Surface receptors in lichen symbionts visualized by fluorescence microscopy after use of lectins

Abstract

Phycobionts and mycobionts freshly isolated from different lichens as well as cultured phycobionts from the generaTrebouxia andPseudotrebouxia, some other cultured phycobionts and free livingChlorophyta were treated with several lectins. Phycobionts and mycobionts from the same lichen bound at least one lectin in common in their cell walls or in their gelatinous sheaths. Moreover the mycobionts showed an affinity to more lectins than the phycobionts. Phycobionts freshly isolated from a lichen and those in culture react to the same lectins; during the first days after isolation binding of the same lectin depends of its concentration. All investigated species ofTrebouxia bound the lectin Con A while this substance was not bound by the two investigatedPseudotrebouxia species. The other cultured phycobionts (Hyalococcus dermatocarponis, Myrmecia biatorellae, Trentepohlia sp.) and the investigated free living algae (Pleurastrum erumpens, P. terrestre, Friedmannia israelensis, Chlorosarcinopsis gelatinosa) showed different affinity to the applied lectins. Free living algae from the same systematic order as the phycobionts have not the same lectin affinity as the symbionts.