partners, within a widespread monophyletic group for which all species are sampled has rarely been explored. Here, we assess the level of specificity between the cosmopolitan lichen-forming fungus (mycobiont) from the genus Peltigera, section Polydactylon, and its cyanobacterial partner Nostoc (cyanobiont). The mycobiont and cyanobiont phylogenies are inferred from five nuclear loci and the rbcLX region, respectively. These sequences were obtained from 206 lichen thalli, representing ca. 40 closely related Peltigera species sampled worldwide, doubling the number of known species in this group. We found a broad spectrum of specificity for both partners ranging from strict specialists to generalists. Overall, mycobionts are more specialized than cyanobionts by associating mostly with one or a few Nostoc phylogroups, whereas most cyanobionts associate frequently with several Peltigera species. Specialist mycobionts are older than generalists, supporting the hypothesis that specialization of mycobionts to one or few cyanobionts, is favored through time in geographic areas where species have been established for long periods of time. The relatively recent colonization of a new geographic area (Central and South America) by members of section Polydactylon is associated with a switch to a generalist pattern of association and an increased diversification rate by the fungal partner, suggesting that switches to generalism are rare events that are advantageous in new environments. We detected higher genetic diversity in generalist mycobionts. We also found that Peltigera species specialized on a single Nostoc phylogroup have narrower geographical distributions compared with generalist species.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Magain
- Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - J Miadlikowska
- Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - B Goffinet
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - E Sérusiaux
- Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - F Lutzoni
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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18
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Williams L, Colesie C, Ullmann A, Westberg M, Wedin M, Büdel B. Lichen acclimation to changing environments: Photobiont switching vs. climate-specific uniqueness in Psora decipiens. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:2560-2574. [PMID: 28428847 PMCID: PMC5395455 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Revised: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Unraveling the complex relationship between lichen fungal and algal partners has been crucial in understanding lichen dispersal capacity, evolutionary processes, and responses in the face of environmental change. However, lichen symbiosis remains enigmatic, including the ability of a single fungal partner to associate with various algal partners. Psora decipiens is a characteristic lichen of biological soil crusts (BSCs), across semi-arid, temperate, and alpine biomes, which are particularly susceptible to habitat loss and climate change. The high levels of morphological variation found across the range of Psora decipiens may contribute to its ability to withstand environmental change. To investigate Psora decipiens acclimation potential, individuals were transplanted between four climatically distinct sites across a European latitudinal gradient for 2 years. The effect of treatment was investigated through a morphological examination using light and SEM microscopy; 26S rDNA and rbcL gene analysis assessed site-specific relationships and lichen acclimation through photobiont switching. Initial analysis revealed that many samples had lost their algal layers. Although new growth was often determined, the algae were frequently found to have died without evidence of a new photobiont being incorporated into the thallus. Mycobiont analysis investigated diversity and determined that new growth was a part of the transplant, thus, revealing that four distinct fungal clades, closely linked to site, exist. Additionally, P. decipiens was found to associate with the green algal genus Myrmecia, with only two genetically distinct clades between the four sites. Our investigation has suggested that P. decipiens cannot acclimate to the substantial climatic variability across its environmental range. Additionally, the different geographical areas are home to genetically distinct and unique populations. The variation found within the genotypic and morpho-physiological traits of P. decipiens appears to have a climatic determinant, but this is not always reflected by the algal partner. Although photobiont switching occurs on an evolutionary scale, there is little evidence to suggest an active environmentally induced response. These results suggest that this species, and therefore, other lichen species, and BSC ecosystems themselves may be significantly vulnerable to climate change and habitat loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Williams
- Plant Ecology and SystematicsBiology InstituteUniversity of KaiserslauternKaiserslauternGermany
| | - Claudia Colesie
- Plant Ecology and SystematicsBiology InstituteUniversity of KaiserslauternKaiserslauternGermany
| | - Anna Ullmann
- Plant Ecology and SystematicsBiology InstituteUniversity of KaiserslauternKaiserslauternGermany
| | | | - Mats Wedin
- Department of BotanySwedish Museum of Natural HistoryStockholmSweden
| | - Burkhard Büdel
- Plant Ecology and SystematicsBiology InstituteUniversity of KaiserslauternKaiserslauternGermany
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Phylogenetic signal of photobiont switches in the lichen genus Pseudocyphellaria s. l. follows a Brownian motion model. Symbiosis 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s13199-016-0458-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Muggia L, Fernández-Brime S, Grube M, Wedin M. Schizoxylon as an experimental model for studying interkingdom symbiosis. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2016; 92:fiw165. [PMID: 27507738 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiw165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Experiments to re-synthesise lichens so far focused on co-cultures of fungal and algal partners. However, recent studies have revealed that bacterial communities colonise lichens in a stable and host-specific manner. We were therefore interested in testing how lichenised fungi and algae interact with selected bacteria in an experimental setup. We selected the symbiotic system of Schizoxylon albescens and the algal genera Coccomyxa and Trebouxia as a suitable model. We isolated bacterial strains from the naturally occurring bacterial fraction of freshly collected specimens and established tripartite associations under mixed culture experiments. The bacteria belong to Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria and corresponded to groups already found associated with fungi including lichens. In mixed cultures with Coccomyxa, the fungus formed a characteristic filamentous matrix and tightly contacted the algae; the bacteria distributed in small patches between the algal cells and attached to the cell walls. In mixed cultures with Trebouxia, the fungus did not develop the filamentous matrix, but bacterial cells were observed to be tightly adhering to the fungal hyphae. Our experiments show that this tripartite fungal-algal-bacterial model system can be maintained in culture and can offer multiple opportunities for functional studies based on experiments under controlled conditions in the laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Muggia
