ABSTRACT Coniocarpon fallax , Lecanora fulvastra , Lecidella destituta , Stereocaulon dactylophyllum and Toniniopsis subincompta have been reported as new records for India from Western Himalaya. Detailed morphological and anatomical observations, together with photographs, are provided.

Lichens are symbiotic association between fungi (mycobionts) and photosynthetic partners (phycobiont) that play essential ecological roles as bioindicators, pioneers in succession, and contributors to nutrient cycling. Despite their importance, the diversity and morphology of lichens in West Papua remain poorly documented. This study aimed to assess the morphology diversity of lichen taxa in Amban Regency, Manokwari, West Papua. The method used was explorative surveys with purposive sampling in Amban Regency (site I, II, and III) based on low, moderate, and high air quality. Lichen identification was based on morphological characteristic. The results showed that there were 27 species lichens belong to 12 genera and 8 families Chrysothrichaceae, Coenogoniaceae, Collemataceae, Graphidaceae, Megalosporaceae, Parmeliaceae, Physciaceae, and Strigulacea. The dominant species were from the families of Graphidaceae. Crustose lichens dominated (74%), foliose lichens (18%), with filamentous and leprose (4% each), while fruticose types were absent. Crustose lichens exhibited strong substrate adhesion and tolerance to variable microclimatic conditions with temperatures between 26,1-29,3°C, whereas foliose and filamentous forms were confined to more stable, and humid habitats between 72,0-85,4%. Continued surveys are recommended to monitor potential shifts in community composition under climate change and habitat disturbance.

In this study, taxonomic investigations were conducted on six lichenized fungi species from Robert Island (Antarctic Peninsula). The anatomical and morphological characteristics of the specimens were examined, along with molecular data. Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) primers were used as molecular markers for six species. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using sequences obtained from both the collected specimens and reference data from GenBank. The phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary tree construction were based on the Maximum Likelihood method. As a result of the study, the following lichenized fungi species were identified: Austrolecia antarctica Hertel, Lecanora polytropa (Ehrh.) Rabenh., Placopsis antarctica (Nyl.) I.M.Lamb, Rhizocarpon geminatum Körb., Rhizocarpon polycarpum (Hepp) Th.Fr., Usnea aurantiacoatra (Jacq) Bory

This study reports the occurrence of eight species of lichens in the Family Brigantiaeaceae from the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve (ABR), the southern tip of Indian subcontinent. Letrouitia spiralis Hafellner and L. subvulpina (Nyl.) Hafellner are reported for the first time from India. Brigantiaea tricolor (Mont.) Trevis., Letrouitia flavocrocea (Nyl.) Hafellner & Bellem., L. leprolyta (Nyl.) Hafellner, L. muralis Hafellner and L. transgressa (Malme) Hafellner & Bellem. are the additions to the lichen flora of Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, Southern Western Ghats. A brief description of the newly reported species with illustrations and a key to the species for the family Brigantiaeaceae from the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve are provided.

In lichen research, metagenomes are increasingly being used for evaluating symbiont composition and metabolic potential, but the overall content and limitations of these metagenomes have not been assessed. We reassembled over 400 publicly available metagenomes, generated metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), constructed phylogenomic trees, and mapped MAG occurrence and frequency across the data set. Ninety-seven percent of the 1,000 recovered MAGs were bacterial or the fungal symbiont that provides most cellular mass. Our mapping of recovered MAGs provides the most detailed survey to date of bacteria in lichens and shows that 4 family-level lineages from 2 phyla accounted for as many bacterial occurrences in lichens as all other 71 families from 16 phyla combined. Annotation of highly complete bacterial, fungal, and algal MAGs reveals functional profiles that suggest interdigitated vitamin prototrophies and auxotrophies, with most lichen fungi auxotrophic for biotin, most bacteria auxotrophic for thiamine and the few annotated algae with partial or complete pathways for both, suggesting a novel dimension of microbial cross-feeding in lichen symbioses. Contrary to longstanding hypotheses, we found no annotations consistent with nitrogen fixation in bacteria other than known cyanobacterial symbionts. Core lichen symbionts such as algae were recovered as MAGs in only a fraction of the lichen symbioses in which they are known to occur. However, the presence of these and other microbes could be detected at high frequency using small subunit rRNA analysis, including in many lichens in which they are not otherwise recognized to occur. The rate of MAG recovery correlates with sequencing depth, but is almost certainly influenced by biological attributes of organisms that affect the likelihood of DNA extraction, sequencing and successful assembly, including cellular abundance, ploidy and strain co-occurrence. Our results suggest that, though metagenomes are a powerful tool for surveying microbial occurrence, they are of limited use in assessing absence, and their interpretation should be guided by an awareness of the interacting effects of microbial community complexity and sequencing depth.

