1
|
Ptach-Styn Ł, Guzow-Krzemińska B, Lendemer JC, Tønsberg T, Kukwa M. Phylogeny of the genus Loxospora s.l. (Sarrameanales, Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota), with Chicitaea gen. nov. and five new combinations in Chicitaea and Loxospora. MycoKeys 2024; 102:155-181. [PMID: 38414731 PMCID: PMC10897838 DOI: 10.3897/mycokeys.102.116196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Loxospora is a genus of crustose lichens containing 13 accepted species that can be separated into two groups, based on differences in secondary chemistry that correlate with differences in characters of the sexual reproductive structures (asci and ascospores). Molecular phylogenetic analyses recovered these groups as monophyletic and support their recognition as distinct genera that differ in phenotypic characters. Species containing 2'-O-methylperlatolic acid are transferred to the new genus, Chicitaea Guzow-Krzem., Kukwa & Lendemer and four new combinations are proposed: C.assateaguensis (Lendemer) Guzow-Krzem., Kukwa & Lendemer, C.confusa (Lendemer) Guzow-Krzem., Kukwa & Lendemer, C.cristinae (Guzow-Krzem., Łubek, Kubiak & Kukwa) Guzow-Krzem., Kukwa & Lendemer and C.lecanoriformis (Lumbsch, A.W. Archer & Elix) Guzow-Krzem., Kukwa & Lendemer. The remaining species produce thamnolic acid and represent Loxospora s.str. Haplotype analyses recovered sequences of L.elatina in two distinct groups, one corresponding to L.elatina s.str. and one to Pertusariachloropolia, the latter being resurrected from synonymy of L.elatina and, thus, requiring the combination, L.chloropolia (Erichsen) Ptach-Styn, Guzow-Krzem., Tønsberg & Kukwa. Sequences of L.ochrophaea were found to be intermixed within the otherwise monophyletic L.elatina s.str. These two taxa, which differ in contrasting reproductive mode and overall geographic distributions, are maintained as distinct, pending further studies with additional molecular loci. Lectotypes are selected for Lecanoraelatina, Pertusariachloropolia and P.chloropoliaf.cana. The latter is a synonym of Loxosporachloropolia. New primers for the amplification of mtSSU are also presented.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Łucja Ptach-Styn
- Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, PL-80-308 Gdańsk, PolandUniversity of GdańskGdańskPoland
| | - Beata Guzow-Krzemińska
- Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, PL-80-308 Gdańsk, PolandUniversity of GdańskGdańskPoland
| | - James C. Lendemer
- Department of Botany, Research and Collections, CEC 3140, The New York State Museum, 222 Madison Ave., Albany NY 12230, USAThe New York State MuseumAlbanyUnited States of America
| | - Tor Tønsberg
- Department of Natural History, University Museum, University of Bergen, Allegt. 41, 7800, 5020 Bergen, NorwayUniversity of BergenBergenNorway
| | - Martin Kukwa
- Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, PL-80-308 Gdańsk, PolandUniversity of GdańskGdańskPoland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Fjelde MO, Timdal E, Haugan R, Bendiksby M. Paraphyly and cryptic diversity unveils unexpected challenges in the "naked lichens" (Calvitimela, Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2024; 190:107944. [PMID: 37844854 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107944] [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: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Molecular phylogenetics has revolutionized the taxonomy of crustose lichens and revealed an extensive amount of cryptic diversity. Resolving the relationships between genera in the crustose lichen family Tephromelataceae has proven difficult and the taxon limits within the genus Calvitimela are only partly understood. In this study, we tested the monophyly of Calvitimela and investigated phylogenetic relationships at different taxonomic levels using an integrative taxonomic approach. We performed a global sampling of all species currently assigned to Calvitimela and conducted additional sampling of C. melaleuca sensu lato across Norway. We included 108 specimens and produced more than 300 sequences from five different loci (ITS, LSU, MCM7, mtSSU, TEF1-α). We inferred phylogenetic relationships and estimated divergence times in Calvitimela. Moreover, we analyzed chemical and morphological characters to test their diagnostic values in the genus. Our molecular phylogenetic results show evolutionarily old and deeply divergent lineages in Calvitimela. The morphological characters are overlapping between divergent subgenera within this genus. Chemical characters, however, are largely informative at the level of subgenera, but are often homoplastic at the species level. The subgenus Calvitimela is found to include four distinct genetic lineages. Detailed morphological examinations of C. melaleuca s. lat. reveal differences between taxa previously assumed to be morphologically cryptic. Furthermore, young evolutionary ages and signs of gene tree discordance indicate a recent divergence and possibly incomplete lineage sorting in the subgenus Calvitimela. Phylogenetic analysis and morphological observations revealed that C. austrochilensis and C. uniseptata are extraneous to Calvitimela (Tephromelataceae). We also found molecular evidence supporting C. septentrionalis being sister to C. cuprea. In the subgenus Severidea, one new grouping is recovered as a highly supported sister to C. aglaea. Lastly, two fertile specimens were found to be phylogenetically nested within the sorediate species C. cuprea. We discuss the need for an updated classification of Calvitimela and the evolution of cryptic species. Through generic circumscription and species delimitation we propose a practical taxonomy of Calvitimela.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Markus Osaland Fjelde
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1172 Blindern, NO-0318 Oslo, Norway; Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1066 Blindern, NO-0316, Norway.
