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Comparison of the Phytotoxic Effects of Usnic Acid on Cultures of Free-Living Alga Scenedesmus quadricauda and Aposymbiotically Grown Lichen Photobiont Trebouxia erici

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Abstract

The phytotoxic effects of the lichen secondary metabolite—usnic acid on cultures of free living alga—Scenedesmus quadricauda (UTEX 76) and aposymbiotically grown lichen photobiont Trebouxia erici (UTEX 911) were assessed. We found a relatively strong inhibition effect of usnic acid on the growth of alga Scenedesmus, accompanied by an increase of cell size, an alteration of assimilation pigment composition, followed by strong degradation of chlorophyll a, a decrease of chlorophyll a fluorescence, and an increase of reactive oxygen species in the cells. The content of soluble proteins remained a stable parameter. Phytotoxicity of usnic acid on cultures of Trebouxia photobiont was significantly lower. Usnic acid in lichens may act as an allochemical that controls the division of photobiont cells, thereby regulating the balance between the photobiont and mycobiont forming thallus. Higher tolerance to usnic acid in Trebouxia cultures may be an adaptation resulting from the long term co-evolution of these algae with fungi that produce secondary metabolites.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by Slovak Grant Agency (VEGA 1/4337/07), Slovak Research and Development Agency (APVV SK-BG-0013-08) and from National Found Research; Ministry of Education, Youth and Science—Bulgaria (D002-38/09). The authors thank Kenneth Dvorsky (Ontario, Canada) for comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Šafárik University, Mánesova 23, 041 67, Košice, Slovak Republic

    Martin Bačkor & Katarína Klemová

  2. Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, Šafárik University, Moyzesova 11, 040 01, Košice, Slovak Republic

    Miriam Bačkorová

  3. The Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str. 26, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Veneta Ivanova

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  1. Martin Bačkor
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  2. Katarína Klemová
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  3. Miriam Bačkorová
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  4. Veneta Ivanova
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Correspondence to Martin Bačkor.

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Bačkor, M., Klemová, K., Bačkorová, M. et al. Comparison of the Phytotoxic Effects of Usnic Acid on Cultures of Free-Living Alga Scenedesmus quadricauda and Aposymbiotically Grown Lichen Photobiont Trebouxia erici . J Chem Ecol 36, 405–411 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-010-9776-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-010-9776-4

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