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Bringhurst B, Greenwold M, Kellner K, Seal JN. Symbiosis, dysbiosis and the impact of horizontal exchange on bacterial microbiomes in higher fungus-gardening ants. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3231. [PMID: 38332146 PMCID: PMC10853281 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53218-6] [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: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Advances in our understanding of symbiotic stability have demonstrated that microorganisms are key to understanding the homeostasis of obligate symbioses. Fungus-gardening ants are excellent model systems for exploring how microorganisms may be involved in symbiotic homeostasis as the host and symbionts are macroscopic and can be easily experimentally manipulated. Their coevolutionary history has been well-studied; examinations of which have depicted broad clade-to-clade specificity between the ants and fungus. Few studies hitherto have addressed the roles of microbiomes in stabilizing these associations. Here, we quantified changes in microbiome structure as a result of experimentally induced horizontal exchange of symbionts. This was done by performing cross-fostering experiments forcing ants to grow novel fungi and comparing known temporally unstable (undergoing dysbiosis) and stable combinations. We found that fungus-gardening ants alter their unstable, novel garden microbiomes into configurations like those found in native gardens. Patterns of dysbiosis/symbiosis appear to be predictable in that two related species with similar specificity patterns also show similar patterns of microbial change, whereas a species with more relaxed specificity does not show such microbiome change or restructuring when growing different fungi. It appears that clade-to-clade specificity patterns are the outcomes of community-level interactions that promote stability or cause symbiotic collapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake Bringhurst
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Tyler, 3900 University Blvd, Tyler, TX, 757998, USA
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 1315 Kinnear Rd, Columbus, OH, 43212, USA
| | - Matthew Greenwold
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Tyler, 3900 University Blvd, Tyler, TX, 757998, USA
| | - Katrin Kellner
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Tyler, 3900 University Blvd, Tyler, TX, 757998, USA
| | - Jon N Seal
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Tyler, 3900 University Blvd, Tyler, TX, 757998, USA.
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de Paula GT, Melo WGDP, de Castro I, Menezes C, Paludo CR, Rosa CA, Pupo MT. Further evidences of an emerging stingless bee-yeast symbiosis. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1221724. [PMID: 37637114 PMCID: PMC10450959 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1221724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Symbiotic interactions between microorganisms and social insects have been described as crucial for the maintenance of these multitrophic systems, as observed for the stingless bee Scaptotrigona depilis and the yeast Zygosaccharomyces sp. SDBC30G1. The larvae of S. depilis ingest fungal filaments of Zygosaccharomyces sp. SDBC30G1 to obtain ergosterol, which is the precursor for the biosynthesis of ecdysteroids that modulate insect metamorphosis. In this work, we find a similar insect-microbe interaction in other species of stingless bees. We analyzed brood cell samples from 19 species of stingless bees collected in Brazil. The osmophilic yeast Zygosaccharomyces spp. was isolated from eight bee species, namely Scaptotrigona bipunctata, S. postica, S. tubiba, Tetragona clavipes, Melipona quadrifasciata, M. fasciculata, M. bicolor, and Partamona helleri. These yeasts form pseudohyphae and also accumulate ergosterol in lipid droplets, similar to the pattern observed for S. depilis. The phylogenetic analyses including various Zygosaccharomyces revealed that strains isolated from the brood cells formed a branch separated from the previously described Zygosaccharomyces species, suggesting that they are new species of this genus and reinforcing the symbiotic interaction with the host insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Toninato de Paula
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Weilan Gomes da Paixão Melo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Center for Agricultural and Natural Sciences and Letters, State University of the Tocantina Region of Maranhão, Estreito, Brazil
| | - Ivan de Castro
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | | | - Camila Raquel Paludo
- Institute of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Barra do Garças, Brazil
| | - Carlos Augusto Rosa
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Mônica Tallarico Pupo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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Dejean A, Azémar F, Naskrecki P, Tindo M, Rossi V, Faucher C, Gryta H. Mutualistic interactions between ants and fungi: A review. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10386. [PMID: 37529578 PMCID: PMC10375366 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The large amount of dead plant biomass caused by the final extinction events triggered a fungi proliferation that mostly differentiated into saprophytes degrading organic matter; others became parasites, predators, likely commensals, and mutualists. Among the last, many have relationships with ants, the most emblematic seen in the Neotropical myrmicine Attina that cultivate Basidiomycota for food. Among them, leaf-cutting, fungus-growing species illustrate an ecological innovation because they grow fungal gardens from fresh plant material rather than arthropod frass and plant debris. Myrmecophytes shelter "plant-ants" in hollow structures, the domatia, whose inner walls are lined with thin-walled Ascomycota hyphae that, in certain cases, are eaten by the ants, showing a form of convergence. Typically, these Ascomycota have antibacterial properties illustrating cases of farming for protection. Ant gardens, or mutualistic associations between certain ant species and epiphytes, shelter endophytic fungi that promote the growth of the epiphytes. Because the cell walls of certain Ascomycota hyphae remain sturdy after the death of the mycelium, they form resistant fibers used by ants to reinforce their constructions (e.g., galleries, shelters for tended hemipterans, and carton nests). Thus, we saw cases of "true" fungal agriculture involving planting, cultivating, and harvesting Basidiomycota for food with Attina. A convergence with "plant-ants" feeding on Ascomycota whose antibacterial activity is generally exploited (i.e., farming for protection). The growth of epiphytes was promoted by endophytic fungi in ant gardens. Finally, farming for structural materials occurred with, in one case, a leaf-cutting, fungus-growing ant using Ascomycota fibers to reinforce its nests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alain Dejean