| | - Einar Timdal
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1172 Blindern, NO-0318 Oslo, Norway
| | - Reidar Haugan
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1172 Blindern, NO-0318 Oslo, Norway
| | - Mika Bendiksby
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1172 Blindern, NO-0318 Oslo, Norway; NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zuo YB, Han DY, Wang YY, Yang QX, Ren Q, Liu XZ, Wei XL. Fungal-Algal Association Drives Lichens' Mutualistic Symbiosis: A Case Study with Trebouxia-Related Lichens. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3172. [PMID: 37687418 PMCID: PMC10490544 DOI: 10.3390/plants12173172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Biotic and abiotic factors influence the formation of fungal-algal pairings in lichen symbiosis. However, the specific determinants of these associations, particularly when distantly related fungi are involved, remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the impact of different drivers on the association patterns between taxonomically diverse lichenized fungi and their trebouxioid symbiotic partners. We collected 200 samples from four biomes and identified 41 species of lichenized fungi, associating them with 16 species of trebouxioid green algae, of which 62% were previously unreported. The species identity of both the fungal and algal partners had the most significant effect on the outcome of the symbiosis, compared to abiotic factors like climatic variables and geographic distance. Some obviously specific associations were observed in the temperate zone; however, the nestedness value was lower in arid regions than in cold, polar, and temperate regions according to interaction network analysis. Cophylogenetic analyses revealed congruent phylogenies between trebouxioid algae and associated fungi, indicating a tendency to reject random associations. The main evolutionary mechanisms contributing to the observed phylogenetic patterns were "loss" and "failure to diverge" of the algal partners. This study broadens our knowledge of fungal-algal symbiotic patterns in view of Trebouxia-associated fungi.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Xin-Zhan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xin-Li Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Koide RT. On Holobionts, Holospecies, and Holoniches: the Role of Microbial Symbioses in Ecology and Evolution. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 85:1143-1149. [PMID: 35396623 PMCID: PMC10167095 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-02005-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
My goal in writing this is to increase awareness of the roles played by microbial symbionts in eukaryote ecology and evolution. Most eukaryotes host one or more species of symbiotic microorganisms, including prokaryotes and fungi. Many of these have profound impacts on the biology of their hosts. For example, microbial symbionts may expand the niches of their hosts, cause rapid adaptation of the host to the environment and re-adaptation to novel conditions via symbiont swapping, facilitate speciation, and fundamentally alter our concept of the species. In some cases, microbial symbionts and multicellular eukaryote hosts have a mutual dependency, which has obvious conservation implications. Hopefully, this contribution will stimulate a reevaluation of important ecological and evolutionary concepts including niche, adaptation, the species, speciation, and conservation of multicellular eukaryotes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roger T Koide
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Stanton DE, Ormond A, Koch NM, Colesie C. Lichen ecophysiology in a changing climate. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2023; 110:e16131. [PMID: 36795943 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16131] [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: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Lichens are one of the most iconic and ubiquitous symbioses known, widely valued as indicators of environmental quality and, more recently, climate change. Our understanding of lichen responses to climate has greatly expanded in recent decades, but some biases and constraints have shaped our present knowledge. In this review we focus on lichen ecophysiology as a key to predicting responses to present and future climates, highlighting recent advances and remaining challenges. Lichen ecophysiology is best understood through complementary whole-thallus and within-thallus scales. Water content and form (vapor or liquid) are central to whole-thallus perspectives, making vapor pressure differential (VPD) a particularly informative environmental driver. Responses to water content are further modulated by photobiont physiology and whole-thallus phenotype, providing clear links to a functional trait framework. However, this thallus-level perspective is incomplete without also considering within-thallus dynamics, such as changing proportions or even identities of symbionts in response to climate, nutrients, and other stressors. These changes provide pathways for acclimation, but their understanding is currently limited by large gaps in our understanding of carbon allocation and symbiont turnover in lichens. Lastly, the study of lichen physiology has mainly prioritized larger lichens at high latitudes, producing valuable insights but underrepresenting the range of lichenized lineages and ecologies. Key areas for future work include improving geographic and phylogenetic coverage, greater emphasis on VPD as a climatic factor, advances in the study of carbon allocation and symbiont turnover, and the incorporation of physiological theory and functional traits in our predictive models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Stanton
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 140 Gortner Laboratory, 1479 Gortner Avenue, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Amaris Ormond
- Global Change Institute, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Crew Building, Alexander Crum Brown Road, Edinburgh, EH3 9FF, UK
