Noteworthy
Fungi are wonderfully diverse and versatile microorganisms. And it is perhaps this versatility that makes them so adept at forming symbiotic relationships with other organisms.
Mycorrhizae or endophytic fungi, for example, inhabit plant tissues where they reside within or between plant cells. In the case of lichens, fungi come together with cyanobacteria, algae, or both to form new structures with properties that allow them to adapt and flourish in challenging environments. Fungi can form additional associations with phototrophs, but none of these apparently have fungi that reside solely within structures generated by bacteria.
A recent study by Chen and collaborators reports on one such unusual symbiosis. During fieldwork in the cloud forests of Taiwan, the authors were intrigued by a formation that seemed odd to their expert eyes. After looking at its structural components, microbial composition, and phylogenetic placement, they describe what they consider to be a unique symbiosis between a cyanobacterium and a fungus.
Despite resembling a lichen's vegetative tissue or thallus structure, their sample had an unexpected feature: it was made of interwoven cyanobacterial filaments that enclosed fungal hyphae. In addition, both partners turned out to be previously undescribed species, different from those found in lichens: the fungus Serendipita cyanobacteriicola and the cyanobacterium Symbiothallus taiwanensis. The authors, therefore, propose the name "phyllosymbia" to emphasize the symbiotic nature and leaf-like appearance of this unusual structure in which fungal hyphae are embedded within sheaths of cyanobacteria. (See the paper for figure explanation.)
This finding fits nicely with Pasteur’s aphorism that "chance favors the prepared mind." In this case, to unveil novelty in biology.
("Noteworthy" is the new format for STC's Thursday posts. Please read our Jan 20, 2025 post outlining this and other changes in our blog.)
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