Abstract
The High Andean Paramo ecosystem is a unique neotropical mountain biome considered a diversity and evolutionary hotspot. Lichens, which are complex symbiotic structures that contain diverse commensal microbial communities, are prevalent in Paramos. There they play vital roles in soil formation and mineral fixation. In this study we analyzed the microbiomes of seven lichen genera in Colombian Paramos using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and provide the first description of the bacterial communities associated with Cora and Hypotrachyna lichens. Paramo lichen microbiomes varied in diversity indexes and number of OTUs, but were composed predominantly by the phyla Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia. In the case of Cora and Cladonia, the microbiomes were distinguished based on the identity of the lichen host. While the majority of the lichen-associated microorganisms were not present in all lichens sampled, sixteen taxa shared among this diverse group of lichens suggest a core lichen microbiome that broadens our concept of these symbiotic structures. Additionally, we identified strains producing compounds active against clinically relevant microbial strains. These results indicate that lichen microbiomes from the Paramo ecosystem are diverse and host-specific but share a taxonomic core and can be a source of new bacterial taxa and antimicrobials.
Highlights
Symbiotic relationships between eukaryotes and microorganisms are ubiquitous (Gilbert et al, 2012), and often essential for the function and survival of the host, fulfilling roles that range from stress tolerance and nutrient supply (Douglas, 2009; Ceja-Navarro et al, 2019) to defense against pathogens (Berendsen et al, 2012; Berg and Koskella, 2018)
DNA was isolated from individual lichen samples to identify microbial community profiles by 16S rRNA sequencing, which resulted in a total of 3,412,279 reads
We described the microbiomes of seven lichen genera (Usnea, Cladonia, Peltigera, Stereocaulon, Sticta, Cora, and Hypotrachyna), including the first description of the bacterial communities from Cora and Hypotrachyna lichens, and the presence of a core lichen microbiome
Summary
Symbiotic relationships between eukaryotes and microorganisms are ubiquitous (Gilbert et al, 2012), and often essential for the function and survival of the host, fulfilling roles that range from stress tolerance (de Zelicourt et al, 2013) and nutrient supply (Douglas, 2009; Ceja-Navarro et al, 2019) to defense against pathogens (Berendsen et al, 2012; Berg and Koskella, 2018). Lichens can colonize a wide range of substrates, from natural surfaces to man-made materials such as plastic, rubber, metals and glass (Thomas and Nash, 2008). They can tolerate extreme environmental conditions and offer a niche for diverse microorganisms (Shimizu, 2004; Garvie et al, 2008). The diversity of these lichen-associated microbial communities is not yet well characterized, and has only recently been investigated using high-throughput techniques (Cardinale et al, 2006; Grube et al, 2015). In addition to differing from neighboring moss or bark habitats, it has been suggested that microbial members present in adjacent mosses may facilitate lichen establishment (Aschenbrenner et al, 2017)
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