| | - Natalia M Koch
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 140 Gortner Laboratory, 1479 Gortner Avenue, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Claudia Colesie
- Global Change Institute, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Crew Building, Alexander Crum Brown Road, Edinburgh, EH3 9FF, UK
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Spribille T, Resl P, Stanton DE, Tagirdzhanova G. Evolutionary biology of lichen symbioses. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 234:1566-1582. [PMID: 35302240 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Lichens are the symbiotic outcomes of open, interspecies relationships, central to which are a fungus and a phototroph, typically an alga and/or cyanobacterium. The evolutionary processes that led to the global success of lichens are poorly understood. In this review, we explore the goods and services exchange between fungus and phototroph and how this propelled the success of both symbiont and symbiosis. Lichen fungal symbionts count among the only filamentous fungi that expose most of their mycelium to an aerial environment. Phototrophs export carbohydrates to the fungus, which converts them to specific polyols. Experimental evidence suggests that polyols are not only growth and respiratory substrates but also play a role in anhydrobiosis, the capacity to survive desiccation. We propose that this dual functionality is pivotal to the evolution of fungal symbionts, enabling persistence in environments otherwise hostile to fungi while simultaneously imposing costs on growth. Phototrophs, in turn, benefit from fungal protection from herbivory and light stress, while appearing to exert leverage over fungal sex and morphogenesis. Combined with the recently recognized habit of symbionts to occur in multiple symbioses, this creates the conditions for a multiplayer marketplace of rewards and penalties that could drive symbiont selection and lichen diversification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Toby Spribille
- Department of Biological Sciences CW405, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Philipp Resl
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 3, Graz, 8010, Austria
| | - Daniel E Stanton
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Gulnara Tagirdzhanova
- Department of Biological Sciences CW405, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Černajová I, Schiefelbein U, Škaloud P. Lichens from the littoral zone host diverse Ulvophycean photobionts. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2022; 58:267-280. [PMID: 35032341 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13234] [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: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Crustose Verrucariaceae lichens form a distinctive black belt on seashores all over the world. This lifestyle is apparently enabled by a specific set of photobionts. However, their diversity is understudied. We sampled these lichens from the northern Patagonian Pacific coast of Chile. Using molecular markers, we identified both mycobionts and photobionts. The lichens, belonging to the genus Hydropunctaria and to the Wahlenbergiella group, hosted solely Ulvophycean photobionts. Pseudendoclonium submarinum (Kornmanniaceae, Ulvales) was the most common, but representatives of other closely related, yet undescribed, lineages were also found. Undulifilum symbioticum gen. et sp. nov. is described within Kornmanniaceae based on culture morphology and DNA sequence data. Furthermore, the free-living macroscopic genus Urospora (Acrosiphoniaceae, Ulotrichales) is reported as a lichen photobiont for the first time and is the first of its kind in the order. These results indicate that undescribed algal diversity is waiting to be uncovered in seashore lichens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Černajová
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Pavel Škaloud
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Steinová J, Holien H, Košuthová A, Škaloud P. An Exception to the Rule? Could Photobiont Identity Be a Better Predictor of Lichen Phenotype than Mycobiont Identity? J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8030275. [PMID: 35330277 PMCID: PMC8953480 DOI: 10.3390/jof8030275] [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: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
With rare exceptions, the shape and appearance of lichen thalli are determined by the fungal partner; thus, mycobiont identity is normally used for lichen identification. However, it has repeatedly been shown in recent decades that phenotypic data often does not correspond with fungal gene evolution. Here, we report such a case in a three-species complex of red-fruited Cladonia lichens, two of which clearly differ morphologically, chemically, ecologically and in distribution range. We analysed 64 specimens of C. bellidiflora, C. polydactyla and C. umbricola, mainly collected in Europe, using five variable mycobiont-specific and two photobiont-specific molecular markers. All mycobiont markers exhibited very low variability and failed to separate the species. In comparison, photobiont identity corresponded better with lichen phenotype and separated esorediate C. bellidiflora from the two sorediate taxa. These results can be interpreted either as an unusual case of lichen photomorphs or as an example of recent speciation, in which phenotypic differentiation precedes the separation of the molecular markers. We hypothesise that association with different photobionts, which is probably related to habitat differentiation, may have triggered speciation in the mycobiont species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jana Steinová
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Benátská 2, 128 01 Prague, Czech Republic;
- Correspondence:
| | - Håkon Holien
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Pb 2501, NO-7729 Steinkjer, Norway;
| | - Alica Košuthová
