Lichen endosymbiotic metagenome - Protoparmeliopsis muralis

This study aims to expand our understanding of the factors influencing the diversity of algal photobionts within lichen thallus, a critical aspect for the environmental adaptability of lichens. We focus on the effect of the ontogenetic stage, a less-studied factor that could shed light on initial photobiont acquisition, exchanges throughout a lichen's life, and adaptations of mature thalli to environmental changes. Utilizing modern high-through sequencing techniques, we elucidated the complex diversity of photobionts inside the lichen Protoparmeliopsis muralis. Our findings confirm our hypothesis of lower selectivity of symbiotic partners during early development and reveal that algae are retained within the lichen thallus in smaller guilds, allowing for potential adaptation to major environmental changes.