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“A simple and rapid method for isolating lichen photobionts“

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Abstract

For decades, lichenologists have developed numerous and varied methods to isolate lichen photobionts. Most procedures are tedious, slow, and require several months after the initial isolation to obtain clones. Furthermore, the purity of the isolated photobionts obtained by more rapid methods is not sufficient to establish phycobiont axenic cultures. We have developed a new method for isolating lichen photobionts from fruticose, foliose and crustose lichens. Basically, it involves homogenization of lichen thalli (from 15 mg to 2 g), a one-step centrifugation through Percoll ®, followed by washing with Tween 20 and sonication. With this simple and rapid method (which takes less than 2 h), photobiont cells are obtained in sufficient quantity and purity to obtain dozens of axenic algal cultures.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Spanish MEC REN 2003-0446, CGL2006-12197-C02-01 and CGL2009-13429-C02-01 grants and PROMETEO 174/2008 GVA. Gimeno J, Royo C, Catalá SG and Martínez-Alberola F (UV) helped us in DNA extractions and sequentiations. English text revised by Barraclough F.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universitat de València, Botánica-ICBIBE, Fac. C.C. Biológicas, C/ Dr. Moliner 50, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain

    Francisco Gasulla, Alfredo Guéra & Eva Barreno

  2. Dpto. de Biología Vegetal, Universidad de Alcalá, Edificio de Ciencias. Campus Universitario, 28871, Alcalá de Henares, Spain

    Alfredo Guéra

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  1. Francisco Gasulla
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  2. Alfredo Guéra
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  3. Eva Barreno
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Correspondence to Francisco Gasulla.

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Gasulla, F., Guéra, A. & Barreno, E. “A simple and rapid method for isolating lichen photobionts“. Symbiosis 51, 175–179 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-010-0064-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-010-0064-4

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