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Frank ET, Kesner L, Liberti J, Helleu Q, LeBoeuf AC, Dascalu A, Sponsler DB, Azuma F, Economo EP, Waridel P, Engel P, Schmitt T, Keller L. Targeted treatment of injured nestmates with antimicrobial compounds in an ant society. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8446. [PMID: 38158416 PMCID: PMC10756881 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43885-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Infected wounds pose a major mortality risk in animals. Injuries are common in the ant Megaponera analis, which raids pugnacious prey. Here we show that M. analis can determine when wounds are infected and treat them accordingly. By applying a variety of antimicrobial compounds and proteins secreted from the metapleural gland to infected wounds, workers reduce the mortality of infected individuals by 90%. Chemical analyses showed that wound infection is associated with specific changes in the cuticular hydrocarbon profile, thereby likely allowing nestmates to diagnose the infection state of injured individuals and apply the appropriate antimicrobial treatment. This study demonstrates that M. analis ant societies use antimicrobial compounds produced in the metapleural glands to treat infected wounds and reduce nestmate mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik T Frank
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, D-97074, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Lucie Kesner
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Biophore, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Joanito Liberti
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Biophore, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Quentin Helleu
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Structure et Instabilité des Génomes, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS UMR 7196, INSERM U1154, 43 rue Cuvier, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Adria C LeBoeuf
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, CH-1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Andrei Dascalu
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Douglas B Sponsler
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, D-97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Fumika Azuma
- Biodiversity and Biocomplexity Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, 904-0495, Japan
| | - Evan P Economo
- Biodiversity and Biocomplexity Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, 904-0495, Japan
- Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University, Cambridge, 02138, USA
| | - Patrice Waridel
- Protein Analysis Facility, Génopode, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Engel
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, Biophore, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Schmitt
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, D-97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Laurent Keller
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Fladerer JP, Grollitsch S, Bucar F. Three cuticular amides in the tripartite symbiosis of leafcutter ants. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 114:1-13. [PMID: 37518892 DOI: 10.1002/arch.22041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) play various roles in insects' chemical ecology. As leafcutter ants live in a specific symbiosis with fungi, they harvest and with different bacteria, some of these CHCs might be associated with a mutualistic function within this symbiosis. To obtain a more precise picture in that respect we compared the CHC profiles of the leafcutter ants, Atta sexdens, Atta cephalotes, and Acromyrmex octospinosus inhabited by mutualistic bacteria with the profiles of Polyrhachis dives and Messor aciculatus by GC-EI-MS analysis and 28 other ant species by data from the literature. We were able to identify three alkyl amides (hexadecanamide, hexadecenamide, and tetradecanamide), occurring only in the CHC profiles of leafcutter ants inhabited by symbiotic bacteria. Our results lead to the conclusion that those alkyl amides could have a function in the tripartite symbiosis of leafcutter ants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Franz Bucar
- Karl-Franzens-Universitat Graz Pharmacognosy, Graz, Austria
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MARTINS LUIZAC, SERRÃO JOSÉE, SANTOS HELENP, ARAÚJO VINÍCIUSA. Anatomy and histology of the metapleural gland in the giant tropical ant Paraponera clavata (Fabricius, 1775) (Formicidae: Paraponerinae). AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2022; 94:e20201368. [DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202220201368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - HELEN P. SANTOS
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia de Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Frank ET, Wehrhahn M, Linsenmair KE. Wound treatment and selective help in a termite-hunting ant. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 285:rspb.2017.2457. [PMID: 29445019 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Open wounds are a major health risk in animals, with species prone to injuries likely developing means to reduce these risks. We therefore analysed the behavioural response towards open wounds on the social and individual level in the termite group-hunting ant Megaponera analis During termite raids, some ants get injured by termite soldiers (biting off extremities), after the fight injured ants get carried back to the nest by nest-mates. We observed treatment of the injury by nest-mates inside the nest through intense allogrooming at the wound. Lack of treatment increased mortality from 10% to 80% within 24 h, most likely due to infections. Wound clotting occurred extraordinarily fast in untreated injured individuals, within 10 min. Furthermore, heavily injured ants (loss of five extremities) were not rescued or treated; this was regulated not by the helper but by the unresponsiveness of the injured ant. Interestingly, lightly injured ants behaved 'more injured' near nest-mates. We show organized social wound treatment in insects through a multifaceted help system focused on injured individuals. This was not only limited to selective rescuing of lightly injured individuals by carrying them back (thus reducing predation risk), but, moreover, included a differentiated treatment inside the nest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik T Frank
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Marten Wehrhahn
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - K Eduard Linsenmair
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
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