Insights into intrathalline genetic diversity of the cosmopolitan lichen symbiotic green alga Trebouxia decolorans Ahmadjian using microsatellite markers

Francesco Dal Grande, David Alors, Pradeep K. Divakar, Miklós Bálint, Ana Crespo, Imke Schmitt

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

41 Scopus citations

Abstract

Trebouxia decolorans is a widespread and common symbiotic green alga that is found in association with different species of lichen-forming fungi. By applying T. decolorans-specific microsatellite markers, we investigated the within-thallus diversity of T. decolorans in thalli of Xanthoria parietina and Anaptychia ciliaris. We found several algal strains in most of the thalli of both hosts. High genetic differentiation among thalli suggests that algal diversity is generated de novo via mutation in both fungal hosts. Rarefied allelic richness of the algae was higher in thalli of X. parietina. Our results indicate that in X. parietina intrathalline algal diversity is additionally created by environmental uptake of algae either at the start of the symbiotic association or during the lifetime of the thallus. This study indicates that promiscuous host-symbiont associations in lichen symbioses with Trebouxia spp. may be more common than currently recognized.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)54-60
Number of pages7
JournalMolecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
Volume72
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Mar 2014
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Anaptychia ciliaris
  • Microsatellite
  • Population
  • Symbiosis
  • Trebouxia
  • Xanthoria parietina

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

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