- Department of Botany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Pavel Škaloud
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Benátská 2, 128 01 Prague, Czech Republic;
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Blázquez M, Hernández-Moreno LS, Gasulla F, Pérez-Vargas I, Pérez-Ortega S. The Role of Photobionts as Drivers of Diversification in an Island Radiation of Lichen-Forming Fungi. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:784182. [PMID: 35046912 PMCID: PMC8763358 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.784182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Speciation in oceanic islands has attracted the interest of scientists since the 19th century. One of the most striking evolutionary phenomena that can be studied in islands is adaptive radiation, that is, when a lineage gives rise to different species by means of ecological speciation. Some of the best-known examples of adaptive radiation are charismatic organisms like the Darwin finches of the Galapagos and the cichlid fishes of the great African lakes. In these and many other examples, a segregation of the trophic niche has been shown to be an important diversification driver. Radiations are known in other groups of organisms, such as lichen-forming fungi. However, very few studies have investigated their adaptive nature, and none have focused on the trophic niche. In this study, we explore the role of the trophic niche in a putative radiation of endemic species from the Macaronesian Region, the Ramalina decipiens group. The photobiont diversity was studied by Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the ITS2 region of 197 specimens spanning the phylogenetic breadth and geographic range of the group. A total of 66 amplicon sequence variants belonging to the four main clades of the algal genus Trebouxia were found. Approximately half of the examined thalli showed algal coexistence, but in most of them, a single main photobiont amounted to more than 90% of the reads. However, there were no significant differences in photobiont identity and in the abundance of ITS2 reads across the species of the group. We conclude that a segregation of the trophic niche has not occurred in the R. decipiens radiation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Blázquez
- Department of Mycology, Real Jardín Botánico (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Open Access Publication Support Program, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Escuela Internacional de Doctorado, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles, Spain
| | - Lucía S Hernández-Moreno
- Department of Mycology, Real Jardín Botánico (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Open Access Publication Support Program, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Gasulla
- Department of Life Sciences, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - Israel Pérez-Vargas
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Sergio Pérez-Ortega
- Department of Mycology, Real Jardín Botánico (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.,Open Access Publication Support Program, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Moya P, Molins A, Škaloud P, Divakar PK, Chiva S, Dumitru C, Molina MC, Crespo A, Barreno E. Biodiversity Patterns and Ecological Preferences of the Photobionts Associated With the Lichen-Forming Genus Parmelia. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:765310. [PMID: 35003003 PMCID: PMC8739953 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.765310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The worldwide, ecologically relevant lichen-forming genus Parmelia currently includes 41 accepted species, of which the Parmelia sulcata group (PSULgp) and the Parmelia saxatilis group (PSAXgp) have received considerable attention over recent decades; however, phycobiont diversity is poorly known in Parmelia s. lat. Here, we studied the diversity of Trebouxia microalgae associated with 159 thalli collected from 30 locations, including nine Parmelia spp.: P. barrenoae, P. encryptata, P. ernstiae, P. mayi, P. omphalodes, P. saxatilis, P. serrana, P. submontana, and P. sulcata. The mycobionts were studied by carrying out phylogenetic analyses of the nrITS. Microalgae genetic diversity was examined by using both nrITS and LSU rDNA markers. To evaluate putative species boundaries, three DNA species delimitation analyses were performed on Trebouxia and Parmelia. All analyses clustered the mycobionts into two main groups: PSULgp and PSAXgp. Species delimitation identified 13 fungal and 15 algal species-level lineages. To identify patterns in specificity and selectivity, the diversity and abundance of the phycobionts were identified for each Parmelia species. High specificity of each Parmelia group for a given Trebouxia clade was observed; PSULgp associated only with clade I and PSAXgp with clade S. However, the degree of specificity is different within each group, since the PSAXgp mycobionts were less specific and associated with 12 Trebouxia spp., meanwhile those of PSULgp interacted only with three Trebouxia spp. Variation-partitioning analyses were conducted to detect the relative contributions of climate, geography, and symbiotic partner to phycobiont and mycobiont distribution patterns. Both analyses explained unexpectedly high portions of variability (99 and 98%) and revealed strong correlations between the fungal and algal diversity. Network analysis discriminated seven ecological clusters. Even though climatic conditions explained the largest proportion of the variation among these clusters, they seemed to show indifference relative to climatic parameters. However, the cluster formed by P. saxatilis A/P. saxatilis B/Trebouxia sp. 2/Trebouxia sp. S02/Trebouxia sp. 3A was identified to prefer cold-temperate as well as humid summer environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Moya
- Botánica, Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva (ICBIBE), Fac. CC. Biológicas, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Arantzazu Molins
