Publications [#152795] of Daniele Armaleo
search PubMed.Papers Submitted
- D. Armaleo and Susan May, Sizing the fungal and algal genomes of the lichen Cladonia grayi through quantitative PCR,
Symbiosis
(2009) .
(last updated on 2008/12/14)Abstract:
Using a method based on quantitative PCR, we determined that the nuclear genome sizes for the mycobiont and photobiont of the lichen Cladonia grayi are 30 Mb and 100 Mb respectively. This is the first genome size determination for lichens, and suggests that between 15,000 and 30,000 genes are needed for this symbiosis. While the genome size for the mycobiont is average among fungi, that for the photobiont is at the smaller end of the algal range. Genomes in this size range can be sequenced at relatively low cost with current pyrosequencing-based methods. The genome sizing method requires very small amounts of DNA and should be applicable to any lichen whose symbionts can be reliably isolated from one another. Since the symbionts used in this project were isolated from soredia, the lichen’s vegetative propagules, we also describe a method for the establishment of axenic symbiont cultures from large numbers of soredia.
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