Unexpected Genetic Diversity of Nostocales (Cyanobacteria) Isolated from the Phyllosphere of the Laurel Forests in the Canary Islands (Spain)

A total of 96 strains of Nostocales (Cyanobacteria) were established from the phyllosphere of the laurel forests in the Canary Islands (Spain) and the Azores (Portugal) using enrichment media lacking combined nitrogen. The strains were characterized by light microscopy and SSU rRNA gene comparisons....

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Main Authors: Nereida M. Rancel-Rodríguez, Nicole Sausen, Carolina P. Reyes, Antera Martel Quintana, Barbara Melkonian, Michael Melkonian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Microorganisms
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/12/2625
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author Nereida M. Rancel-Rodríguez
Nicole Sausen
Carolina P. Reyes
Antera Martel Quintana
Barbara Melkonian
Michael Melkonian
author_facet Nereida M. Rancel-Rodríguez
Nicole Sausen
Carolina P. Reyes
Antera Martel Quintana
Barbara Melkonian
Michael Melkonian
author_sort Nereida M. Rancel-Rodríguez
collection DOAJ
description A total of 96 strains of Nostocales (Cyanobacteria) were established from the phyllosphere of the laurel forests in the Canary Islands (Spain) and the Azores (Portugal) using enrichment media lacking combined nitrogen. The strains were characterized by light microscopy and SSU rRNA gene comparisons. Morphologically, most strains belonged to two different morphotypes, termed “<i>Nostoc</i>-type” and “<i>Tolypothrix</i>-type”. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of 527 SSU rRNA gene sequences of cyanobacteria (95 sequences established during this study plus 392 sequences from Nostocales and 40 sequences from non-heterocyte-forming cyanobacteria retrieved from the databases) revealed that none of the SSU rRNA gene sequences from the phyllosphere of the laurel forests was identical to a database sequence. In addition, the genetic diversity of the isolated strains was high, with 42 different genotypes (44% of the sequences) recognized. Among the new genotypes were also terrestrial members of the genus <i>Nodularia</i> as well as members of the genus <i>Brasilonema</i>. It is concluded that heterocyte-forming cyanobacteria represent a component of the phyllosphere that is still largely undersampled in subtropical/tropical forests.
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spelling doaj-art-db2451e5ca024742ae73d474fbfe04ea2025-08-20T02:56:59ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072024-12-011212262510.3390/microorganisms12122625Unexpected Genetic Diversity of Nostocales (Cyanobacteria) Isolated from the Phyllosphere of the Laurel Forests in the Canary Islands (Spain)Nereida M. Rancel-Rodríguez0Nicole Sausen1Carolina P. Reyes2Antera Martel Quintana3Barbara Melkonian4Michael Melkonian5Departamento de Botánica, Ecología y Fisiología Vegetal, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristóbal De La Laguna, SpainInstitute for Plant Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47b, 50674 Cologne, GermanyInstituto Universitario de Bio-Orgánica “Antonio González”, Universidad de La Laguna, 38206 San Cristóbal De La Laguna, SpainBanco Español de Algas, Instituto de Oceanografía y Cambio Global, IOCAG, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35214 Telde, SpainIntegrative Bioinformatics, Department of Plant Microbe Interactions, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, 50829 Cologne, GermanyIntegrative Bioinformatics, Department of Plant Microbe Interactions, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, 50829 Cologne, GermanyA total of 96 strains of Nostocales (Cyanobacteria) were established from the phyllosphere of the laurel forests in the Canary Islands (Spain) and the Azores (Portugal) using enrichment media lacking combined nitrogen. The strains were characterized by light microscopy and SSU rRNA gene comparisons. Morphologically, most strains belonged to two different morphotypes, termed “<i>Nostoc</i>-type” and “<i>Tolypothrix</i>-type”. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of 527 SSU rRNA gene sequences of cyanobacteria (95 sequences established during this study plus 392 sequences from Nostocales and 40 sequences from non-heterocyte-forming cyanobacteria retrieved from the databases) revealed that none of the SSU rRNA gene sequences from the phyllosphere of the laurel forests was identical to a database sequence. In addition, the genetic diversity of the isolated strains was high, with 42 different genotypes (44% of the sequences) recognized. Among the new genotypes were also terrestrial members of the genus <i>Nodularia</i> as well as members of the genus <i>Brasilonema</i>. It is concluded that heterocyte-forming cyanobacteria represent a component of the phyllosphere that is still largely undersampled in subtropical/tropical forests.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/12/2625biodiversityclonal cultureepiphyllousheterocyte-forming cyanobacteriarRNA sequence comparison
spellingShingle Nereida M. Rancel-Rodríguez
Nicole Sausen
Carolina P. Reyes
Antera Martel Quintana
Barbara Melkonian
Michael Melkonian
Unexpected Genetic Diversity of Nostocales (Cyanobacteria) Isolated from the Phyllosphere of the Laurel Forests in the Canary Islands (Spain)
Microorganisms
biodiversity
clonal culture
epiphyllous
heterocyte-forming cyanobacteria
rRNA sequence comparison
title Unexpected Genetic Diversity of Nostocales (Cyanobacteria) Isolated from the Phyllosphere of the Laurel Forests in the Canary Islands (Spain)
title_full Unexpected Genetic Diversity of Nostocales (Cyanobacteria) Isolated from the Phyllosphere of the Laurel Forests in the Canary Islands (Spain)
title_fullStr Unexpected Genetic Diversity of Nostocales (Cyanobacteria) Isolated from the Phyllosphere of the Laurel Forests in the Canary Islands (Spain)
title_full_unstemmed Unexpected Genetic Diversity of Nostocales (Cyanobacteria) Isolated from the Phyllosphere of the Laurel Forests in the Canary Islands (Spain)
title_short Unexpected Genetic Diversity of Nostocales (Cyanobacteria) Isolated from the Phyllosphere of the Laurel Forests in the Canary Islands (Spain)
title_sort unexpected genetic diversity of nostocales cyanobacteria isolated from the phyllosphere of the laurel forests in the canary islands spain
topic biodiversity
clonal culture
epiphyllous
heterocyte-forming cyanobacteria
rRNA sequence comparison
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/12/2625
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