- Botánica, Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva (ICBIBE), Fac. CC. Biológicas, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Pavel Škaloud
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Pradeep K. Divakar
- Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacognosia y Botánica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Salvador Chiva
- Botánica, Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva (ICBIBE), Fac. CC. Biológicas, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Cristina Dumitru
- Botánica, Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva (ICBIBE), Fac. CC. Biológicas, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria Carmen Molina
- Departamento de Biología, Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología (ESCET), Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Crespo
- Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacognosia y Botánica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eva Barreno
- Botánica, Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva (ICBIBE), Fac. CC. Biológicas, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Medeiros ID, Mazur E, Miadlikowska J, Flakus A, Rodriguez-Flakus P, Pardo-De la Hoz CJ, Cieślak E, Śliwa L, Lutzoni F. Turnover of Lecanoroid Mycobionts and Their Trebouxia Photobionts Along an Elevation Gradient in Bolivia Highlights the Role of Environment in Structuring the Lichen Symbiosis. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:774839. [PMID: 34987486 PMCID: PMC8721194 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.774839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Shifts in climate along elevation gradients structure mycobiont-photobiont associations in lichens. We obtained mycobiont (lecanoroid Lecanoraceae) and photobiont (Trebouxia alga) DNA sequences from 89 lichen thalli collected in Bolivia from a ca. 4,700 m elevation gradient encompassing diverse natural communities and environmental conditions. The molecular dataset included six mycobiont loci (ITS, nrLSU, mtSSU, RPB1, RPB2, and MCM7) and two photobiont loci (ITS, rbcL); we designed new primers to amplify Lecanoraceae RPB1 and RPB2 with a nested PCR approach. Mycobionts belonged to Lecanora s.lat., Bryonora, Myriolecis, Protoparmeliopsis, the "Lecanora" polytropa group, and the "L." saligna group. All of these clades except for Lecanora s.lat. occurred only at high elevation. No single species of Lecanoraceae was present along the entire elevation gradient, and individual clades were restricted to a subset of the gradient. Most Lecanoraceae samples represent species which have not previously been sequenced. Trebouxia clade C, which has not previously been recorded in association with species of Lecanoraceae, predominates at low- to mid-elevation sites. Photobionts from Trebouxia clade I occur at the upper extent of mid-elevation forest and at some open, high-elevation sites, while Trebouxia clades A and S dominate open habitats at high elevation. We did not find Trebouxia clade D. Several putative new species were found in Trebouxia clades A, C, and I. These included one putative species in clade A associated with Myriolecis species growing on limestone at high elevation and a novel lineage sister to the rest of clade C associated with Lecanora on bark in low-elevation grassland. Three different kinds of photobiont switching were observed, with certain mycobiont species associating with Trebouxia from different major clades, species within a major clade, or haplotypes within a species. Lecanoraceae mycobionts and Trebouxia photobionts exhibit species turnover along the elevation gradient, but with each partner having a different elevation threshold at which the community shifts completely. A phylogenetically defined sampling of a single diverse family of lichen-forming fungi may be sufficient to document regional patterns of Trebouxia diversity and distribution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ian D. Medeiros
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Edyta Mazur
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS), Kraków, Poland
| | | | - Adam Flakus
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS), Kraków, Poland
| | | | | | - Elżbieta Cieślak
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS), Kraków, Poland
| | - Lucyna Śliwa
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS), Kraków, Poland
| | - François Lutzoni
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Kaasalainen U, Tuovinen V, Mwachala G, Pellikka P, Rikkinen J. Complex Interaction Networks Among Cyanolichens of a Tropical Biodiversity Hotspot. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:672333. [PMID: 34177853 PMCID: PMC8220813 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.672333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Interactions within lichen communities include, in addition to close mutualistic associations between the main partners of specific lichen symbioses, also more elusive relationships between members of a wider symbiotic community. Here, we analyze association patterns of cyanolichen symbionts in the tropical montane forests of Taita Hills, southern Kenya, which is part of the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot. The cyanolichen specimens analyzed represent 74 mycobiont taxa within the order Peltigerales (Ascomycota), associating with 115 different variants of the photobionts genus Nostoc (Cyanobacteria). Our analysis demonstrates wide sharing of photobionts and reveals the presence of several photobiont-mediated lichen guilds. Over half of all mycobionts share photobionts with other fungal species, often from different genera or even families, while some others are strict specialists and exclusively associate with a single photobiont variant. The most extensive symbiont network involves 24 different fungal species from five genera associating with 38 Nostoc photobionts. The Nostoc photobionts belong to two main groups, the Nephroma-type Nostoc and the Collema/Peltigera-type Nostoc, and nearly all mycobionts associate only with variants of one