Ancestral Predisposition Towards a Domesticated Lifestyle in the Termite-Cultivated Fungus <i>Termitomyces</i>

The chemical ecology of the fungus-farming termite symbiosis

“…[52][53][54] Although, they exhibit less antimicrobial activity than typical antimicrobial agents, such as erythromycin or streptomycin, it is notable that synergistic antibacterial activity with erythromycin have been reported. 51 Other antibacterial fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (12) and docosahexaenoic acid (13) (Fig. 4), inhibit both Gram-positive 55 and Gram-negative 56 bacteria, but no studies have investigated their potential synergies in naturally-occurring mixtures.…”

“…2,[6][7][8] Fungus-farming termites (Macrotermitinae, Termitidae: Blattodea) engage in a symbiosis with a fungal cultivar (genus Termitomyces; Agaricales: Lyophyllaceae) that they have coevolved with since the origin of fungiculture 30 mya. [9][10][11][12] In addition, termite guts and fungus combs harbour diverse and co-adapted microbiomes that play roles in plant biomass decomposition and potentially prophylaxis. [13][14][15][16] Symbiont complementarity ensures near-complete plant biomass decomposition with contribution from the termite-nurtured fungal garden and gut microbiomes.…”

The genus Termitomyces: Outline, phylogeny, and divergence times estimation with description of a new edible species from Arabian Peninsula

“…It is estimated that this symbiosis evolved approximately 30 million years ago in the rain forests of central Africa (Heim 1942; Aanen et al 2002;Aanen & Eggleton 2005;Roberts et al 2016). Since all the known species of Termitomyces form a monophyletic lineage in Lyophyllaceae, indicating a single successful domestication event likely occurred and no instances of these fungi reverting to a free-living state have been reported (Aanen et al 2002;van de Peppel et al 2021). This suggests a stable and long-standing symbiotic association between the fungus and the termites.…”