Elucidation of symbiotic mechanisms in lichens used secretions from algal partner

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Secondary metabolites in lichen mycobionts serve the key for clarifying the origin of lichen symbiosis. It was thought that the secretion from the algal partner promotes to build up the symbiotic relationship with lichen mycobionts. In this project, isolation and identification of such chemical substances produced by algae was performed, using the technique, which cultures each partner separately. Mycobiont from one strain of Graphis, which produces different substances between isolated stage and symbiotic stage, was used for this project. As the first step, we tried to survey substances from algae which have physiological activity to lichen mycobionts. Substances on Lecanora and Haematomma with similar acitivity was surveyed. Naphthaquinone derivatives were also discovered in mycobionts of Opegrapha and Graphis sp., dibenzofurans in Lecanora and anthraquinones in Haematomma, respectively. In those projects, mixture having activity was detected, but isolation and identification of trigger substance was very difficult because of minor substances. Thus, cultivation of a large amount of colonies is essential. On the other hand, this substance appears to be stable. Now we continue to try purification of this substance still.