In lichen research, metagenomes are increasingly being used for evaluating symbiont composition and metabolic potential, but the overall content and limitations of these metagenomes have not been assessed. We reassembled over 400 publicly available metagenomes, generated metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), constructed phylogenomic trees, and mapped MAG occurrence and frequency across the data set. Ninety-seven percent of the 1,000 recovered MAGs were bacterial or the fungal symbiont that provides most cellular mass. Our mapping of recovered MAGs provides the most detailed survey to date of bacteria in lichens and shows that 4 family-level lineages from 2 phyla accounted for as many bacterial occurrences in lichens as all other 71 families from 16 phyla combined. Annotation of highly complete bacterial, fungal, and algal MAGs reveals functional profiles that suggest interdigitated vitamin prototrophies and auxotrophies, with most lichen fungi auxotrophic for biotin, most bacteria auxotrophic for thiamine and the few annotated algae with partial or complete pathways for both, suggesting a novel dimension of microbial cross-feeding in lichen symbioses. Contrary to longstanding hypotheses, we found no annotations consistent with nitrogen fixation in bacteria other than known cyanobacterial symbionts. Core lichen symbionts such as algae were recovered as MAGs in only a fraction of the lichen symbioses in which they are known to occur. However, the presence of these and other microbes could be detected at high frequency using small subunit rRNA analysis, including in many lichens in which they are not otherwise recognized to occur. The rate of MAG recovery correlates with sequencing depth, but is almost certainly influenced by biological attributes of organisms that affect the likelihood of DNA extraction, sequencing and successful assembly, including cellular abundance, ploidy and strain co-occurrence. Our results suggest that, though metagenomes are a powerful tool for surveying microbial occurrence, they are of limited use in assessing absence, and their interpretation should be guided by an awareness of the interacting effects of microbial community complexity and sequencing depth.

The village of Tial, located in the Salahutu Subdistrict, has a mangrove forest that plays an important role in protecting the coast from erosion. However, many people are unaware of the species of mangroves and the extent of the damage occurring. This study aims to determine the structure of the mangrove forest community, the level of damage, and the factors causing the damage. The methods used were quantitative descriptive methods in the form of surveys and observations, with the sampling technique being the Census method. The main data variables needed include the measurement of diversity index parameters and important value index (IVI) parameters, which include: density, relative density, frequency, relative frequency, dominance, and relative dominance. The results of this study indicate that the community types found on the coast of Tial Village are Sonneratia alba, Aegiceras floridum, Rhizophora mucronata, and Lumnitzera racemosa. The level of damage to the mangrove forest falls into the category of damaged (sparse), with a density level of <1000 trees/ha, specifically seedlings at 112/ha, saplings at 455/ha, and trees at 178/ha, and it has a diversity index H'<1, specifically seedlings at 0.63, saplings at 0.74, and trees at 1.16. The factors causing the damage to the mangrove forest on the coast of Tial Village include a lack of nutrient elements, lichen fungi, waste, abrasion and light intensity.

