Diverged and Active Partitiviruses in Lichen.

Area of Science:

• Mycology
• Virology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Lichens are symbiotic microbial consortia primarily composed of fungi and algae or cyanobacteria.
• The viral communities within lichens, particularly RNA viruses, remain largely uncharacterized.
• Understanding lichen-associated viruses is crucial for comprehending lichen biology and microbial interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the diversity and abundance of RNA viruses within a specific lichen microbiome.
• To identify the types of RNA viruses present and their potential hosts within the lichen structure.
• To explore the implications of lichen-associated viruses for microbial horizontal gene transfer.

Main Methods:

• Utilized double-stranded RNA sequencing (dsRNA-seq) technology to capture and analyze viral RNA.
• Bioinformatically analyzed sequencing data to identify and classify RNA virus sequences.
• Focused on a lichen dominated by fungi and algae.

Main Results:

• Identified a significant presence of RNA viruses within the lichen consortium.
• Partitiviruses were found to be the dominant and active viral group detected.
• The identified partitiviruses belonged to two genera, including those known to infect plants and fungi.

Conclusions:

• The lichen microbiome harbors a diverse RNA virus community, with partitiviruses being prominent.
• The lichen environment may serve as a niche facilitating the horizontal transfer of partitiviruses between fungal and algal partners.
• Further research is warranted to fully elucidate the ecological roles and evolutionary dynamics of viruses in lichens.