group. Among the mycobionts, species that produce cephalodia and those without symbiotic propagules tend to be most promiscuous in photobiont choice. The extent of photobiont sharing and the structure of interaction networks differ dramatically between the two major photobiont-mediated guilds, being both more prevalent and nested among Nephroma guild fungi and more compartmentalized among Peltigera guild fungi. This presumably reflects differences in the ecological characteristics and/or requirements of the two main groups of photobionts. The same two groups of Nostoc have previously been identified from many lichens in various lichen-rich ecosystems in different parts of the world, indicating that photobiont sharing between fungal species is an integral part of lichen ecology globally. In many cases, symbiotically dispersing lichens can facilitate the dispersal of sexually reproducing species, promoting establishment and adaptation into new and marginal habitats and thus driving evolutionary diversification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ulla Kaasalainen
- Department of Geobiology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Veera Tuovinen
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Petri Pellikka
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jouko Rikkinen
- Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Kosecka M, Guzow-Krzemińska B, Černajová I, Škaloud P, Jabłońska A, Kukwa M. New lineages of photobionts in Bolivian lichens expand our knowledge on habitat preferences and distribution of Asterochloris algae. Sci Rep 2021; 11:8701. [PMID: 33888793 PMCID: PMC8062552 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88110-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
We studied the biodiversity of Asterochloris photobionts found in Bolivian lichens to better understand their global spatial distribution and adaptation strategies in the context of a worldwide phylogeny of the genus. Based on nuclear ITS rDNA, the chloroplast rbcL gene and the actin type I gene we reconstructed a phylogenetic tree that recovered nine new Asterochloris lineages, while 32 Bolivian photobiont samples were assigned to 12 previously recognized Asterochloris lineages. We also show that some previously discovered Asterochloris photobiont species and lineages may occur in a broader spectrum of climatic conditions, and mycobiont species and photobionts may show different preferences along an altitude gradient. To reveal general patterns of of mycobiont specificity towards the photobiont in Asterochloris, we tested the influence of climate, altitude, geographical distance and effects of symbiotic partner (mycobiont) at the species level of three genera of lichen forming fungi: Stereocaulon, Cladonia and Lepraria. Further, we compared the specificity of mycobionts towards Asterochloris photobionts in cosmopolitan, Neotropical, and Pantropical lichen forming fungi. Interestingly, cosmopolitan species showed the lowest specificity to their photobionts, but also the lowest haplotype diversity. Neotropical and Paleotropical mycobionts, however, were more specific.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Kosecka
- Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80308, Gdańsk, Poland.
| | - Beata Guzow-Krzemińska
- Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Ivana Černajová
- Faculty of Science, Department of Botany, Charles University, Benatska 2, 12801, Praha 2, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Škaloud
- Faculty of Science, Department of Botany, Charles University, Benatska 2, 12801, Praha 2, Czech Republic
| | - Agnieszka Jabłońska
- Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Martin Kukwa
- Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80308, Gdańsk, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Composition and Specialization of the Lichen Functional Traits in a Primeval Forest—Does Ecosystem Organization Level Matter? FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12040485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Current trends emphasize the importance of the examination of the functional composition of lichens, which may provide information on the species realized niche diversity and community assembly processes, thus enabling one to understand the specific adaptations of lichens and their interaction with the environment. We analyzed the distribution and specialization of diverse morphological, anatomical and chemical (lichen secondary metabolites) traits in lichen communities in a close-to-natural forest of lowland Europe. We considered these traits in relation to three levels of forest ecosystem organization: forest communities, phorophyte species and substrates, in order to recognize the specialization of functional traits to different levels of the forest complexity. Traits related to the sexual reproduction of mycobionts (i.e., ascomata types: lecanoroid apothecia, lecideoid apothecia, arthonioid apothecia, lirellate apothecia, stalked apothecia and perithecia) and asexual reproduction of mycobionts (pycnidia, hyphophores and sporodochia) demonstrated the highest specialization to type of substrate, tree species and forest community. Thallus type (foliose, fruticose, crustose and leprose thalli), ascospore dark pigmentation and asexual reproduction by lichenized diaspores (soredia and isidia) revealed the lowest specialization to tree species and substrate, as well as to forest community. Results indicate that lichen functional trait assemblage distribution should not only be considered at the level of differences in the internal structure of the analyzed forest communities (e.g., higher number of diverse substrates or tree species) but also studied in relation to specific habitat conditions (insolation, moisture, temperature, eutrophication) that are characteristic of a particular forest community. Our work contributes to the understanding of the role of the forest structure in shaping lichen functional trait composition, as well as enhancing our knowledge on community assembly rules of lichen species.