- Laboratoire Écologie Fonctionnelle et EnvironnementUniversité de Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse INP, Université Toulouse 3 – Paul Sabatier (UPS)ToulouseFrance
- UMR EcoFoG, AgroParisTechCirad, CNRS, INRA, Université des Antilles, Université de GuyaneKourouFrance
| | - Frédéric Azémar
- Laboratoire Écologie Fonctionnelle et EnvironnementUniversité de Toulouse, CNRS, Toulouse INP, Université Toulouse 3 – Paul Sabatier (UPS)ToulouseFrance
| | - Piotr Naskrecki
- Museum of Comparative ZoologyHarvard UniversityCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
| | - Maurice Tindo
- Laboratory of Biology and Physiology of Animal Organisms, Faculty of ScienceUniversity of DoualaDoualaCameroon
| | - Vivien Rossi
- Remote Sensing and Forest Ecology Lab, Higher Teacher's Training CollegeMarien Ngouabi UniversityBrazzavilleDemocratic Republic of the Congo
- R U Forests and Societies, CIRADBrazzavilleDemocratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Christian Faucher
- Laboratoire Evolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174) CNRSIRD, Université Toulouse 3ToulouseFrance
| | - Hervé Gryta
- Laboratoire Evolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174) CNRSIRD, Université Toulouse 3ToulouseFrance
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Dong AZ, Cokcetin N, Carter DA, Fernandes KE. Unique antimicrobial activity in honey from the Australian honeypot ant ( Camponotus inflatus). PeerJ 2023; 11:e15645. [PMID: 37520253 PMCID: PMC10386826 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Honey produced by the Australian honeypot ant (Camponotus inflatus) is valued nutritionally and medicinally by Indigenous peoples, but its antimicrobial activity has never been formally studied. Here, we determine the activity of honeypot ant honey (HPAH) against a panel of bacterial and fungal pathogens, investigate its chemical properties, and profile the bacterial and fungal microbiome of the honeypot ant for the first time. We found HPAH to have strong total activity against Staphylococcus aureus but not against other bacteria, and strong non-peroxide activity against Cryptococcus and Aspergillus sp. When compared with therapeutic-grade jarrah and manuka honey produced by honey bees, we found HPAH to have a markedly different antimicrobial activity and chemical properties, suggesting HPAH has a unique mode of antimicrobial action. We found the bacterial microbiome of honeypot ants to be dominated by the known endosymbiont genus Candidatus Blochmannia (99.75%), and the fungal microbiome to be dominated by the plant-associated genus Neocelosporium (92.77%). This study demonstrates that HPAH has unique antimicrobial characteristics that validate its therapeutic use by Indigenous peoples and may provide a lead for the discovery of novel antimicrobial compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Z. Dong
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Nural Cokcetin
- Australian Institute for Microbiology and Infection, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Dee A. Carter
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Kenya E. Fernandes
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
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Li Q, Xiao W, Wu P, Zhang T, Xiang P, Wu Q, Zou L, Gui M. The first two mitochondrial genomes from Apiotrichum reveal mitochondrial evolution and different taxonomic assignment of Trichosporonales. IMA Fungus 2023; 14:7. [PMID: 37004131 PMCID: PMC10064765 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-023-00112-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Apiotrichum is a diverse anamorphic basidiomycetous yeast genus, and its mitogenome characterization has not been revealed. In this study, we assembled two Apiotrichum mitogenomes and compared them with mitogenomes from Agaricomycotina, Pucciniomycotina and Ustilaginomycotina. The mitogenomes of Apiotrichum gracile and A. gamsii comprised circular DNA molecules, with sizes of 34,648 bp and 38,096 bp, respectively. Intronic regions were found contributed the most to the size expansion of A. gamsii mitogenome. Comparative mitogenomic analysis revealed that 6.85-38.89% of nucleotides varied between tRNAs shared by the two Apiotrichum mitogenomes. The GC content of all core PCGs in A. gamsii was lower than that of A. gracile, with an average low value of 4.97%. The rps3 gene differentiated the most among Agaricomycotina, Pucciniomycotina and Ustilaginomycotina species, while nad4L gene was the most conserved in evolution. The Ka/Ks values for cob and rps3 genes were > 1, indicating the two genes may be subjected to positive selection in Agaricomycotina, Pucciniomycotina and Ustilaginomycotina. Frequent intron loss/gain events and potential intron transfer events have been detected in evolution of Agaricomycotina, Pucciniomycotina and Ustilaginomycotina. We further detected large-scale gene rearrangements between the 19 mitogenomes from Agaricomycotina, Pucciniomycotina and Ustilaginomycotina, and fifteen of the 17 mitochondrial genes shared by Apiotrichum varied in gene arrangements. Phylogenetic analyses based on maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods using a combined mitochondrial gene dataset revealed different taxonomic assignment of two Apiotrichum species, wherein A. gamsii had a more closely relationship with Trichosporon asahii. This study served as the first report on mitogenomes from the genus Apiotrichum, which promotes the understanding of evolution, genomics, and phylogeny of Apiotrichum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Wenqi Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Peng Wu
- Yunnan Plateau Characteristic Agricultural Industry Research Institute, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Peng Xiang
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qian Wu
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Liang Zou
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, 2025 # Chengluo Avenue, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan, China.
