Antibacterial properties of contact defensive secretions in neotropical Crematogaster ants

Quinet, Yves; Vieira, Regine Helena Silva dos Fernandes; Sousa, Vanessa; Evangelista-Barreto, Norma Suely; Carvalho, F.C.T. de; Guedes, Mif; Alves, Carlúcio Roberto; Biseau, JC de; Heredia, Ana

doi:10.1590/s1678-91992012000400013

Cited by 8 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 26 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Ants in the subfamily Formicinae, which includes Camponotus , produce formic acid as a defence compound against vertebrates and other insects, but formic acid is also used to inhibit fungal pathogens [ 34 , 35 ]. Similarly, the venoms of Crematogaster [ 36 ] and Solenopsis [ 8 ] are both known to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus bacteria. Ants in the subfamily Dolichoderinae lack a stinging apparatus, but they produce defensive compounds in the pygidial gland that could also have antimicrobial properties [ 37 , 38 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

External immunity in ant societies: sociality and colony size do not predict investment in antimicrobials

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Social insects live in dense groups with a high probability of disease transmission and have therefore faced strong pressures to develop defences against pathogens. For this reason, social insects have been hypothesized to invest in antimicrobial secretions as a mechanism of external immunity to prevent the spread of disease. However, empirical studies linking the evolution of sociality with increased investment in antimicrobials have been relatively few. Here we quantify the strength of antimicrobial secretions among 20 ant species that cover a broad spectrum of ant diversity and colony sizes. We extracted external compounds from ant workers to test whether they inhibited the growth of the bacterium Staphylococcus epidermidis. Because all ant species are highly social, we predicted that all species would exhibit some antimicrobial activity and that species that form the largest colonies would exhibit the strongest antimicrobial response. Our comparative approach revealed that strong surface antimicrobials are common to particular ant clades, but 40% of species exhibited no antimicrobial activity at all. We also found no correlation between antimicrobial activity and colony size. Rather than relying on antimicrobial secretions as external immunity to control pathogen spread, many ant species have probably developed alternative strategies to defend against disease pressure.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

External immunity in ant societies: sociality and colony size do not predict investment in antimicrobials

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Most substances are acids (Ortius-Lechner et al, 2000;Yek & Mueller, 2011;Yek et al, 2012;Fernández-Marin et al, 2015) and protein substances (Yek et al, 2012), with antimicrobial function (Yek et al, 2012;Mendonça et al, 2009;Pech & Billen, 2017). The mandibular glands, venom gland and Dufour gland also present a broad spectrum of chemical compounds with proven toxic, repellent and antimicrobial effects (Mendonça et al, 2009;Quinet et al, 2012;Tragust, 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The chemical characterization of the substances present in the secretions was the second goal that most motivated the investigation of glandular secretions of ants (Castricani et al, 2003;Wood et al, 2011;Martins et al, 2015). Antimicrobial activity of glandular secretions of ants appears as the third most cited objective in the literature consulted (Attygale et al, 1989;Quinet et al, 2012;Song et al, 2012). Evidence in the studies consulted suggests that investment in antimicrobial substances has evolved repeatedly in social strains and may be particularly important for species living in large, complex societies such as ants of the tribe Attini (Atta and Acromyrmex), made up of large numbers of individuals living in obligatory mutualism with a homogeneous culture of fungi (Penick et al, 2018).…”

Section: Extractionmethods Evaluationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The search for articles was performed in CAPES journals portal, in an advanced search using the terms "gland secretion" and "ants", without selecting a specific database. Two articles found in the Biblioteca Virtual emSaúde (BVS) and three selected in the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SCIELO) were included because they directly met the criteria determined for analysis, as follows: Attygalle et al (1998), , Marsaro-Júnior et al (2001), Quinet et al (2012) as well as Melo and Fortich (2013). Time series included articles published between 1989 and 2017.…”

Section: Search Selection and Inclusion Of Articlesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Glandular Secretions of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): A Review on Extraction, Chemical Characterization and Antibiotic Potential

Guarda

Lutinski

2020

Sociobiology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Ants live under ideal microclimatic conditions for the development of microorganisms. As mechanisms to ensure the health of the colony and as a defense strategy, these insects developed exocrine glands that work in the production of antibiotics (chemical defense) and in the immune defense of the colony. This study aimed to describe the state-of-the-art on extraction methods, chemical characterization and the antibiotic potential of glandular secretions of ants. This is a review of the scientific literature between 1989 and 2017. A total of 52 articles were selected. These addressed the behavior, chemical characterization, the antimicrobial effect and evaluated methods of extraction. The most investigated genera are Atta, Acromyrmexand Crematogaster. The glands most reported in the articles involving extraction of secretions were Dufour, mandibular and metapleural. The most reported methods of extraction were gland maceration and extraction with (organic) solvents and direct extraction of the gland. Most studies evaluated secretions with respect to ant behavior. There is a paucityin the literature about the chemical characterization of most glandular secretions of ants, as well as for most taxa. The same deficiency is observed with regard to prospecting the antibiotic and antifungal potential of these secretions. for most taxa. The same deficiency is observed with regard to prospecting the antibiotic and antifungal potential of these secretions.

show abstract

“…Venoms produced by ants of the subfamilies Paraponerinae, Ectatomminae, Pseudomyrmecinae, Myrmeciinae, Myrmicinae and Ponerinae are rich in peptides with myotoxic, neurotoxic, cytotoxic or antimicrobial properties (Akre and Reed 2002;Palma 2006;Moreau 2013). Pachycondyla goeldii, Myrmecia pilosula, Crematogaster pygmaea and Dinoponera australis ant venoms have antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains (Orivel et al 2001;Zelezetsky et al 2005;Johnson et al 2010;Quinet et al 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antimicrobial effect of Dinoponera quadriceps (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) venom against Staphylococcus aureus strains

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aims: Dinoponera quadriceps venom (DqV) was examined to evaluate the antibacterial activity and its bactericidal action mechanism against Staphylococcus aureus. Methods and Results: DqV was tested against a standard strain of methicillinsensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), Staph. aureus ATCC 6538P and two standard strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Staph. aureus ATCC 33591 and Staph. aureus CCBH 5330. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), the rate of kill and pH sensitivity of the DqV were determined by microdilution tests. Bactericidal and inhibitory concentrations of DqV were tested to check its action on Staph. aureus membrane permeability and cell morphology. The MIC and MBC of DqV were 6Á25 and 12Á5 lg ml À1 forStaph. aureus ATCC 6538P, 12Á5 and 50 lg ml À1 for Staph. aureus CCBH 5330 and 100 and 100 lg ml À1 for Staph. aureus ATCC 33591, respectively.Complete bacterial growth inhibition was observed after 4 h of incubation with the MBC of DqV. A lowest MIC was observed in alkaline pH. Alteration in membrane permeability was observed through the increase in crystal violet uptake, genetic material release and morphology in atomic force microscopy. Conclusions:The results suggest antibacterial activity of DqV against Staph. aureus and that the venom acts in the cell membrane. Significance and Impact of the Study: Alteration in membrane permeability may be associated with the antimicrobial activity of hymenopteran venoms.

show abstract

Antibacterial properties of contact defensive secretions in neotropical Crematogaster ants

Cited by 8 publications

References 26 publications

External immunity in ant societies: sociality and colony size do not predict investment in antimicrobials

External immunity in ant societies: sociality and colony size do not predict investment in antimicrobials

Glandular Secretions of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): A Review on Extraction, Chemical Characterization and Antibiotic Potential

Antimicrobial effect of Dinoponera quadriceps (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) venom against Staphylococcus aureus strains

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About