An investigation of the symbiotic association between the sub-aquatic fungus Dermatocarpon luridum var. luridum and its green algal photobiont

• Main Author: Fontaine, Kyle Matthew
• Other Authors: Piercey-Normore, Michele (Biological Sciences)
• Published: Plants 2013
• Subjects: Population genetics; Algal; Culturing; Austria; Manitoba; Phylogenetics
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/18490

The biology of the sub-aquatic lichen, Dermatocarpon luridum, was investigated. This lichen is sparsely distributed within the temperate climatic zones around the world, colonizing rock along watercourses that regularly experience water level fluctuations. Specimens collected from Canada and Austria were cultured using standard growth media. Brightfield microscopy was used for algal species identification, while fungal ITS, algal ITS and algal actin gene sequences were used for phylogenetic and population genetic evaluation. Results were: 1) axenic cultures of the photobiont were successful, while those of the mycobiont were not successful; 2) Diplosphaera chodatii is the photobiont associated with D. luridum var. luridum and allies, suggesting algal sharing between mycobiont species; 3) genetic diversity is high, and gene flow was high within local populations, but low between continental populations. Diplosphaera chodatii may be a keystone species contributing to the survival of D. luridum var. luridum along with other sub-aquatic, aquatic and terrestrial lichens.