A reference metagenome sequence of the lichen Cladonia rangiformis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Lichens are an ancient symbiosis comprising the thalli of lichen-forming fungi, their photoautotrophic partners, and their microbiome. So far, they were poorly studied at the genome sequence level. Here, we present a reference metagenome for the holobiont of Cladonia rangiformis, aiming to illuminate the genomic complexity and evolutionary interactions within lichen symbioses.

Results

Using long-read sequences from an entire symbiotic complex, plus short-read libraries from 28 additional diverse European lichen samples, we were able to separate genome sequences of 20 individual species. We constructed chromosome-scale assemblies of the C. rangiformis fungus and its trebouxioid green algal photobiont Asterochloris mediterranea. The genome of the fungus comprises ~ 

SUBMITTER: Heuberger M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12542154 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature