Lichen and fungal ecology

Factors shaping the assembly of lichen holobionts in a tropical lichen community

This study examines the factors shaping the microbial communities of lichen holobionts in Bolivian forests, finding that mycobiont identity and secondary metabolites significantly influence photobiome and mycobiome structure.

Tangerine: a new family of Starships from lichen-forming fungi

The paper identifies a new transposable element, Tangerine, in the lichen fungus Xanthoria parietina, showing evidence of horizontal gene transfer and potential role in lichen genome evolution.

Symbiotic versatility in action: Trebouxia diversity expands the niche of the lichen Xanthoria parietina

The paper examines the phylogenetic diversity of Xanthoria parietina and its associated Trebouxia phycobionts across the Mediterranean, showing how photobiont climatic preferences influence the lichen's ecological distribution.

Semilichen - an unjustly neglected symbiotic system between green biofilms and true lichens

The paper describes a new symbiotic system called semilichens, intermediate between green biofilms and lichens, showing algae-fungal interactions and carbon transfer.

Future Range Shifts and Diversity Patterns of Antarctic Lecideoid Lichens Under Climate Change Scenarios

This study models future range shifts and diversity patterns of Antarctic lecideoid lichens under two climate change scenarios, predicting range expansion and niche contraction in different bioregions.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of the photobiont alga Trebouxia sp. 'A48' from Xanthoria parietina provides new insight into the lichen symbiosis

The paper presents a chromosome-level genome assembly of Trebouxia sp. 'A48' and identifies features related to its lichen symbiosis and evolutionary adaptations.

A reference metagenome sequence of the lichen Cladonia rangiformis

This study presents a reference metagenome of the lichen Cladonia rangiformis, revealing its complex microbiome and genomic features of its fungal and algal partners.

Fungal and algal lichen symbionts show different transcriptional expression patterns in two climate zones

The paper examines transcriptional differences in fungal and algal lichen symbionts from high- and low-elevation sites, revealing site-specific gene expression patterns related to climate adaptation.

Multipartite complexity of the lichen symbiosis revealed by metagenome and transcriptome analysis of Xanthoria parietina

This study uses metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analysis to reveal the microbial complexity and gene expression dynamics in the lichen Xanthoria parietina across developmental stages.

Rethinking asexuality: the enigmatic case of functional sexual genes in Lepraria (Stereocaulaceae)

This study investigates the presence of functional sexual genes in the asexual lichenized fungus Lepraria, suggesting it may have evolved parasexual reproduction instead of canonical sexual reproduction.

What is in a lichen? A metagenomic approach to reconstruct the holo-genome of Umbilicaria pustulata

The paper assembles the holo-genome of the lichen Umbilicaria pustulata using metagenomic data, revealing genome structures and abundance ratios of its symbiotic components.