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Chrismas N, Tindall-Jones B, Jenkins H, Harley J, Bird K, Cunliffe M. Metatranscriptomics reveals diversity of symbiotic interaction and mechanisms of carbon exchange in the marine cyanolichen Lichina pygmaea. New Phytol 2024; 241:2243-2257. [PMID: 37840369 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Lichens are exemplar symbioses based upon carbon exchange between photobionts and their mycobiont hosts. Historically considered a two-way relationship, some lichen symbioses have been shown to contain multiple photobiont partners; however, the way in which these photobiont communities react to environmental change is poorly understood. Lichina pygmaea is a marine cyanolichen that inhabits rocky seashores where it is submerged in seawater during every tidal cycle. Recent work has indicated that L. pygmaea has a complex photobiont community including the cyanobionts Rivularia and Pleurocapsa. We performed rRNA-based metabarcoding and mRNA metatranscriptomics of the L. pygmaea holobiont at high and low tide to investigate community response to immersion in seawater. Carbon exchange in L. pygmaea is a dynamic process, influenced by both tidal cycle and the biology of the individual symbiotic components. The mycobiont and two cyanobiont partners exhibit distinct transcriptional responses to seawater hydration. Sugar-based compatible solutes produced by Rivularia and Pleurocapsa in response to seawater are a potential source of carbon to the mycobiont. We propose that extracellular processing of photobiont-derived polysaccharides is a fundamental step in carbon acquisition by L. pygmaea and is analogous to uptake of plant-derived carbon in ectomycorrhizal symbioses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Chrismas
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2PB, UK
| | - Beth Tindall-Jones
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2PB, UK
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Helen Jenkins
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2PB, UK
| | - Joanna Harley
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2PB, UK
| | - Kimberley Bird
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2PB, UK
| | - Michael Cunliffe
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2PB, UK
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
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Pino-Bodas R, Blázquez M, de los Ríos A, Pérez-Ortega S. Myrmecia, Not Asterochloris, Is the Main Photobiont of Cladonia subturgida ( Cladoniaceae, Lecanoromycetes). J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:1160. [PMID: 38132761 PMCID: PMC10744234 DOI: 10.3390/jof9121160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
This study explores the diversity of photobionts associated with the Mediterranean lichen-forming fungus Cladonia subturgida. For this purpose, we sequenced the whole ITS rDNA region by Sanger using a metabarcoding method for ITS2. A total of 41 specimens from Greece, Italy, France, Portugal, and Spain were studied. Additionally, two specimens from Spain were used to generate four cultures. Our molecular studies showed that the genus Myrmecia is the main photobiont of C. subturgida throughout its geographic distribution. This result contrasts with previous studies, which indicated that the main photobiont for most Cladonia species is Asterochloris. The identity of Myrmecia was also confirmed by ultrastructural studies of photobionts within the lichen thalli and cultures. Photobiont cells showed a parietal chloroplast lacking a pyrenoid, which characterizes the species in this genus. Phylogenetic analyses indicate hidden diversity within this genus. The results of amplicon sequencing showed the presence of multiple ASVs in 58.3% of the specimens studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Pino-Bodas
- Biodiversity and Conservation Area, Department of Biology and Geology, Physics and Inorganic Chemistry, Rey Juan Carlos University, C/Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, London TW9 3DS, UK
| | - Miguel Blázquez
- Department of Mycology, Real Jardín Botánico (CSIC), 28014 Madrid, Spain; (M.B.); (S.P.-O.)
| | | | - Sergio Pérez-Ortega
- Department of Mycology, Real Jardín Botánico (CSIC), 28014 Madrid, Spain; (M.B.); (S.P.-O.)
