Fungi comprise approximately 20% of all eukaryotic species and are connected to virtually
all life forms on Earth. Yet, their diversity remains contentious, their distribution elusive, and …

Recent advances in synthetic biology and materials science have given rise to a new form of
materials, namely engineered living materials (ELMs), which are composed of living matter …

Green algae display a wide range of extracellular matrix (ECM) components that include
various types of cell walls (CW), scales, crystalline glycoprotein coverings, hydrophobic …

Ascomycota account for about two-thirds of named fungal species. 1 Over 98% of known
Ascomycota belong to the Pezizomycotina, including many economically important species …

Exposing their vegetative bodies to the light, lichens are outstanding amongst other fungal
symbioses. Not requiring a pre‐established host,'lichenized fungi'build an entirely new …

Recent studies have cast new light on the intricate interplay between microbial biodiversity
and plant functional traits, underscoring their pivotal roles in counteracting the adverse …

In lichen research, metagenomes are increasingly being used for evaluating symbiont
composition and metabolic potential, but the overall content and limitations of these …

Lichens are one of the most iconic and ubiquitous symbioses known, widely valued as
indicators of environmental quality and, more recently, climate change. Our understanding of …

Highlights•Fungal and algal symbioses are ancient and diverse in form and function.•Some
autotrophic algae and fungal heterotrophs appear pre-adapted to interact.•Algal-fungal …

Lichen symbioses are thought to be stabilized by the transfer of fixed carbon from a
photosynthesizing symbiont to a fungus. In other fungal symbioses, carbohydrate subsidies …