Local-scale panmixia in the lichenized fungus Xanthoria parietina contrasts with substantial genetic structure in its Trebouxia photobionts

Wyczanska, Maja; Wacker, Karoline; Dyer, Paul S.; Werth, Silke

Abstract

Microsatellite markers can provide valuable information about gene flow and population history. We developed and tested new microsatellites for the nitrophilic lichenized fungus Xanthoria parietina and studied its genetic diversity and structure within the urban area of Munich, Bavaria. We compared its local genetic pattern with that of its photobiont partner Trebouxia decolorans, for which existing microsatellites were applied. For comparison, a reference site with clean air was included in the sampling. We found support for three genetic clusters in the fungus X. parietina, which occurred intermingled in collecting sites. There was a high degree of admixture within fungal populations and individuals, and analysis of molecular variance revealed a lack of population structure in the mycobiont. The Trebouxia photobiont, in contrast, exhibited structured populations which grouped into two to five genetic clusters, and individuals showed less admixture than in the mycobiont. This indicates that the two lichen partners differ in their ability to move around in the landscape. The microsatellite markers we report are polymorphic and are suitable for population genetic studies.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 21, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Mar 27, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023-03
• Deposit Date: Jul 22, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 24, 2023
• Journal: Lichenologist
• Print ISSN: 0024-2829
• Electronic ISSN: 1096-1135
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 55
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 69-79
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S002428292300004X
• Keywords: Gene flow; genetic diversity; genetic marker; Lecanoromycetes; lichens; microsatellite markers; population differentiation; population genetics; simple sequence repeats (SSR); Teloschistales
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/23221300
• Publisher URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/lichenologist/article/localscale-panmixia-in-the-lichenized-fungus-xanthoria-parietina-contrasts-with-substantial-genetic-structure-in-its-trebouxia-photobionts/0A84CFE69ED4105DF4E0B97F1E1975EC
• Additional Information: Copyright: Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the British Lichen Society; License: This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the same Creative Commons licence is included and the original work is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use.; Free to read: This content has been made available to all.