Galindez Island (65° 15′ S, 64° 15′ W) is one of the Argentine Islands located in the West Antarctic Peninsula, 5-6 km away from the main continent. It has a total surface area of 0.8 km2 and an annual temperature range of 9–13°С. There are not many studies providing information about lichenized fungi on Galindez Island. This study aimed to DNA barcode some lichenized and lichenicolous fungi from Galindez Island (Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica). Lichenized fungi were collected from Galindez Island during the 2016-2017 Austral Summer. Stereo and light microscopes were used for the identification of lichen samples. After being anatomically and morphologically identified, DNA barcoding was carried out using the nrITS gene. As a result of the study, DNA barcoding of the following samples was successfully carried out: Lecanora intricata (Ach.) Ach., Mastodia tessellata (Hook. f. & Harv.) Hook. f. & Harv., Raesaenenia usneae (C.W. Dodge) Etayo & Pino-Bodas, Rhizocarpon grande (Flörke ex Flot.) Arnold, Umbilicaria umbilicarioides (Stein) Krog & Swinscow.

Abstract—Activity of the ethanol extracts from lichens (LE), of the cultures of lichenophilic (endobiotic) fungi (LFE), and of ethanol extracts from these cultures was tested using the following test organisms: Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Enterococcus faecium, Paenibacillus sp., and Candida parapsilosis. Selective activity of LE and LFE against yeasts and gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria was revealed. The extracts from Cladonia rangiferina exhibited no activity against any of the tested cultures. The previously reported locus effect on activity of metabolites of one lichen species was confirmed. Agar block technique was used to detect selective activity of 23 out of 61 analyzed fungal strains against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, and of 8 strains, against yeasts. Ethanol extracts of six cultures were shown to suppress growth of St. aureus, M. luteus, Paenibacillus sp., and E. coli. Strain NM10F28209 from the lichen Stereocaulon paschale, which exhibited inhibitory activity against Ca. parapsilosis was selected for priority development of an antifungal preparation.

Explorations on the knowledge and biodiversity of Philippine lichen fungi have progressed recently. However, comparatively little attention has been given to the species composition along a lowland secondary forest ecosystem. Thus, the study aimed to provide information on the occurrence of lichen species in relation to various land use types of Mt. Musuan of Mindanao Island, surrounded by forest fragments and cultivated agricultural areas. A series of transect walks and opportunistic sampling revealed a total of 38 lichen species distributed in 26 genera and 14 families. Among the land use types, the mixed species forest harbors the highest recorded species with 22, followed by teak forest and built-up (peak/summit) with 15 and 14 species, respectively. Lichens with the most represented families were revealed to be Graphidaceae with 10 species; Caliciaceae with six species; Physciaceae, Parmeliaceae, and Arthoniaceae with three species each; and Pyrenulaceae, Collemataceae, Letrouitiaceae, and Trypetheliaceae with two species each. Out of these collections, two species – viz. Letrouitia subvulpina (Nyl.) Hafellner and Pyrenula globifera (Eschw.) Aptroot – were new records in the Philippines. The results of this study will provide information to encourage effective management and biodiversity conservation efforts of various land use types, as lichens are sensitive to anthropogenic threats and pressures from environmental conditions.

The article presents the results of studying the effect of extracts of epigeic lichenized fungi in concentrations from 10 to 50 mg/l on the activity of growth processes, gemmogenesis and rhizogenesis of the economically valuable species Populus tremula L. when cultivated in vitro. Epigeic and epiphytic lichenized fungi served as raw materials for the isolation of the acetone extract: Cetraria islandica (L.) Ach. families Parmeliaceae of the order Lecanorales of the department Lecanoromycetes and Evernia mesomorpha Nyl. – families Parmeliaceae of the order Lecanorales of the class Lecanoromycetes. Acetone was used as a solvent in the extraction of lichen acids from crushed raw materials of thalli. Under the influence of the allelopathic effect of the acetone extract of C. islandica and E. mesomorpha on the activity of growth processes and rhizogenesis of P. tremula, we studied the extract concentrations of 10, 30, and 50 mg/l of the nutrient medium. As a result, it was found that the concentration of the extract of 10 mg/l leads to an increase in the length of the microshoot and activation of the processes of gemmogenesis and rhizogenesis compared to the control in the absence of explant death. Significant differences were obtained in the variant using the acetone extract of C. islandica.

