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Fotso Kuate A, Hanna R, Nanga SN, Tindo M, Doumtsop Fotio ARP, Nagel P. Species Richness, Density, Activity, and Composition of Ground-dwelling Ants in the Humid Forest Zone of Southern Cameroon: Role of Vegetation Cover and Abiotic Factors. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 51:1150-1157. [PMID: 36367581 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvac092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The destruction of natural habitats is among the major factors responsible for the decrease in species diversity and distribution. This study focused on the effect of vegetation and its interaction with the season on ant species richness, density, activity, and composition in the three dominant habitats - forest, fallow, and mixed crop field - prevailing in southern Cameroon. Ants were sampled using two sampling techniques -pitfall trap and quadrat - in fallows, forest, and mixed crop fields from May 2007 to April 2008. Average ant species richness did not differ between fallow and forest, but the number of species in both habitats was higher compared with mixed-crop field. Species richness was also higher during the short dry season compared with other seasons. Species density was higher in mixed-crop field and in the long dry season. Species activity was similar in the three habitats, but it was higher during the long-wet season. Species richness, activity, and density were lower at low altitude. Vegetation and season affected the composition of ant species, but not the interaction between the two factors. The highest dissimilarity index was observed between mixed crop-field and forest while between seasons, it was between the short-wet and the long dry season. These results suggest that vegetation cover and abiotic factors interact to determine the distribution, density, activity, and composition of ant species. Identifying key drivers among environmental factors could help to understand the response of species to the variation of those factors in the context of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Fotso Kuate
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), BP 2008 Messa, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - R Hanna
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), BP 2008 Messa, Yaounde, Cameroon
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA, USA
| | - S N Nanga
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), BP 2008 Messa, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - M Tindo
- University of Douala, Faculty of Science, BP 24157 Douala, Cameroon
| | - A R P Doumtsop Fotio
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), BP 2008 Messa, Yaounde, Cameroon
- University of Maroua, Faculty of Science, BP 814 Maroua, Cameroon
| | - P Nagel
- University of Basel, Faculty of Science, Basel, Switzerland
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Touchard A, Mendel HC, Boulogne I, Herzig V, Braga Emidio N, King GF, Triquigneaux M, Jaquillard L, Beroud R, De Waard M, Delalande O, Dejean A, Muttenthaler M, Duplais C. Heterodimeric Insecticidal Peptide Provides New Insights into the Molecular and Functional Diversity of Ant Venoms. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2020; 3:1211-1224. [PMID: 33344898 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.0c00119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ants use venom for predation, defense, and communication; however, the molecular diversity, function, and potential applications of ant venom remains understudied compared to other venomous lineages such as arachnids, snakes and cone snails. In this work, we used a multidisciplinary approach that encompassed field work, proteomics, sequencing, chemical synthesis, structural analysis, molecular modeling, stability studies, and in vitro and in vivo bioassays to investigate the molecular diversity of the venom of the Amazonian Pseudomyrmex penetrator ants. We isolated a potent insecticidal heterodimeric peptide Δ-pseudomyrmecitoxin-Pp1a (Δ-PSDTX-Pp1a) composed of a 27-residue long A-chain and a 33-residue long B-chain cross-linked by two disulfide bonds in an antiparallel orientation. We chemically synthesized Δ-PSDTX-Pp1a, its corresponding parallel AA and BB homodimers, and its monomeric chains and demonstrated that Δ-PSDTX-Pp1a had the most potent insecticidal effects in blowfly assays (LD50 = 3 nmol/g). Molecular modeling and circular dichroism studies revealed strong α-helical features, indicating its cytotoxic effects could derive from cell membrane pore formation or disruption. The native heterodimer was substantially more stable against proteolytic degradation (t 1/2 = 13 h) than its homodimers or monomers (t 1/2 < 20 min), indicating an evolutionary advantage of the more complex structure. The proteomic analysis of Pseudomyrmex penetrator venom and in-depth characterization of Δ-PSDTX-Pp1a provide novel insights in the structural complexity of ant venom and further exemplifies how nature exploits disulfide-bond formation and dimerization to gain an evolutionary advantage via improved stability, a concept that is highly relevant for the design and development of peptide therapeutics, molecular probes, and bioinsecticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Touchard
- CNRS, UMR Ecofog, AgroParisTech, Cirad, INRAE, Université des Antilles, Université de Guyane, Kourou 97310, France
| | - Helen C Mendel
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Isabelle Boulogne
- Université de ROUEN, UFR des Sciences et Techniques, Laboratoire Glycobiologie et Matrice Extracellulaire Végétale, UPRES-EA 4358, Fédération de Recherche Normandie Végétal FED 4277, Mont-Saint-Aignan 76821, France
| | - Volker Herzig
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.,GeneCology Research Centre, School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland 4556, Australia
| | - Nayara Braga Emidio
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Glenn F King
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | | | - Lucie Jaquillard
- Smartox Biotechnology, 6 rue des Platanes, Saint Egrève 38120, France
| | - Rémy Beroud
