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Major fungal lineages are derived from lichen symbiotic ancestors

Author

Listed:
  • François Lutzoni

    (The Field Museum of Natural History
    Duke University)

  • Mark Pagel

    (School of Animal and Microbial Sciences, University of Reading)

  • Valérie Reeb

    (The Field Museum of Natural History
    University of Illinois at Chicago (M/C 066)
    Duke University)

Abstract

About one-fifth of all known extant fungal species form obligate symbiotic associations with green algae, cyanobacteria or with both photobionts. These symbioses, known as lichens, are one way for fungi to meet their requirement for carbohydrates1,2. Lichens are widely believed to have arisen independently on several occasions, accounting for the high diversity and mixed occurrence of lichenized and non-lichenized (42 and 58%, respectively) fungal species within the Ascomycota3,4. Depending on the taxonomic classification chosen2,5,6, 15–18 orders of the Ascomycota include lichen-forming taxa, and 8–11 of these orders (representing about 60% of the Ascomycota species) contain both lichenized and non-lichenized species. Here we report a phylogenetic comparative analysis of the Ascomycota, a phylum that includes greater than 98% of known lichenized fungal species5. Using a Bayesian phylogenetic tree sampling methodology7,8 combined with a statistical model of trait evolution9, we take into account uncertainty about the phylogenetic tree and ancestral state reconstructions. Our results show that lichens evolved earlier than believed, and that gains of lichenization have been infrequent during Ascomycota evolution, but have been followed by multiple independent losses of the lichen symbiosis. As a consequence, major Ascomycota lineages of exclusively non-lichen-forming species are derived from lichen-forming ancestors. These species include taxa with important benefits and detriments to humans, such as Penicillium and Aspergillus10,11,12.

Suggested Citation

  • François Lutzoni & Mark Pagel & Valérie Reeb, 2001. "Major fungal lineages are derived from lichen symbiotic ancestors," Nature, Nature, vol. 411(6840), pages 937-940, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:411:y:2001:i:6840:d:10.1038_35082053
    DOI: 10.1038/35082053
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    Cited by:

    1. Jeffrey B Joy & Richard H Liang & Rosemary M McCloskey & T Nguyen & Art F Y Poon, 2016. "Ancestral Reconstruction," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(7), pages 1-20, July.
    2. Philipp Resl & Adina R. Bujold & Gulnara Tagirdzhanova & Peter Meidl & Sandra Freire Rallo & Mieko Kono & Samantha Fernández-Brime & Hörður Guðmundsson & Ólafur Sigmar Andrésson & Lucia Muggia & Helmu, 2022. "Large differences in carbohydrate degradation and transport potential among lichen fungal symbionts," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Camille Puginier & Cyril Libourel & Juergen Otte & Pavel Skaloud & Mireille Haon & Sacha Grisel & Malte Petersen & Jean-Guy Berrin & Pierre-Marc Delaux & Francesco Dal Grande & Jean Keller, 2024. "Phylogenomics reveals the evolutionary origins of lichenization in chlorophyte algae," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.

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