Abstract An increasing number of studies are describing the diversity of lichen phycobionts, which is leading to a better understanding of how lichen communities are assembled at different taxonomic, evolutionary and geographical scales. The present study explores the identity and genetic diversity of the microalgal partners of Punctelia borreri and P. subrudecta, two tropical and temperate parmelioid lichen fungi that often grow in temperate and Mediterranean forest ecosystems in Europe. Based on a specimen sampling distributed in two climatically divergent regions in the Iberian Peninsula, we found that these mycobionts are associated with Trebouxia gelatinosa, whose identity was also confirmed by an ultrastructural study of the pyrenoid. The bipartite network analysis indicated that each Punctelia species was associated with a different set of low frequency T. gelatinosa infraspecific lineages, whereas the two most abundant phycobiont lineages were shared between both mycobionts. Based on the current sampling, these two algal lineages occur exclusively in one of the two studied regions, which might point towards climate-driven, fine-tuned fungal-algal interactions. Finally, we documented visible symptoms of injury on the thalli in areas likely to have been impacted by air pollution.

Muthupet mangrove forests in Tamil Nadu is relatively a smaller belt when compared to other mangrove forests on the east coast of India.On 7 mangrove hosts we have recorded more than 78 fungi.The unravelling of novel marine fungi continues with the description of Bactrospora mangrovei, a new marine lichenized fungus, from the Muthupet mangroves, Tamil Nadu, East coast of India which is being reported in this paper.The species B. mangrovei is characterized by having apothecia that are numerous, frequently non-stromatic, round to irregular, coriaceous, reddish brown to black, asci bitunicate, cylindrical with short pedicels, apically rounded and ascospores uniseriate to biseriately arranged, fasciculate, filiform, 8-10 septate, partially overlapping, hyaline, rounded at both ends.

Abstract Background: Dual HER2 targeted therapy with trastuzumab (H) and pertuzumab (P) has been approved as neoadjuvant therapy for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer in China in 2019 based on the results from NeoSphere and PEONY study. However, the real-world efficacy and safety data are currently lack of evidence in China. Therefore, this multi-center real-world study aims to retrospectively analyze the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant trastuzumab and pertuzumab combined with different chemotherapy regimens of HER2-positive early breast cancer. Methods: Patients received trastuzumab and pertuzumab in combination with different chemotherapy regimens, including taxanes (T), cyclophosphamide (C), anthracyclines (A) were collected retrospectively from 12 centers. The primary endpoint was total pathological complete response (tpCR, ypT0/is ypN0) rate. Results: A total of 357 patients were enrolled, among which 204 (57.5%) recieved TCbHP, 92 (25.9%) recieved EC-THP, and 51 (14.4%) received THP as chemotherapy regimens. The median age was 48 years old (range, 22-76), 142 (39.8%) of patients were classified as hormone receptor (HR)-positive, and 215 (60.2%) were HR-negative. The overall tpCR rate was 58.5% (95%CI, 53.2%-63.7%). tpCR rate for HR-negative patients was significantly higher than HR-positive patients (65.6% vs. 47.9%, p=0.001) and there was not any statistical difference according to chemotherapy regimens (56.9% for TCbHP, 56.5% for EC-THP, and 66.7% for THP, p=0.445). The most common adverse events included anemia (40.1%), white blood cell count decreased (34.3%), ejection fraction decreased (19.5%), Alanine aminotransferase increased (18.9%), platelet count decreased (12.8%) and neutrophil count decreased (12.0%). There was not any toxicity leading to death. Conclusions: Multi-center real-world data show satisfactory tpCR rate and tolerable adverse events of trastuzumab and pertuzumab in combination with different chemotherapy regimens in China. Citation Format: Xiaowei Qi, Hong Hu, chen wenlin, xu yan, liu shu, fang yanman, Taolang Li, ming jia, zhou sihai, chai fan, liang yueyang, fan yuanming, Yi Zhang, Peng Tang, jiang jun, nie jianyun, Li Chen, Shushu Wang. The efficacy and safety of trastuzumab and pertuzumab in combination with different chemotherapy regimens for neoadjuvant treatment of HER2-posotive breast cancer: a multi-center real-world study in China [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-11-18.