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Touchette D, Gostinčar C, Whyte LG, Altshuler I. Lichen-associated microbial members are prevalent in the snow microbiome of a sub-arctic alpine tundra. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2023; 99:fiad151. [PMID: 37977855 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiad151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Snow is the largest component of the cryosphere, with its cover and distribution rapidly decreasing over the last decade due to climate warming. It is imperative to characterize the snow (nival) microbial communities to better understand the role of microorganisms inhabiting these rapidly changing environments. Here, we investigated the core nival microbiome, the cultivable microbial members, and the microbial functional diversity of the remote Uapishka mountain range, a massif of alpine sub-arctic tundra and boreal forest. Snow samples were taken over a two-month interval along an altitude gradient with varying degree of anthropogenic traffic and vegetation cover. The core snow alpine tundra/boreal microbiome, which was present across all samples, constituted of Acetobacterales, Rhizobiales and Acidobacteriales bacterial orders, and of Mycosphaerellales and Lecanorales fungal orders, with the dominant fungal taxa being associated with lichens. The snow samples had low active functional diversity, with Richness values ranging from 0 to 19.5. The culture-based viable microbial enumeration ranged from 0 to 8.05 × 103 CFUs/mL. We isolated and whole-genome sequenced five microorganisms which included three fungi, one alga, and one potentially novel bacterium of the Lichenihabitans genus; all of which appear to be part of lichen-associated taxonomic clades.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Touchette
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, H9X 3V9, Canada
- River Ecosystems Laboratory, ALPOLE, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1950, Sion, Switzerland
| | - C Gostinčar
- University of Ljubljana, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - L G Whyte
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - I Altshuler
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, H9X 3V9, Canada
- MACE Laboratory, ALPOLE, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1950, Sion, Switzerland
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Wang Y, Li R, Wang D, Qian B, Bian Z, Wei J, Wei X, Xu JR. Regulation of symbiotic interactions and primitive lichen differentiation by UMP1 MAP kinase in Umbilicaria muhlenbergii. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6972. [PMID: 37914724 PMCID: PMC10620189 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42675-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Lichens are of great ecological importance but mechanisms regulating lichen symbiosis are not clear. Umbilicaria muhlenbergii is a lichen-forming fungus amenable to molecular manipulations and dimorphic. Here, we established conditions conducive to symbiotic interactions and lichen differentiation and showed the importance of UMP1 MAP kinase in lichen development. In the initial biofilm-like symbiotic complexes, algal cells were interwoven with pseudohyphae covered with extracellular matrix. After longer incubation, fungal-algal complexes further differentiated into primitive lichen thalli with a melanized cortex-like and pseudoparenchyma-like tissues containing photoactive algal cells. Mutants deleted of UMP1 were blocked in pseudohyphal growth and development of biofilm-like complexes and primitive lichens. Invasion of dividing mother cells that contributes to algal layer organization in lichens was not observed in the ump1 mutant. Overall, these results showed regulatory roles of UMP1 in symbiotic interactions and lichen development and suitability of U. muhlenbergii as a model for studying lichen symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- Dept. of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Rong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Diwen Wang
- Dept. of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Ben Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Zhuyun Bian
- Dept. of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Jiangchun Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xinli Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Jin-Rong Xu
- Dept. of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
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Daminova AG, Rassabina AE, Khabibrakhmanova VR, Beckett RP, Minibayeva FV. Topography of UV-Melanized Thalli of Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm. Plants (Basel) 2023; 12:2627. [PMID: 37514242 PMCID: PMC10383456 DOI: 10.3390/plants12142627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Lichens are unique extremophilic organisms due to their phenomenal resistance to adverse environmental factors, including ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Melanization plays a special role in the protection of lichens from UV-B stress. In the present study, we analyzed the binding of melanins with the components of cell walls of the mycobiont of the upper cortex in the melanized lichen thalli Lobaria pulmonaria. Using scanning electron and atomic force microscopy, the morphological and nanomechanical characteristics of the melanized layer of mycobiont cells were visualized. Melanization of lichen thalli led to the smoothing of the surface relief and thickening of mycobiont cell walls, as well as the reduction in adhesion properties of the lichen thallus. Treatment of thalli with hydrolytic enzymes, especially chitinase and lichenase, enhanced the yield of melanin from melanized thalli and promoted the release of carbohydrates, while treatment with pectinase increased the release of carbohydrates and phenols. Our results suggest that melanin can firmly bind with hyphal cell wall carbohydrates, particularly chitin and 1,4-β-glucans, strengthening the melanized upper cortex of lichen thalli, and thereby it can contribute to lichen survival under UV stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina G Daminova
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, FRC Kazan Scientific Center of RAS, 2/31, Lobachevsky Str., Kazan 420111, Russia
| | - Anna E Rassabina
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, FRC Kazan Scientific Center of RAS, 2/31, Lobachevsky Str., Kazan 420111, Russia
| | - Venera R Khabibrakhmanova
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, FRC Kazan Scientific Center of RAS, 2/31, Lobachevsky Str., Kazan 420111, Russia
| | - Richard P Beckett
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, PBag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa
| | - Farida V Minibayeva
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, FRC Kazan Scientific Center of RAS, 2/31, Lobachevsky Str., Kazan 420111, Russia
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Scharnagl K, Tagirdzhanova G, Talbot NJ. The coming golden age for lichen biology. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R512-R518. [PMID: 37279685 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Lichens are a diverse group of organisms. They are both commonly observed but also mysterious. It has long been known that lichens are composite symbiotic associations of at least one fungus and an algal or cyanobacterial partner, but recent evidence suggests that they may be much more complex. We now know that there can be many constituent microorganisms in a lichen, organized into reproducible patterns that suggest a sophisticated communication and interplay between symbionts. We feel the time is right for a more concerted effort to understand lichen biology. Rapid advances in comparative genomics and metatranscriptomic approaches, coupled with recent breakthroughs in gene functional studies, suggest that lichens may now be more tractable to detailed analysis. Here we set out some of the big questions in lichen biology, and we speculate about the types of gene functions that may be critical to their development, as well as the molecular events that may lead to initial lichen formation. We define both the challenges and opportunities in lichen biology and offer a call to arms to study this remarkable group of organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara Scharnagl
- The Sainsbury Laboratory, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Colney Lane, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK; University & Jepson Herbaria, University of California Berkeley, Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Gulnara Tagirdzhanova
- The Sainsbury Laboratory, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Colney Lane, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Nicholas J Talbot
- The Sainsbury Laboratory, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Colney Lane, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
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