Analysis of the Peltigera membranacea metagenome indicates that lichen-associated bacteria are involved in phosphate solubilization

Although lichens are generally described as mutualistic symbioses of fungi and photosynthetic partners, they also harbour a diverse non-phototrophic microbiota, which is now regarded as a significant part of the symbiosis. However, the role of the non-phototrophic microbiota within the lichen is sti...

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Published in:Microbiology (Society for General Microbiology) 2015-05, Vol.161 (Pt 5), p.989-996
Main Authors: Sigurbjörnsdóttir, Margrét Auður, Andrésson, Ólafur S, Vilhelmsson, Oddur
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ascomycota - classification
Ascomycota - genetics
Ascomycota - metabolism
Bacteria - classification
Bacteria - genetics
Computational Biology
DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic
Genomics
Lichens - physiology
Metagenome
Molecular Sequence Data
Phosphates - metabolism
Symbiosis
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Summary:Although lichens are generally described as mutualistic symbioses of fungi and photosynthetic partners, they also harbour a diverse non-phototrophic microbiota, which is now regarded as a significant part of the symbiosis. However, the role of the non-phototrophic microbiota within the lichen is still poorly known, although possible functions have been suggested, including phosphate solubilization and various lytic activities. In the present study we focus on the bacterial biota associated with the foliose lichen Peltigera membranacea. To address our hypotheses on possible roles of the non-phototrophic microbiota, we used a metagenomic approach. A DNA library of bacterial sequence contigs was constructed from the lichen thallus material and the bacterial microbiota DNA sequence was analysed in terms of phylogenetic diversity and functional gene composition. Analysis of about 30,000 such bacterial contigs from the P. membranacea metagenome revealed significant representation of several genes involved in phosphate solubilization and biopolymer degradation.
ISSN:1350-0872
1465-2080
DOI:10.1099/mic.0.000069