Abstract Accurate species delimitations are fundamental to our understanding of the genetic diversity on Earth and a vital part in evolutionary and conservation biology research. In lichenized fungi, species pairs have the same morphology and chemistry. They only differ in how they reproduce with one species using sexual reproductive structures and the other using asexual propagules. To classify these as one species or two has been a point of contention, and conclusions based on Sanger sequencing, where sequence data are limited and species boundaries are usually not observed, have been refuted after analysis with genome-scale data such as restriction site-associated DNA sequencing that tends to find fixed genetic differences between the two morphs. Pseudocyphellaria glabra and P. homoeophylla have long been considered a species pair that differ in geographical ranges but co-occur in New Zealand. We used restriction site-associated DNA sequencing data and generated thousands of genetic loci across 53 individuals. The RADseq data provided high-resolution phylogenetic and population genomic information. A maximum-likelihood phylogenetic reconstruction recovered both species as separate lineages, whereas population genetics indicated some evidence for admixture among P. glabra and P. homoeophylla from New Zealand. It is not clear whether the latter is due to ancient polymorphism or recent gene flow. Our study represents another example of the usefulness of RADseq to test species boundaries that segregate closely related species in lichenized fungi.

Numerous nucleotide sequences of microsporidia <i>sensu lato</i>, mainly belonging to the “Cryptomycota” (Rozellida, Rozellomycota, Rozellosporidia, treated here as synonyms), are found in metagenomes, transcriptomes, and amplicon libraries used for metabarcoding. In this study, we describe rDNA sequences of hyperparasitic metchnikovellid microsporidia found in the transcriptomes of unicellular protists belonging to Apicomplexa (Alveolata). The transcriptome of the eugregarine <i>Polyrhabdina</i> sp. (GenBank SRX6640468) contains the cDNA of <i>Metchnikovella incurvata</i>, the transcriptome of the archigregarine <i>Selenidium pygospionis</i> (GenBank SRX6640459) contains the cDNA of <i>Metchnikovella dogieli</i>, and in the transcriptome of the blastogregarine <i>Siedleckia </i>cf. <i>nematoides</i> (GenBank SRX6640464) we find cDNAs originating from a yet undescribed species representing a novel metchnikovellid family. We have modeled the secondary structure of the “ITS2” region of identified and unidentified metchnikovellids taking into account the covariant nucleotide substitutions. Based on the predicted secondary structure of rRNA, mapping of reads from cDNA libraries, and the absence of the endoribonuclease Las1 (PF04031), we conclude that there is no ITS2 processing in metchnikovellids, and the mature “5.8S”- and “28S”-like (LSU) rRNA are covalently fused, similarly to the LSU rRNA in the other microsporidia <i>sensu stricto</i>. We discuss several previously proposed (<i>Chytridiopsis typographi</i>, BAQA065) and new candidates for the sister group of microsporidia <i>sensu stricto</i>, and compare the reduced rRNA genes of microsporidia and the lengthened rRNA genes with group I introns of parasitic and lichen fungi in the context of neutral and adaptive evolutionary processes.

BackgroundDue to their huge biodiversity and the capability to produce a wide range of secondary metabolites, lichens have a great potential in biotechnological applications. They have, however, hardly been used as cell factories to date, as it is considered to be difficult and laborious to cultivate lichen partners in pure or co-culture in the laboratory. The various methods used to isolate lichen fungi, based on either the ascospores, the conidia, or the thallus, have so far not been compared or critically examined. Therefore, here we systematically investigate and compare the known methods and two new methods to identify the most suitable technology for isolation of fungi from lichens.ResultsWithin this study six lichen fungi species were isolated and propagated as pure cultures. All of them formed colonies within one month. In case of lichens with ascocarps the spore discharge was the most suitable method. Spores were already discharged within 2 days and germinated within only four days and the contamination rate was low. Otherwise, the soredia and thallus method without homogenization, as described in this work, are also well suited to obtain pure fungal cultures. For the isolation of algae, we were also successful with the thallus method without homogenization.ConclusionWith the methods described here and the proposed strategic approach, we believe that a large proportion of the lichen fungi can be cultivated within a reasonable time and effort. Based on this, methods of controlled cultivation and co-cultivation must now be developed in order to use the potential of lichens with regard to their secondary metabolites, but also for other applications.

