A metabolic pathway assembled by enzyme selection may support herbivory of leaf-cutter ants on plant starch

Bacci, Maurício; Bueno, Odair Corrêa; Rodrigues, André; Pagnocca, Fernando Carlos; Somera, Alexandre Favarin; Silva, Aline

doi:10.1016/j.jinsphys.2013.02.007

Cited by 14 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…The leaf-cutting ant fungi are thought to be specialized toward the rapid metabolism of starches, hemicelluloses and proteins found in Ant-fungus species combinations engineer physiological activity of fungus gardens leaves, whereas the non-leaf-cutting fungi have lower metabolic activities toward these substrates and may have a greater ability to digest cellulose (Bacci et al, 2013;D'Ettorre et al, 2002;Erthal et al, 2004;Erthal et al, 2009;De Fine Licht et al, 2013;De Fine Licht et al, 2010;Richard et al, 2005;Schiøtt et al, 2008;Schiøtt et al, 2010). These physiological differences seem to be linked with dietary preferences associated with the ants; leaf-cutter ants provide their garden with fresh leaves, whereas the non-leaf-cutters provide their fungus with various dried plant debris, flower parts and caterpillar excrement (Hölldobler and Wilson, 2011;Leal and Oliveira, 2000;Seal and Tschinkel, 2007b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ant-fungal species combinations engineer physiological activity of fungus gardens

Seal

Schiøtt

Mueller

2014

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Fungus-gardening insects are among the most complex organisms because of their extensive co-evolutionary histories with obligate fungal symbionts and other microbes. Some fungus-gardening insect lineages share fungal symbionts with other members of their lineage and thus exhibit diffuse co-evolutionary relationships, while others exhibit little or no symbiont sharing, resulting in host-fungus fidelity. The mechanisms that maintain this symbiont fidelity are currently unknown. Prior work suggested that derived leaf-cutting ants in the genus Atta interact synergistically with leaf-cutter fungi (Attamyces) by exhibiting higher fungal growth rates and enzymatic activities than when growing a fungus from the sister-clade to Attamyces (so-called 'Trachymyces'), grown primarily by the non-leaf cutting Trachymyrmex ants that form, correspondingly, the sister-clade to leaf-cutting ants. To elucidate the enzymatic bases of host-fungus specialization in leaf-cutting ants, we conducted a reciprocal fungusswitch experiment between the ant Atta texana and the ant Trachymyrmex arizonensis and report measured enzymatic activities of switched and sham-switched fungus gardens to digest starch, pectin, xylan, cellulose and casein. Gardens exhibited higher amylase and pectinase activities when A. texana ants cultivated Attamyces compared with Trachymyces fungi, consistent with enzymatic specialization. In contrast, gardens showed comparable amylase and pectinase activities when T. arizonensis cultivated either fungal species. Although gardens of leaf-cutting ants are not known to be significant metabolizers of cellulose, T. arizonensis were able to maintain gardens with significant cellulase activity when growing either fungal species. In contrast to carbohydrate metabolism, protease activity was significantly higher in Attamyces than in Trachymyces, regardless of the ant host. Activity of some enzymes employed by this symbiosis therefore arises from complex interactions between the ant host and the fungal symbiont.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ant-fungal species combinations engineer physiological activity of fungus gardens

Seal

Schiøtt

Mueller

2014

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…The symbiosis between ants and their fungus has been subject of many studies involving biochemical (BORBA et al, 2006;BACCI JR et al, 2013), metabolic and molecular aspects (SILVA-PINhATI et al, 2004).The results of this research demonstrate mostly that different species of leaf-cutting ants cultivate only Leucoagaricus gongylophorus as a single species of symbiotic fungus (SILVA-PINhATI et al, 2004;POULSEN & BOOMSMA, 2005). however, they could present two different strains (SILVA-PINhATI et al, 2004).…”

Section: Formigas-cortadeiras Dos Gênerosmentioning

confidence: 82%

Isolation and molecular characterization of symbiotic fungus from Acromyrmex ambiguus and Acromyrmex heyeri ants of Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil

et al. 2015

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“…Fungi and bacteria are naturally found in soils , however, the diversity and population densities of organisms in a particular soil vary between regions and environments. We found that the soils analyzed exhibited qualitative and quantitative differences in filamentous fungi, according to their place of origin.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Leaf‐cutting ants are major agricultural pests in the Neotropical region; they hinder plant development by consuming a large volume of fresh vegetable material from several crops . The fungus L. gongylophorus acts as an external stomach for leaf‐cutting ants by degrading plant polysaccharides such as pectin, starch, and cellulose . In return, the ants protect the fungus from pathogens, and facilitate its distribution.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antagonism ofTrichodermaisolates againstLeucoagaricus gongylophorus(Singer) Möller

et al. 2017

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Filamentous fungi from the genus Trichoderma are commonly found in soil. They are considered facultative mycoparasites, and are antagonists of other fungi such as the cultivar of leaf-cutting ants (Leucoagaricus gongylophorus). The aim of the present study was to bioprospect Trichoderma spp. from different soils collected from Gurupi, Tocantins, Brazil, for antagonistic effects against the mutualistic fungus of leaf-cutting ants. To isolate filamentous fungi, samples were collected from six locations. Preliminarily, isolates were identified by morphological analysis as belonging to Trichoderma. Trichoderma spp. had their internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of ribosomal RNA genes (rRNA) sequenced to confirm species-level taxonomy. L. gongylophorus was isolated from a laboratory ant colony. Antagonistic properties of seven isolates of Trichoderma against L. gongylophorus were measured using paired disks in Petri dishes with potato dextrose agar medium (PDA). All Trichoderma isolates inhibited the growth of L. gongylophorus in Petri dishes. Isolate 2 of Trichoderma spirale group exhibited slow mycelial growth in the Petri dish, and a high rate of inhibition against L. gongylophorus. This isolate is a promising fungus for field tests of biological control methods for leaf-cutting ants.

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A metabolic pathway assembled by enzyme selection may support herbivory of leaf-cutter ants on plant starch

Cited by 14 publications

References 31 publications

Ant-fungal species combinations engineer physiological activity of fungus gardens

Ant-fungal species combinations engineer physiological activity of fungus gardens

Isolation and molecular characterization of symbiotic fungus from Acromyrmex ambiguus and Acromyrmex heyeri ants of Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil

Antagonism ofTrichodermaisolates againstLeucoagaricus gongylophorus(Singer) Möller

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