The diversity of microorganisms associated with Acromyrmex leafcutter ants

Borm, Steven Van; Billen, Johan; Boomsma, Jacobus J.

doi:10.1186/1471-2148-2-9

Cited by 49 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…AF91883; Van Borm et al . 2002 ). In addition, one OTU from the Burkholderiales (OTU 46, Appendix S1 , Supporting information) and two from the Xanthomonadales (OTU 233 and 523, Appendix S1 , Supporting information) were identified, orders which have also previously been found associated with ants (Russell et al .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Specificity and stability of the Acromyrmex–Pseudonocardia symbiosis

et al. 2013

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The stability of mutualistic interactions is likely to be affected by the genetic diversity of symbionts that compete for the same functional niche. Fungus-growing (attine) ants have multiple complex symbioses and thus provide ample opportunities to address questions of symbiont specificity and diversity. Among the partners are Actinobacteria of the genus Pseudonocardia that are maintained on the ant cuticle to produce antibiotics, primarily against a fungal parasite of the mutualistic gardens. The symbiosis has been assumed to be a hallmark of evolutionary stability, but this notion has been challenged by culturing and sequencing data indicating an unpredictably high diversity. We used 454 pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA to estimate the diversity of the cuticular bacterial community of the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex echinatior and other fungus-growing ants from Gamboa, Panama. Both field and laboratory samples of the same colonies were collected, the latter after colonies had been kept under laboratory conditions for up to 10 years. We show that bacterial communities are highly colony-specific and stable over time. The majority of colonies (25/26) had a single dominant Pseudonocardia strain, and only two strains were found in the Gamboa population across 17 years, confirming an earlier study. The microbial community on newly hatched ants consisted almost exclusively of a single strain of Pseudonocardia while other Actinobacteria were identified on older, foraging ants in varying but usually much lower abundances. These findings are consistent with recent theory predicting that mixtures of antibiotic-producing bacteria can remain mutualistic when dominated by a single vertically transmitted and resource-demanding strain.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Specificity and stability of the Acromyrmex–Pseudonocardia symbiosis

et al. 2013

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“…Although it was documented to influence the sex ratio in Monomorium pharaonis (Linnaeus) [ 66 ], we still know little about its functions within ants. Mesoplasma has been observed in attine ants [ 43 , 67 , 68 , 69 ], and the genomic information of two Mesoplasma strains revealed that they play important roles in decomposing arginine and providing nitrogen-rich amino acid [ 70 ]. In this study, Mesoplasma was found to be predominant in colony O1 of O. monticola , accounting for 97.23 ± 2.06% of the bacterial communities in the crop, 95.82 ± 2.61% in the midgut, and 77.29 ± 10.08% in the hindgut; thus, it might be acquired horizontally from the environment, or its presence may be related to the physical condition of the nest.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bacterial Composition and Diversity of the Digestive Tract of Odontomachus monticola Emery and Ectomomyrmex javanus Mayr

Zheng

et al. 2021

Insects

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Ponerine ants are generalist predators feeding on a variety of small arthropods, annelids, and isopods; however, knowledge of their bacterial communities is rather limited. This study investigated the bacterial composition and diversity in the digestive tract (different gut sections and the infrabuccal pockets (IBPs)) of two ponerine ant species (Odontomachus monticola Emery and Ectomomyrmex javanus Mayr) distributed in northwestern China using high-throughput sequencing. We found that several dominant bacteria that exist in other predatory ants were also detected in these two ponerine ant species, including Wolbachia, Mesoplasma, and Spiroplasma. Bacterial communities of these two ant species were differed significantly from each other, and significant differences were also observed across their colonies, showing distinctive inter-colony characteristics. Moreover, bacterial communities between the gut sections (crops, midguts, and hindguts) of workers were highly similar within colony, but they were clearly different from those in IBPs. Further, bacterial communities in the larvae of O. monticola were similar to those in the IBPs of workers, but significantly different from those in gut sections. We presume that the bacterial composition and diversity in ponerine ants are related to their social behavior and feeding habits, and bacterial communities in the IBPs may play a potential role in their social life.

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“…Several studies have preliminarily investigated the fungus-growing ant microbiome, primarily focusing on leaf-cutting ants ( 25 – 30 ). These studies show that Acromyrmex and Atta leaf-cutting ants host low-diversity microbiomes that include Wolbachia , Solirubrobacter , Enterobacter , Pseudomonas , and members of the orders Entomoplasmatales and Rhizobiales .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%