- Department of Life Science, University of Trieste, via Giorgieri 10, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Samantha Fernández-Brime
- Department of Botany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 50007, SE-10405 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Grube
- Institute of Plant Science, Karl-Franzens University of Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Mats Wedin
- Department of Botany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 50007, SE-10405 Stockholm, Sweden
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Leavitt SD, Kraichak E, Vondrak J, Nelsen MP, Sohrabi M, Perez-Ortega S, St Clair LL, Lumbsch HT. Cryptic diversity and symbiont interactions in rock-posy lichens. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2016; 99:261-274. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2016.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2015] [Revised: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Magain N, Sérusiaux E. Dismantling the treasured flagship lichen Sticta fuliginosa (Peltigerales) into four species in Western Europe. Mycol Prog 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s11557-015-1109-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Kaasalainen U, Olsson S, Rikkinen J. Evolution of the tRNALeu (UAA) Intron and Congruence of Genetic Markers in Lichen-Symbiotic Nostoc. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0131223. [PMID: 26098760 PMCID: PMC4476775 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The group I intron interrupting the tRNALeu UAA gene (trnL) is present in most cyanobacterial genomes as well as in the plastids of many eukaryotic algae and all green plants. In lichen symbiotic Nostoc, the P6b stem-loop of trnL intron always involves one of two different repeat motifs, either Class I or Class II, both with unresolved evolutionary histories. Here we attempt to resolve the complex evolution of the two different trnL P6b region types. Our analysis indicates that the Class II repeat motif most likely appeared first and that independent and unidirectional shifts to the Class I motif have since taken place repeatedly. In addition, we compare our results with those obtained with other genetic markers and find strong evidence of recombination in the 16S rRNA gene, a marker widely used in phylogenetic studies on Bacteria. The congruence of the different genetic markers is successfully evaluated with the recently published software Saguaro, which has not previously been utilized in comparable studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulla Kaasalainen
- Department of Geobiology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Sanna Olsson
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jouko Rikkinen
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Moya P, Škaloud P, Chiva S, García-Breijo FJ, Reig-Armiñana J, Vančurová L, Barreno E. Molecular phylogeny and ultrastructure of the lichen microalga Asterochloris mediterranea sp. nov. from Mediterranean and Canary Islands ecosystems. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2015; 65:1838-1854. [DOI: 10.1099/ijs.0.000185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The microalgae of the genus Asterochloris are the preferential phycobionts in Cladonia, Lepraria and Stereocaulon lichens. Recent studies have highlighted the hidden diversity of the genus, even though phycobionts hosting species of the genus Cladonia in Mediterranean and Canarian ecosystems have been poorly explored. Phylogenetic analyses were made by concatenation of the sequences obtained with a plastid – LSU rDNA – and two nuclear – internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA and actin – molecular markers of the phycobionts living in several populations of the Cladonia convoluta-Cladonia foliacea complex, Cladonia rangiformis and Cladonia cervicornis s. str. widely distributed in these areas in a great variety of substrata and habitats. A new strongly supported clade was obtained in relation to the previously published Asterochloris phylogenies. Minimum genetic variation was detected between our haplotypes and other sequences available in the GenBank database. The correct identification of the fungal partners was corroborated by the ITS rDNA barcode. In this study we provide a detailed characterization comprising chloroplast morphology, and ultrastructural and phylogenetic analyses of a novel phycobiont species, here described as Asterochloris mediterranea sp. nov. Barreno, Chiva, Moya et Škaloud. A cryopreserved holotype specimen has been deposited in the Culture Collection of Algae of Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic (CAUP) as CAUP H 1015. We suggest the use of a combination of several nuclear and plastid molecular markers, as well as ultrastructural (transmission electron and confocal microscopy) techniques, both in culture and in the symbiotic state, to improve novel species delimitation of phycobionts in lichens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Moya
- Universitat de València, Dpto. Botánica, ICBIBE, Facultad Ciencias Biológicas, Dr Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Pavel Škaloud
- Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Botany, Benatska 2, 128 01 Praha 2, Czech Republic
| | - Salvador Chiva
- Universitat de València, Dpto. Botánica, ICBIBE, Facultad Ciencias Biológicas, Dr Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Francisco J. García-Breijo
- Laboratorio de Anatomía Vegetal ‘Julio Iranzo’, Jardí Botànic de la Universitat de València, Quart 80, 46008 Valencia, Spain
- Dpto. Ecosistemas Agroforestales, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera, s/n., 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - José Reig-Armiñana
- Universitat de València, Dpto. Botánica, ICBIBE, Facultad Ciencias Biológicas, Dr Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
- Laboratorio de Anatomía Vegetal ‘Julio Iranzo’, Jardí Botànic de la Universitat de València, Quart 80, 46008 Valencia, Spain
| | - Lucie Vančurová
- Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Botany, Benatska 2, 128 01 Praha 2, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Barreno
- Universitat de València, Dpto. Botánica, ICBIBE, Facultad Ciencias Biológicas, Dr Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
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