This preliminary exploration of marine lichenized fungi (lichens) as bioindicators of water pollution examined the distribution of intertidal lichen communities in the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area with respect to recorded pollution throughout the harbor. We found significant negative associations between pollution measurements and the health of the lichen community based on cover and species richness. We also observed significant differences in species composition between areas of higher pollution and areas of lower pollution, though not enough data are available to establish the pollution sensitivity or tolerance of individual species. We note that difficulties in the collection and identification of marine lichens hamper efforts to use them broadly as bioindicators. This study suggests that marine lichens could prove useful as bioindicators, but more research is needed to understand the differential effects of pollution on individual species as well as to establish practical procedures both for quantifying marine lichen community health and for widespread bioindication using marine lichens. Finally, one species collected during this study, Verrucaria ceuthocarpa, represents a first report for the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area.

Lichenized algae and cyanobacteria are known to be shared and selected by unrelated lichen-forming fungi coexisting in so-called photobiont-mediated guilds. Life in such a guild could be crucial for the survival of a large group of lichen fungi dependent on horizontal transmission of photobionts. Here, we investigate frequent lichen phycobionts of the genus Trebouxia in rock-dwelling lichen communities. We found intensive and repeated sharing of specific Trebouxia assemblages by co-occurring lichens across distant localities. Rock chemistry, expressed as pH, determined the composition of photobiont pools and separated three saxicolous lichen guilds, sharing environmentally specific photobiont groups. Moreover, unlike the majority of lichen fungi, many Trebouxia photobionts represented opportunists in the choice of general substrate form (soil-rock-tree bark/wood), maintaining their pH preferences. Thus, saxicolous communities form just a part of a complex guild system that is in principle mediated by environmentally conditioned groups of naturally co-occurring photobionts. The complexity of the system is influenced by diverse photobiont life strategies, including also dispersal style. The findings of photobionts strictly or predominantly associated with sexually reproducing fungi stimulated us to emphasize the role of free-dispersing photobionts in the establishment and maintenance of lichen guilds.

In this study, the inhibitory activities against human monoamine oxidases (hMAOs) were evaluated using a library of 195 endogenous lichen fungi from Ukraine. Among them, the extract ELF68 of the endogenous fungus Rosellinia corticium from the lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea (L.) Zopf. exhibited the strongest inhibitory activity against hMAO-A. Using the activity-guided method, (S)-5-methylmellein (5MM) was isolated from the extract and had an IC50 value of 5.31 µM for hMAO-A with a lower potency for hMAO-B (IC50 = 9.15 µM). Compound 5MM also moderately inhibited acetylcholinesterase (IC50 = 27.07 µM) but very weakly inhibited butyrylcholinesterase and β-secretase. Compound 5MM had a Ki value of 2.45 μM and was a reversible competitive inhibitor of hMAO-A. A molecular docking study predicted that (S)-5MM showed higher binding affinity for hMAO-A (−6.8 kcal/mol) than hMAO-B (−6.4 kcal/mol). Its isomer, (R)-5MM, exhibited lower binding affinities for hMAO-A (−6.6 kcal/mol) and hMAO-B (−5.2 kcal/mol), compared to (S)-5MM. The S-form interacted with hMAO-A through hydrogen bonding with the Phe208 residue (distance: 1.972 Å), while the R-form interacted with the Asn181 residue (2.375 Å). The results of an in silico pharmacokinetic analysis indicated that 5MM did not violate Lipinski’s five rules and showed high gastrointestinal absorption and blood–brain barrier permeability. These results suggest that 5MM can be considered a candidate in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression and cardiovascular disease.