- Smartox Biotechnology, 6 rue des Platanes, Saint Egrève 38120, France
| | - Michel De Waard
- Smartox Biotechnology, 6 rue des Platanes, Saint Egrève 38120, France.,Université de Nantes, CNRS, INSERM, L'institut du thorax, Nantes 44000, France.,LabEx, Ion Channels, Science & Therapeutics, Valbonne 06560, France
| | - Olivier Delalande
- Institute of Genetics and Development of Rennes (IGDR), CNRS UMR 6290, Université de Rennes Faculté de Pharmacie, 2 avenue du Professeur Léon Bernard, Rennes 35043, France
| | - Alain Dejean
- CNRS, UMR Ecofog, AgroParisTech, Cirad, INRAE, Université des Antilles, Université de Guyane, Kourou 97310, France.,Ecolab, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse 31058, France
| | - Markus Muttenthaler
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.,Institute of Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Christophe Duplais
- CNRS, UMR Ecofog, AgroParisTech, Cirad, INRAE, Université des Antilles, Université de Guyane, Kourou 97310, France
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Cologna CT, Rodrigues RS, Santos J, de Pauw E, Arantes EC, Quinton L. Peptidomic investigation of Neoponera villosa venom by high-resolution mass spectrometry: seasonal and nesting habitat variations. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2018; 24:6. [PMID: 29467797 PMCID: PMC5816382 DOI: 10.1186/s40409-018-0141-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Advancements in proteomics, including the technological improvement in instrumentation, have turned mass spectrometry into an indispensable tool in the study of venoms and toxins. In addition, the advance of nanoscale liquid chromatography coupled to nanoelectrospray mass spectrometry allows, due to its high sensitivity, the study of venoms from species previously left aside, such as ants. Ant venoms are a complex mixture of compounds used for defense, predation or communication purposes. The venom from Neoponera ants, a genus restricted to Neotropical regions, is known to have cytolytic, hemolytic, antimicrobial and insecticidal activities. Moreover, venoms from several Neoponera species have been compared and differences in their toxicity related to nesting habitat variation were reported. Therefore, the present study aimed to perform a deep peptidomic analysis of Neoponera villosa venom and a comparison of seasonal and nesting habitat variations using high-resolution mass spectrometry. Methods Specimens of N. villosa ants were captured in Panga Natural Reserve (Uberlândia, MG, Brazil) from arboreal and ground-dwelling nests during summer and winter time. The venom glands were dissected, pooled and disrupted by ultra-sonic waves. The venom collected from different habitats (arboreal and ground-dwelling) and different seasons (summer and winter) was injected into a nanoACQUITY ULPC hyphened to a Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometer. The raw data were analyzed using PEAKS 7. Results The results showed a molecular diversity of more than 500 peptides among these venoms, mostly in the mass range of 800–4000 Da. Mutations and post-translational modifications were described and differences among the venoms were observed. Part of the peptides matched with ponericins, a well-known antimicrobial peptide family. In addition, smaller fragments related to ponericins were also identified, suggesting that this class of antimicrobial peptide might undergo enzymatic cleavages. Conclusion There are substantial differences among the venom of N. villosa ants collected in different seasons and from different nest habitats. The venom composition is affected by climate changes that influence prey availability and predator presence. Clearly, nano-LC-MS boosted the knowledge about ant venom, a rich source of unexplored and promising bioactive compounds. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s40409-018-0141-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Takeno Cologna
- 1School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil.,2Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry, MolSys, Department of Chemistry, Liège Université, Liège, Belgium
| | | | - Jean Santos
- 3Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG Brazil
| | - Edwin de Pauw
- 2Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry, MolSys, Department of Chemistry, Liège Université, Liège, Belgium
| | - Eliane Candiani Arantes
- 1School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil
| | - Loïc Quinton
- 2Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry, MolSys, Department of Chemistry, Liège Université, Liège, Belgium
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Sanders JG, Łukasik P, Frederickson ME, Russell JA, Koga R, Knight R, Pierce NE. Dramatic Differences in Gut Bacterial Densities Correlate with Diet and Habitat in Rainforest Ants. Integr Comp Biol 2017; 57:705-722. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icx088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
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Bat aggregation mediates the functional structure of ant assemblages. C R Biol 2015; 338:688-95. [PMID: 26302832 DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2015.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In the Guianese rainforest, we examined the impact of the presence of guano in and around a bat roosting site (a cave). We used ant communities as an indicator to evaluate this impact because they occupy a central place in the functioning of tropical rainforest ecosystems and they play different roles in the food web as they can be herbivores, generalists, scavengers or predators. The ant species richness around the cave did not differ from a control sample situated 500m away. Yet, the comparison of functional groups resulted in significantly greater numbers of detritivorous fungus-growing and predatory ant colonies around the cave compared to the control, the contrary being true for nectar and honeydew feeders. The role of bats, through their guano, was shown using stable isotope analyses as we noted significantly greater δ(15)N values for the ant species captured in and around the cave compared to controls.
