1
|
Tiritelli R, Giannetti D, Schifani E, Grasso DA, Cilia G. Neighbors sharing pathogens: the intricate relationship between Apis mellifera and ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) nesting in hives. INSECT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 39126179 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Ants are ubiquitous and eusocial insects that exhibit frequent physical contact among colony members, thereby increasing their susceptibility to diseases. Some species are often found in beehives and in their surroundings, where they exploit the food resources of honey bees. This intricate relationship may facilitate the interspecific transmission of honey bee pathogens to ants, although ants themselves may contribute to spillback phenomena. The objective of this study was to assess the presence and abundance of honey bee pathogens in ants sampled from Italian apiaries. A total of 37 colonies within 24 apiaries across 7 regions were monitored. In total, 6 pathogens were detected in adult ants and 3 in the brood. In particular, the study revealed a high prevalence of honey bee pathogens in ants, with DWV, BQCV, and CBPV being the most commonly encountered. The brood also tested positive for the same viruses. Notably, all analyzed viruses were found to be replicative in both adult ants and ant broods. Furthermore, co-infections were prevalent, suggesting complex pathogen interactions within ant populations. Statistical analysis indicated significant differences in pathogen prevalence and abundance among ant species and sample types. The findings highlight active infection in both the ants and the brood, suggesting a potential role of ants as reservoir hosts and vectors of honey bee pathogens emphasizing the need for further research to understand the implications of interspecific pathogen transmission on ant and bee health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rossella Tiritelli
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), Bologna, Italy
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences & Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Daniele Giannetti
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences & Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Enrico Schifani
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences & Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Donato A Grasso
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences & Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Giovanni Cilia
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA), Bologna, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zhou G, Liu JX, Liu J, Yang J, Qiao X, Cao M, Jiang M. Ants may buffer the Janzen-Connell effect in a tropical forest in Southwest China. Ecology 2024:e4380. [PMID: 39031002 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
Mutualistic symbioses between ants and plants are widespread in nature. Ants can deter unwanted pests and provide protection for plants in return for food or housing rewards. Using a long-term demographic dataset in a tropical seasonal rain forest in Southwest China, we found that associations with ants positively influenced seedling survival and adult growth, and also, species with extrafloral nectaries experienced weaker conspecific negative density dependence compared with species without extrafloral nectaries. Furthermore, we found strong evidence suggesting that species in our forest experienced conspecific density dependence, which we interpreted as heavy pest pressure that may drive the development of anti-pest symbioses such as the plant-ant relationship. Our findings suggest that ants and conspecific neighbors play important but inverse roles on plant survival and growth and that ants can buffer tree neighborhood interactions in this tropical forest.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gang Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing-Xin Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
| | - Jikun Liu
- College of Agriculture, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Jie Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
- Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
| | - Xiujuan Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Min Cao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
- Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
| | - Mingxi Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Mizuno T, Sato H, Itioka T. Foraging ants affect community composition and diversity of phyllosphere fungi on a myrmecophilous plants, Mallotus japonicus. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11423. [PMID: 38751826 PMCID: PMC11094773 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11423] [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: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Many microorganisms inhabit the aboveground parts of plants (i.e. the phyllosphere), which mainly comprise leaves. Understanding the structure of phyllosphere microbial communities and their drivers is important because they influence host plant fitness and ecosystem functions. Despite the high prevalence of ant-plant associations, few studies have used quantitative community data to investigate the effects of ants on phyllosphere microbial communities. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ants on the phyllosphere fungal communities of Mallotus japonicus using high-throughput sequencing. Mallotus japonicus is a myrmecophilous plants that bears extrafloral nectaries, attracting several ant species, but does not provide specific ant species with nest sites like myrmecophytes do. We experimentally excluded ants with sticky resins from the target plants and collected leaf discs to extract fungal DNA. The ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) regions of the phyllosphere fungi were amplified and sequenced to obtain fungal community data. Our results showed that the exclusion of ants changed the phyllosphere fungal community composition; however, the effect of ants on OTU richness was not clear. These results indicate that ants can change the community of phyllosphere fungi, even if the plant is not a myrmecophyte.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takafumi Mizuno
- Graduate School of Human and Environmental StudiesKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Hirotoshi Sato
- Graduate School of Human and Environmental StudiesKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Takao Itioka
