title: Lichen secondary metabolites affect growth of Physcomitrella patens by allelopathy.
abstract: Lichen secondary metabolites can function as allelochemicals and affect the development and growth of neighboring bryophytes, fungi, vascular plants, microorganisms, and even other lichens. Lichen overgrowth on bryophytes is frequently observed in nature even though mosses grow faster than lichens, but there is still little information on the interactions between lichens and bryophytes.In the present study, we used extracts from six lichen thalli containing secondary metabolites like usnic acid, protocetraric acid, atranorin, lecanoric acid, nortistic acid, and thamnolic acid. To observe the influence of these metabolites on bryophytes, the moss Physcomitrella patens was cultivated for 5 weeks under laboratory conditions and treated with lichen extracts. Toxicity of natural mixtures of secondary metabolites was tested at three selected doses (0.001, 0.01, and 0.1 %). When the mixture contained substantial amounts of usnic acid, we observed growth inhibition of protonemata and reduced development of gametophores. Significant differences in cell lengths and widths were also noticed. Furthermore, usnic acid had a strong effect on cell division in protonemata suggesting a strong impact on the early stages of bryophyte development by allelochemicals contained in the lichen secondary metabolites.Biological activities of lichen secondary metabolites were confirmed in several studies such as antiviral, antibacterial, antitumor, antiherbivore, antioxidant, antipyretic, and analgetic action or photoprotection. This work aimed to expand the knowledge on allelopathic effects on bryophyte growth.
authors.affiliation: Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090, Vienna, Austria. michal.goga@univie.ac.at.|Department of Botany, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik, Mánesova 23, 041 67, Košice, Slovakia. michal.goga@univie.ac.at.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9517-158X
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goga
authors.affiliation: Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Sebastian J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Antreich
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik, Mánesova 23, 041 67, Košice, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bačkor
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecogenomics and Systems Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Weckwerth
authors.affiliation: Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Ingeborg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lang
mesh_terms: D064089:Allelopathy; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019068:Bryopsida / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects*; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D055993:Germ Cells, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D006575:Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring / Q000494:pharmacology*; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008011:Lichens / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D012459:Salicylates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D064210:Secondary Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D006575:Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012459:Salicylates; C578352:protocetraric acid; C073339:usnic acid; C026304:atranorin; C008263:lecanoric acid
keywords: Allelopathy; Bryophytes; Inhibiton of growth; Usnic acid