| | - Mingying Gui
- Yunnan Plateau Characteristic Agricultural Industry Research Institute, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, 2025 # Chengluo Avenue, Chengdu, 610106, Sichuan, China.
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Bizarria R, de Castro Pietrobon T, Rodrigues A. Uncovering the Yeast Communities in Fungus-Growing Ant Colonies. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022:10.1007/s00248-022-02099-1. [PMID: 35962280 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-02099-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Yeast-insect interactions are compelling models to study the evolution, ecology, and diversification of yeasts. Fungus-growing (attine) ants are prominent insects in the Neotropics that evolved an ancient fungiculture of basidiomycete fungi over 55-65 million years, supplying an environment for a hidden yeast diversity. Here we assessed the yeast diversity in the attine ant environment by thoroughly sampling fungus gardens across four out of five ant fungiculture systems: Acromyrmex coronatus and Mycetomoellerius tucumanus standing for leaf-cutting and higher-attine fungicultures, respectively; Apterostigma sp., Mycetophylax sp., and Mycocepurus goeldii as ants from the lower-attine fungiculture. Among the fungus gardens of all fungus-growing ants examined, we found taxonomically unique and diverse microbial yeast communities across the different fungicultures. Ascomycete yeasts were the core taxa in fungus garden samples, with Saccharomycetales as the most frequent order. The genera Aureobasidium, Candida, Papiliotrema, Starmerella, and Sugiyamaella had the highest incidence in fungus gardens. Despite the expected similarity within the same fungiculture system, colonies of the same ant species differed in community structure. Among Saccharomycotina yeasts, few were distinguishable as killer yeasts, with a classical inhibition pattern for the killer phenotype, differing from earlier observations in this environment, which should be further investigated. Yeast mycobiome in fungus gardens is distinct between colonies of the same fungiculture and each ant colony harbors a distinguished and unique yeast community. Fungus gardens of attine ants are emergent environments to study the diversity and ecology of yeasts associated with insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo Bizarria
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bela Vista, Avenida 24-A, n. 1515SP 13.506-900, Rio Claro, Brazil
- Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | - Tatiane de Castro Pietrobon
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bela Vista, Avenida 24-A, n. 1515SP 13.506-900, Rio Claro, Brazil
- Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | - Andre Rodrigues
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bela Vista, Avenida 24-A, n. 1515SP 13.506-900, Rio Claro, Brazil.
- Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil.
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Chakraborty A, Mori B, Rehermann G, Garcia AH, Lemmen‐Lechelt J, Hagman A, Khalil S, Håkansson S, Witzgall P, Becher PG. Yeast and fruit fly mutual niche construction and antagonism against mould. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amrita Chakraborty
- Department of Plant Protection Biology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Box 102 23053 Alnarp Sweden
- EVA 4.0 Unit, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences Czech University of Life Sciences Kamýcka 129 16500 Prague Czech Republic
| | - Boyd Mori
- Department of Plant Protection Biology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Box 102 23053 Alnarp Sweden
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science University of Alberta Agriculture/Forestry Centre 4‐10 Edmonton Alberta Canada T6G 2P5
| | - Guillermo Rehermann
- Department of Plant Protection Biology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Box 102 23053 Alnarp Sweden
| | - Armando Hernández Garcia
- Department of Molecular Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Box 7015 75007 Uppsala Sweden
- Division of Biotechnology Department of Chemistry Faculty of Engineering Lund University Box 124 221 00 Lund Sweden
| | - Joelle Lemmen‐Lechelt
- Department of Plant Protection Biology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Box 102 23053 Alnarp Sweden
| | - Arne Hagman
- Division of Biotechnology Department of Chemistry Faculty of Engineering Lund University Box 124 221 00 Lund Sweden
| | - Sammar Khalil
- Department of Biosystems and Technology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Box 102 23053 Alnarp Sweden
| | - Sebastian Håkansson
- Department of Molecular Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Box 7015 75007 Uppsala Sweden
- Division of Applied Microbiology Department of Chemistry Faculty of Engineering Lund University Lund Sweden
| | - Peter Witzgall
- Department of Plant Protection Biology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Box 102 23053 Alnarp Sweden
| | - Paul G Becher
- Department of Plant Protection Biology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Box 102 23053 Alnarp Sweden
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