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Schuldt A, Staab M. Tree Species Richness Strengthens Relationships between Ants and the Functional Composition of Spider Assemblages in a Highly Diverse Forest. Biotropica 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Schuldt
- Leuphana University Lüneburg; Institute of Ecology; Scharnhorststr. 1 D-21335 Lüneburg Germany
| | - Michael Staab
- University of Freiburg; Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Tennenbacherstr. 4 D-79106 Freiburg Germany
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Aili SR, Touchard A, Escoubas P, Padula MP, Orivel J, Dejean A, Nicholson GM. Diversity of peptide toxins from stinging ant venoms. Toxicon 2014; 92:166-78. [PMID: 25448389 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2014.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Accepted: 10/27/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) represent a taxonomically diverse group of arthropods comprising nearly 13,000 extant species. Sixteen ant subfamilies have individuals that possess a stinger and use their venom for purposes such as a defence against predators, competitors and microbial pathogens, for predation, as well as for social communication. They exhibit a range of activities including antimicrobial, haemolytic, cytolytic, paralytic, insecticidal and pain-producing pharmacologies. While ant venoms are known to be rich in alkaloids and hydrocarbons, ant venoms rich in peptides are becoming more common, yet remain understudied. Recent advances in mass spectrometry techniques have begun to reveal the true complexity of ant venom peptide composition. In the few venoms explored thus far, most peptide toxins appear to occur as small polycationic linear toxins, with antibacterial properties and insecticidal activity. Unlike other venomous animals, a number of ant venoms also contain a range of homodimeric and heterodimeric peptides with one or two interchain disulfide bonds possessing pore-forming, allergenic and paralytic actions. However, ant venoms seem to have only a small number of monomeric disulfide-linked peptides. The present review details the structure and pharmacology of known ant venom peptide toxins and their potential as a source of novel bioinsecticides and therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samira R Aili
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Axel Touchard
- CNRS, UMR Écologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Pierre Escoubas
- VenomeTech, 473 Route des Dolines - Villa 3, 06560 Valbonne, France
| | - Matthew P Padula
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Jérôme Orivel
- CNRS, UMR Écologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Alain Dejean
- CNRS, UMR Écologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France; Laboratoire Écologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement, Université de Toulouse, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France.
| | - Graham M Nicholson
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
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Touchard A, Labrière N, Roux O, Petitclerc F, Orivel J, Escoubas P, Koh JMS, Nicholson GM, Dejean A. Venom toxicity and composition in three Pseudomyrmex ant species having different nesting modes. Toxicon 2014; 88:67-76. [PMID: 24929139 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2014.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2014] [Revised: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/29/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
We aimed to determine whether the nesting habits of ants have influenced their venom toxicity and composition. We focused on the genus Pseudomyrmex (Pseudomyrmecinae) comprising terrestrial and arboreal species, and, among the latter, plant-ants that are obligate inhabitants of myrmecophytes (i.e., plants sheltering ants in hollow structures). Contrary to our hypothesis, the venom of the ground-dwelling species, Pseudomyrmex termitarius, was as efficacious in paralyzing prey as the venoms of the arboreal and the plant-ant species, Pseudomyrmex penetrator and Pseudomyrmex gracilis. The lethal potency of P. termitarius venom was equipotent with that of P. gracilis whereas the venom of P. penetrator was less potent. The MALDI-TOF MS analysis of each HPLC fraction of the venoms showed that P. termitarius venom is composed of 87 linear peptides, while both P. gracilis and P. penetrator venoms (23 and 26 peptides, respectively) possess peptides with disulfide bonds. Furthermore, P. penetrator venom contains three hetero- and homodimeric peptides consisting of two short peptidic chains linked together by two interchain disulfide bonds. The large number of peptides in P. termitarius venom is likely related to the large diversity of potential prey plus the antibacterial peptides required for nesting in the ground. Whereas predation involves only the prey and predator, P. penetrator venom has evolved in an environment where trees, defoliating insects, browsing mammals and ants live in equilibrium, likely explaining the diversity of the peptide structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Touchard
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Nicolas Labrière
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Olivier Roux
- IRD, MIVEGEC (IRD 224-CNRS 5290-UM1-UM2) Équipe BEES, 911 Avenue Agropolis, BP 64501, 34394 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Frédéric Petitclerc
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Jérôme Orivel
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France
| | - Pierre Escoubas
- VenomeTech, 473 Route des Dolines-Villa 3, Valbonne 06560, France
| | - Jennifer M S Koh
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology, Sydney, Broadway NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Graham M Nicholson
- Neurotoxin Research Group, School of Medical & Molecular Biosciences, University of Technology, Sydney, Broadway NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Alain Dejean
- CNRS, UMR Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (EcoFoG), Campus Agronomique, BP 316, 97379 Kourou Cedex, France; Laboratoire Écologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France.
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