An Antarctic lichen isolate (Cladonia borealis) genome reveals potential adaptation to extreme environments
- Author:
- Cho M., Lee S.J., Choi E., Kim J., Choi S., Lee J.H. & Park H.
- Year:
- 2024
- Journal:
- Scientific Reports
- Pages:
- 14: 1342 [11 p.]
- Url:
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-51895-x
Cladonia borealis is a lichen that inhabits Antarctica’s harsh environment. We sequenced the whole
genome of a C. borealis culture isolated from a specimen collected in Antarctica using long-read
sequencing technology to identify specific genetic elements related to its potential environmental
adaptation. The final genome assembly produced 48 scafolds, the longest being 2.2 Mbp, a 1.6 Mbp
N50 contig length, and a 36 Mbp total length. A total of 10,749 protein-coding genes were annotated,
containing 33 biosynthetic gene clusters and 102 carbohydrate-active enzymes. A comparative
genomics analysis was conducted on six Cladonia species, and the genome of C. borealis exhibited 45
expanded and 50 contracted gene families. We identified that C. borealis has more Copia transposable
elements and expanded transporters (ABC transporters and magnesium transporters) compared to
other Cladonia species. Our results suggest that these differences contribute to C. borealis’ remarkable
adaptability in the Antarctic environment. This study also provides a useful resource for the genomic
analysis of lichens and genetic insights into the survival of species isolated from Antarctica.
- Id:
- 36348
- Submitter:
- zpalice
- Post_time:
- Monday, 11 March 2024 12:15