Collapse
|
17
|
Morpho-molecular characterization of rock-inhabiting lichen Dermatocarpon miniatum (Verrucariaceae, Ascomycota) and its symbiont in Indian Himalayas. THE NUCLEUS 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s13237-021-00349-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
|
18
|
Osyczka P, Lenart-Boroń A, Boroń P, Rola K. Lichen-forming fungi in postindustrial habitats involve alternative photobionts. Mycologia 2020; 113:43-55. [PMID: 33146594 DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2020.1813486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Mycobionts of many lichen genera appear to demonstrate strong selectivity in the choice of algal partner. The biological properties of a photobiont and its availability in an environment significantly determine the habitat requirements of lichens. Flexibility in photobiont choice extends the ecological amplitude of lichens; therefore, it may constitute an important adaptive strategy for colonization of extreme habitats. The photobiont inventory of the three epigeic lichens most resistant to soil pollution, i.e., Cladonia cariosa, C. rei, and the hyperaccumulator Diploschistes muscorum, was examined to verify whether and to what extent algal composition depends on the type of habitat and substrate enrichment with heavy metals. Photobionts Asterochloris and Trebouxia were identified in the studied lichen species; however, the presence of Trebouxia was directly related to anthropogenic sites with technogenic substrates, and the proportion of lichen specimens with these algae clearly depended on the level of heavy-metal soil pollution and the habitat type. The total number of algal haplotypes increased with increasing soil pollution, and the richness was associated more with soil pollution than with a given lichen species. Additionally, a large number of lichen individuals bearing multiple algal genotypes at polluted sites were recorded. Although Cladonia lichens were previously thought to be restricted to Asterochloris, they are able to start the relichenization process with Trebouxia under specific habitat conditions and to establish a stable association with these algae when colonization of disturbed sites takes place. Comparative analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA sequences revealed as many as 13 haplotypes of Trebouxia, and phylogenetic analysis grouped them into two different clades. Such a high level of genetic diversity indicates that Trebouxia is well adapted to metal pollution and could be an alternative photosynthetic partner for certain lichens, especially in polluted sites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Osyczka
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University , Gronostajowa 3, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Anna Lenart-Boroń
- Department of Microbiology and Biomonitoring, Faculty of Agriculture and Economics, University of Agriculture in Kraków , Adam Mickiewicz Ave. 24/28, 31-059 Kraków, Poland
| | - Piotr Boroń
- Department of Forest Ecosystems Protection, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture in Kraków , 29 Listopada Ave. 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland
| | - Kaja Rola
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University , Gronostajowa 3, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Košuthová A, Bergsten J, Westberg M, Wedin M. Species delimitation in the cyanolichen genus Rostania. BMC Evol Biol 2020; 20:115. [PMID: 32912146 PMCID: PMC7488055 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-020-01681-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In this study, we investigate species limits in the cyanobacterial lichen genus Rostania (Collemataceae, Peltigerales, Lecanoromycetes). Four molecular markers (mtSSU rDNA, β-tubulin, MCM7, RPB2) were sequenced and analysed with two coalescent-based species delimitation methods: the Generalized Mixed Yule Coalescent model (GMYC) and a Bayesian species delimitation method (BPP) using a multispecies coalescence model (MSC), the latter with or without an a priori defined guide tree. Results Species delimitation analyses indicate the presence of eight strongly supported candidate species. Conclusive correlation between morphological/ecological characters and genetic delimitation could be found for six of these. Of the two additional candidate species, one is represented by a single sterile specimen and the other currently lacks morphological or ecological supporting evidence. Conclusions We conclude that Rostania includes a minimum of six species: R. ceranisca, R. multipunctata, R. occultata 1, R. occultata 2, R. occultata 3, and R. occultata 4,5,6. Three distinct Nostoc morphotypes occur in Rostania, and there is substantial correlation between these morphotypes and Rostania thallus morphology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alica Košuthová
- Department of Botany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 50007, SE-104 05, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Johannes Bergsten
- Department of Zoology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 50007, SE-104 05, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Westberg
- Museum of Evolution, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 16, SE-752 36, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mats Wedin
- Department of Botany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 50007, SE-104 05, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Mark K, Laanisto L, Bueno CG, Niinemets Ü, Keller C, Scheidegger C. Contrasting co-occurrence patterns of photobiont and cystobasidiomycete yeast associated with common epiphytic lichen species. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 227:1362-1375. [PMID: 32034954 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The popular dual definition of lichen symbiosis is under question with recent findings of additional microbial partners living within the lichen body. Here we compare the distribution and co-occurrence patterns of lichen photobiont and recently described secondary fungus (Cyphobasidiales yeast) to evaluate their dependency on lichen host fungus (mycobiont). We sequenced the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) strands for mycobiont, photobiont, and yeast from six widespread northern hemisphere epiphytic lichen species collected from 25 sites in Switzerland and Estonia. Interaction network analyses and multivariate analyses were conducted on operational taxonomic units based on ITS sequence data. Our study demonstrates the frequent presence of cystobasidiomycete yeasts in studied lichens and shows that they are much less mycobiont-specific than the photobionts. Individuals of different lichen species growing on the same tree trunk consistently hosted the same or closely related mycobiont-specific Trebouxia lineage over geographic distances while the cystobasidiomycete yeasts were unevenly distributed over the study area - contrasting communities were found between Estonia and Switzerland. These results contradict previous findings of high mycobiont species specificity of Cyphobasidiales yeast at large geographic scales. Our results suggest that the yeast might not be as intimately associated with the symbiosis as is the photobiont.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristiina Mark
