Wirtz, N/ Lumbsch, HT/ Green, TGA/ Türk, R/ Pintado, A/ Sancho, L/ Schroeter, B 2003: Lichen fungi have low cyanobiont selectivity in maritime Antarctica. - New Phytologist160: 177-183. [RLL List # 192 / Rec.# 24868] Keywords: ANTARCTICA/ CYANOBACTERIA/ MARITIME ANTARCTIC/ NOSTOC/ PHOTOBIONT SPECIFICITY/ SYMBIONTS/ TRNA
Abstract: 3 fig. [Study of free-living cyanobacteria and cyanobacteria from five different lichen species, Massalongia carnosa, Leptogium puberulum, Psoroma cinnamomeum, Placopsis parellina, P. contortuplicata, using the tRNALeu (UAA) introns as a genetic marker of cyanobacteria strains. "Contrary to studies of different lichen species in temperate regions, the Antarctic lichen species here did not use species-specific cyanobionts; this could be because of a selection pressure in this extreme environment. Limiting factors under these ecological conditions favor more versatile mycobionts."]