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 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.
Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland.|Department of Natural Resource Sciences, University of Akureyri, Borgir vid Nordurslod, 600 Akureyri, Iceland.
Margrét Auður
MA
Sigurbjörnsdóttir
Biomedical Center, University of Iceland, Vatnsmýrarvegur 16, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland.|Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland.
Ólafur S
ÓS
Andrésson
Department of Natural Resource Sciences, University of Akureyri, Borgir vid Nordurslod, 600 Akureyri, Iceland.|Biomedical Center, University of Iceland, Vatnsmýrarvegur 16, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland.
Oddur
O
Vilhelmsson
D001203:Ascomycota / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D019295:Computational Biology; D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; D023281:Genomics; D008011:Lichens / Q000502:physiology*; D054892:Metagenome; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010710:Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism*; D013559:Symbiosis
D010710:Phosphates