A direct PCR approach with low-biomass insert opens new horizons for molecular sciences on cryptogam communities

作者：Patrick Jung, Laura Williams, Lina Werner, Emily Jost, Matthias Schultz, Dennis J. Nürnberg, Martín Grube, Michael Lakatos · 发表于：Applied and Environmental Microbiology · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1128/aem.00024-24 · 被引用次数：11 · 研究领域：Lichen and fungal ecology、Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology、Diatoms and Algae Research

material during co-cycling; (ii) act as a tool to confirm that the dominant lichen photobiont was isolated from the original sample; and (iii) optionally remove inhibitory secondary lichen substances. Our results represent examples which highlight the method's potential for future applications covering mycology, phycology, biocrusts, and lichenology, in particular.IMPORTANCECyanobacteria, green algae, lichens, and other cryptogams play crucial roles in complex microbial systems such as biological soil crusts of arid biomes or biofilms in caves. Molecular investigations on environmental samples or isolates of these microorganisms are often hampered by their dense aggregation, small size, or metabolism products which complicate DNA extraction and subsequent PCRs. Our work presents various examples of how a direct DNA extraction and PCR method relying on low biomass inserts can overcome these common problems and discusses additional applications of the workflow including adaptations.