A single Streptomyces symbiont makes multiple antifungals to support the fungus farming ant Acromyrmex octospinosus. [PDF]
PLoS ONE, 2011 Attine ants are dependent on a cultivated fungus for food and use antibiotics produced by symbiotic Actinobacteria as weedkillers in their fungus gardens. Actinobacterial species belonging to the genera Pseudonocardia, Streptomyces and Amycolatopsis have
Ryan F Seipke +6 more
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Digging into the evolutionary history of the fungus-growing-ant symbiont, Escovopsis (Hypocreaceae) [PDF]
Communications BiologySymbiotic relationships shape the evolution of organisms. Fungi in the genus Escovopsis share an evolutionary history with the fungus-growing “attine” ant system and are only found in association with these social insects. Despite this close relationship,
Quimi Vidaurre Montoya +7 more
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Novel killer yeasts and toxins from the gardens of fungus-growing ants [PDF]
Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyKiller toxins are proteinaceous antifungal molecules produced by yeasts, with activity against a wide range of human and plant pathogenic fungi. Fungus gardens of attine ants in Brazil were surveyed to determine the presence of killer toxin-producing ...
Rodolfo Bizarria +12 more
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Morphophysiological differences between the metapleural glands of fungus-growing and non-fungus-growing ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). [PDF]
PLoS ONE, 2012 The metapleural gland is an organ exclusive to ants. Its main role is to produce secretions that inhibit the proliferation of different types of pathogens.
Alexsandro Santana Vieira +2 more
doaj +4 more sources
More pieces to a huge puzzle: Two new Escovopsis species from fungus gardens of attine ants [PDF]
MycoKeys, 2019 Escovopsis (Ascomycota: Hypocreales, Hypocreaceae) is the only known parasite of the mutualistic fungi cultivated by fungus-growing ants (Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Attini: Attina, the “attines”). Despite its ecological role, the taxonomy and systematics of
Quimi Vidaurre Montoya +4 more
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Embryogenesis in Myrmicine Ants Combines Features of Short Germ-Band Development With a Progressive Mode of Segmentation. [PDF]
J Exp Zool B Mol Dev EvolDifferent insect species exhibit remarkable diversity in the developmental trajectories from fertilized eggs to hatching larvae. For three myrmicine ant species, we observe a novel combination of a developmental features: small embryonic primordia, a mode of embryogenesis termed short/intermediate germ‐band development, and progressive establishment of
Fang CC +5 more
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Reconstructing the functions of endosymbiotic Mollicutes in fungus-growing ants [PDF]
eLife, 2018 Mollicutes, a widespread class of bacteria associated with animals and plants, were recently identified as abundant abdominal endosymbionts in healthy workers of attine fungus-farming leaf-cutting ants.
Panagiotis Sapountzis +4 more
doaj +3 more sources
Genomic insights into the evolution of secondary metabolism of Escovopsis and its allies, specialized fungal symbionts of fungus-farming ants [PDF]
mSystemsThe metabolic intimacy of symbiosis often demands the work of specialists. Natural products and defensive secondary metabolites can drive specificity by ensuring infection and propagation across host generations.
Aileen Berasategui +9 more
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Cooperation, conflict, and coevolution in the attine ant-fungus symbiosis [PDF]
Behavioral Ecology, 2005 Fungus-growing ants in the tribe Attini represent a classic example of a mutualism. These ants obligately depend on fungus as their major food source, while the fungus receives both vegetative substrate (nourishment) from the ants and protection from pathogens. Here, we try to identify both benefits and costs of the association by using cultivar switch
Mehdiabadi, Natasha J. +2 more
openaire +4 more sources
Unraveling Trichoderma species in the attine ant environment: description of three new taxa [PDF]
Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, 2016 Fungus-growing "attine" ants forage diverse substrates to grow fungi for food. In addition to the mutualistic fungal partner, the colonies of these insects harbor a rich microbiome composed of bacteria, filamentous fungi and yeasts. Previous work reported some Trichoderma species in the fungus gardens of leafcutter ants.
Quimi Vidaurre Montoya +3 more
core +8 more sources