ID: 613 / 143

Category: Symposia

Track: Pending

Proposed Symposium Title: USING GENOMIC DATA TO UNDERSTAND THE BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION OF LICHENS

Abstract: Genomic data have revolutionized our understanding of the lichen symbiosis and the evolution of fungal clades involved in this iconic symbiosis. The results of genomic studies include a new emerging picture of the diversity of microorganisms involved in the lichen holobiont, the dynamic of the reproductive mode of lichenized fungi in the symbiotic system, new insights into the biogeography of lichens, the evolutionary rate of symbiotic vs. non-symbiotic fungi, and a new understanding of species delimitation and hybridization. In addition, analysis of the gene composition of lichenized fungi provided evidence that some clades of lichenized fungi contain genes for enzymes allowing fungi to survive in a non-symbiotic stage. The symposium will include a discussion of these new lines of evidence with studies addressing the different aspects of lichen biology and evolution as mentioned above. The symposium will be an opportunity to summarize the various recent studies and address open questions that can be studied using this powerful set of data.

Speaker 1: Imke Schmitt Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany imke.schmitt@senckenberg.de Insights into the holobiont of lichens using genomic data

Speaker 2: Fernando Fernandez Institut für Biologie, Karl-Franzens-Universität, Graz, Austria fernando.fernandez-mendoza@uni-graz.at Introgression and hypersexuality in lichenized fungi

Speaker 3: Ana Otero The Field Museum, Chicago, IL, USA aotero@fieldmuseum.org Temporal and ecological aspects in the diversity of reproductive modes in lichens - insights from genomic data

Topics (Up to three): Mycology and Lichenology

Topic 2: Systematics

Topic 3: Comparative Genomics / Transcriptomics

Justification: The lichen symbiosis is an iconic example of a symbiotic system that has for a long time been understood as a symbiosis of a fungus and one or more photosynthetic partners. However, molecular data have dramatically changed our understanding of the micro-ecosystem with a holobiont including numerous microorganisms. In addition, genomic approaches have opened a door in the understanding of gene composition and adaptation of lichenized fungi that were unimaginable just a decade ago. We expect this symposium to be of interest to all botanists (in the wide sense) interested in evolutionary biology and symbiosis.