| Lýsing |
Pseudomonas syringae is a bacterial complex that is widespread through a
range of environments, typically associated with plants where it can be pathogenic,
but also found in non-plant environments such as clouds, precipitation,
and surface waters. Understanding its distribution within the
environment, and the habitats it occupies, is important for examining its evolution
and understanding behaviours. After a recent study found P. syringae
living among a range of vascular plant species in Iceland, we questioned
whether lichens could harbour P. syringae. Sixteen different species of
lichens were sampled all over Iceland, but only one lichen genus, Peltigera,
was found to consistently harbour P. syringae. Phylogenetic analyses of
P. syringae from 10 sampling points where lichen, tracheophyte, and/or
moss were simultaneously collected showed significant differences
between sampling points, but not between different plants and lichens from
the same point. Furthermore, while there were similarities in the P. syringae
population in tracheophytes and Peltigera, the densities in Peltigera thalli
were lower than in moss and tracheophyte samples. This discovery suggests
P. syringae strains can localize and survive in organisms beyond
higher plants, and thus reveals opportunities for studying their influence on
P. syringae evolution. |
