Morpho-molecular characterization of rock-inhabiting lichen Dermatocarpon miniatum (Verrucariaceae, Ascomycota) and its symbiont in Indian Himalayas

Abstract

The genus Dermatocarpon (Verrucariaceae) is a rock-inhabiting lichen, mostly grows along the edges of lakes, rivers, streams, and watercourses. Dermatocarpon species are widely distributed from the tropics to the polar regions. In present study, D. miniatum samples were collected from the Indian Himalayas; the mycobiont and their photobionts are identified using morphological and molecular methods. The ITS rDNA markers was amplified for the DNA extracted from cultured photobiont isolates and mycobiont. The light and confocal laser scanning microscope were used for morphological evaluation of the photobionts. The nuclear ITS rDNA gene of the mycobionts and photobionts were sequenced to confirm identity. The phylogenetic trees of mycobionts and photobionts were constructed using the Maximum likelihood method that revealed an evolutionary affinity of lichen D. miniatum and photobiont Diplosphaera chodatii with similar taxa. The D. chodatii (Trebouxiophyceae) was associated with all samples of D. miniatum. This study concludes that Diplosphaera chodatii is the primary photobiont associated with D. miniatum. To the best of our knowledge this is the first study of diversity for the photobiont associated with D. miniatum from India.