- Chair of Crop Science and Plant Biology, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Fr. R. Kreutzwaldi 5, Tartu, 51006, Estonia
- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| | - Lauri Laanisto
- Chair of Crop Science and Plant Biology, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Fr. R. Kreutzwaldi 5, Tartu, 51006, Estonia
| | - C Guillermo Bueno
- Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Lai 40, Tartu, 51005, Estonia
| | - Ülo Niinemets
- Chair of Crop Science and Plant Biology, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Fr. R. Kreutzwaldi 5, Tartu, 51006, Estonia
- Estonian Academy of Sciences, Kohtu 6, Tallinn, 10130, Estonia
| | - Christine Keller
- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Scheidegger
- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Kosecka M, Jabłońska A, Flakus A, Rodriguez-Flakus P, Kukwa M, Guzow-Krzemińska B. Trentepohlialean Algae (Trentepohliales, Ulvophyceae) Show Preference to Selected Mycobiont Lineages in Lichen Symbioses. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2020; 56:979-993. [PMID: 32198895 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.12994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The main aims of this work were to assess phylogenetic relationships of the trentepohlialean photobionts in tropical, mainly sterile, lichens collected in Bolivia, to examine their genetic diversity, host specificity, and the impact of habitat factors on the occurrence of Trentepohliales. Based on rbcL marker analysis, we constructed a phylogenetic tree with eight major clades of Trentepohliales, of which seven free-living species are intermingled with lichenized ones. Our analyses show that the studied photobionts are scattered across the phylogenetic tree and algae from temperate and tropical regions do not form monophyletic groups, except within one clade that seems to be restricted to the tropics. There is no significant occurrence pattern of lichenized Trentepohliaceae on a specific substratum, except Cephaleuros spp. and Phycopeltis spp., which are restricted to leaves, while some clades with lichenized algae may be specialized to tree bark and wood. Moreover, we found two patterns of associations: first, closely related algae can associate with distantly related mycobionts; second, some other trentepohlioid algae associate with selected lineages of fungi (e.g., Arthoniaceae or Graphidaceae). We also found that some lineages of photobionts are even more selective and associate exclusively with one species (e.g., Dichosporidium nigrocinctum, Diorygma antillarum) or closely related lichen-forming fungi (Herpothallon spp.). Concluding, we found that occurrence of some trentepohlialean photobionts may correlate with the particular type of the mycobiont.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Kosecka
- Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, PL-80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Jabłońska
- Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, PL-80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Adam Flakus
- Department of Lichenology, W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, PL-31-512, Kraków, Poland
| | - Pamela Rodriguez-Flakus
- Department of Vascular Plants, W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, PL-31-512, Kraków, Poland
| | - Martin Kukwa
- Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, PL-80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Beata Guzow-Krzemińska
- Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, PL-80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Phinney NH, Solhaug KA, Gauslaa Y. Photobiont-dependent humidity threshold for chlorolichen photosystem II activation. PLANTA 2019; 250:2023-2031. [PMID: 31542811 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-019-03282-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Photobiont type influences the relative humidity threshold at which photosystem II activates in green algal lichens. Water vapor uptake alone can activate photosynthesis in lichens with green algal photobionts. However, the minimum relative humidity needed for activation is insufficiently known. The objective of this study was to quantify the humidity threshold for photosystem II (PSII) activation in a range of chlorolichen species associated with photobionts from Trebouxiaceae, Coccomyxaceae and Trentepohliaceae. These lichens exhibit distribution, habitat and substrate patterns that are likely coupled to their efficiency in utilizing water vapor at lower levels of relative humidity (RH) for photosynthesis. Using chlorophyll fluorescence imaging during water uptake from humid air of 25 species of chlorolichens representing the above photobiont groups, we monitored PSII activation within controlled chambers with constant RH at five levels ranging from 75.6 to 95.4%. The results demonstrate clear photobiont-specific activation patterns: the trentepohlioid lichens activated PSII at significantly lower RH (75.6%) than trebouxioid (81.7%) and coccomyxoid (92.0%) lichens. These responses are consistent with a preference for warm and sheltered habitats for trentepohlioid lichens, with cool and moist habitats for the coccomyxoid lichens, and with a more widespread occurrence of the trebouxioid lichens. Within each photobiont group, lichen species exposed to marine aerosols in their source habitats seemed to be activated at lower RH than lichens sampled from inland sites. High osmolyte concentration may therefore play a role in lowering a photobiont's activation threshold. We conclude that photobiont type influences water vapor-driven photosynthetic activation of lichens, thereby shaping the ecological niches in which they occur.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nathan H Phinney
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432, Ås, Norway.
| | - Knut Asbjørn Solhaug
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432, Ås, Norway
| | - Yngvar Gauslaa
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432, Ås, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Warren SD, Clair LL, Stark LR, Lewis LA, Pombubpa N, Kurbessoian T, Stajich JE, Aanderud ZT. Reproduction and Dispersal of Biological Soil Crust Organisms. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
|
25
|
Furmanek Ł, Czarnota P, Seaward M. Antifungal activity of lichen compounds against dermatophytes: a review. J Appl Microbiol 2019; 127:308-325. [DOI: 10.1111/jam.14209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2018] [Revised: 12/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ł. Furmanek
- Department of Agroecology University of Rzeszów Rzeszów Poland
| | - P. Czarnota
- Department of Agroecology University of Rzeszów Rzeszów Poland
| | - M.R.D. Seaward
- School of Archaeological & Forensic Sciences University of Bradford Bradford UK
| |
Collapse
|