- Graduate School of Human and Environmental StudiesKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Müller AT, Nakamura Y, Reichelt M, Luck K, Cosio E, Lackus ND, Gershenzon J, Mithöfer A, Köllner TG. Biosynthesis, herbivore induction, and defensive role of phenylacetaldoxime glucoside. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 194:329-346. [PMID: 37584327 PMCID: PMC10756763 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Aldoximes are well-known metabolic precursors for plant defense compounds such as cyanogenic glycosides, glucosinolates, and volatile nitriles. They are also defenses themselves produced in response to herbivory; however, it is unclear whether aldoximes can be stored over a longer term as defense compounds and how plants protect themselves against the potential autotoxic effects of aldoximes. Here, we show that the Neotropical myrmecophyte tococa (Tococa quadrialata, recently renamed Miconia microphysca) accumulates phenylacetaldoxime glucoside (PAOx-Glc) in response to leaf herbivory. Sequence comparison, transcriptomic analysis, and heterologous expression revealed that 2 cytochrome P450 enzymes, CYP79A206 and CYP79A207, and the UDP-glucosyltransferase UGT85A123 are involved in the formation of PAOx-Glc in tococa. Another P450, CYP71E76, was shown to convert PAOx to the volatile defense compound benzyl cyanide. The formation of PAOx-Glc and PAOx in leaves is a very local response to herbivory but does not appear to be regulated by jasmonic acid signaling. In contrast to PAOx, which was only detectable during herbivory, PAOx-Glc levels remained high for at least 3 d after insect feeding. This, together with the fact that gut protein extracts of 3 insect herbivore species exhibited hydrolytic activity toward PAOx-Glc, suggests that the glucoside is a stable storage form of a defense compound that may provide rapid protection against future herbivory. Moreover, the finding that herbivory or pathogen elicitor treatment also led to the accumulation of PAOx-Glc in 3 other phylogenetically distant plant species suggests that the formation and storage of aldoxime glucosides may represent a widespread plant defense response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea T Müller
- Research Group Plant Defense Physiology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745 Jena, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745 Jena, Germany
- Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, Institute for Nature Earth and Energy (INTE-PUCP), San Miguel 15088, Lima, Peru
| | - Yoko Nakamura
- Research Group Biosynthesis/NMR, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745 Jena, Germany
- Department of Natural Product Research, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Reichelt
- Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Katrin Luck
- Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Eric Cosio
- Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, Institute for Nature Earth and Energy (INTE-PUCP), San Miguel 15088, Lima, Peru
| | - Nathalie D Lackus
- Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Jonathan Gershenzon
- Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Axel Mithöfer
- Research Group Plant Defense Physiology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Tobias G Köllner
- Department of Natural Product Research, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Khayat MT, Ghazawi KF, Samman WA, Alhaddad AA, Mohamed GA, Ibrahim SRM. Recent advances on natural depsidones: sources, biosynthesis, structure-activity relationship, and bioactivities. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15394. [PMID: 37197584 PMCID: PMC10184659 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Depsidones are a class of polyphenolic polyketides that have been proposed to be biosynthesized from oxidative coupling of esters of two polyketidic benzoic acid derivatives. They are principally encountered in fungi and lichens. In addition to their diversified structural features, they revealed varied bioactivities such as antimicrobial, antimalarial, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, anti-Helicobacter pylori, antimycobacterial, antihypertensive, anti-diarrheal, antidiabetic, phytotoxic, anti-HIV, anti-osteoclastogenic, and butyrylcholinesterase, tyrosinase, hyaluronidase, and acetylcholinesterase inhibition. The current work was targeted to provide an overview on the naturally reported depsidones from various sources in the period from 2018 to the end of 2022 including their structures, biosynthesis, sources, and bioactivities, as well as the reported structure-activity relationship and semisynthetic derivatives. A total of 172 metabolites with 87 references were reviewed. The reported findings unambiguously demonstrated that these derivatives could be promising leads for therapeutic agents. However, further in-vivo evaluation of their potential biological properties and mechanistic investigations are needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maan T. Khayat
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kholoud F. Ghazawi
- Clinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Waad A. Samman
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aisha A. Alhaddad
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gamal A. Mohamed
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sabrin RM Ibrahim
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
- Department of Chemistry, Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Callejas-Chavero A, Martínez-Hernández DG, Vargas-Mendoza CF, Flores-Martínez A. Herbivory in Myrtillocactus geometrizans (Cactaceae): Do Parasitoids Provide Indirect Defense or a Direct Advantage? PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:47. [PMID: 36616177 PMCID: PMC9824105 DOI: 10.3390/plants12010047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Plants respond to herbivory in diverse, complex ways, ranging from avoidance or tolerance to indirect defense mechanisms such as attracting natural enemies of herbivores, i.e., parasitoids or predators, to strengthen their defense. Defense provided by parasitoids to cultivated plants is well documented and is used in biological control programs. However, its effectiveness on wild plants under natural conditions has been little studied. Such is the case of the cactus Myrtilllocactus geometrizans (known in Mexico as garambullo), which is consumed by the soft-scale insect Toumeyella martinezae (herbivore) which, in turn, is host to the parasitoid wasp Mexidalgus toumeyellus, and mutualist with the ant Liometopum apiculatum, that tenders and protects it. This study explores the role of the parasitoid as an indirect defense, by examining its effect on both the herbivore and the plant, and how this interaction is affected by the presence of the mutualistic ant. We found that scales adversely affect the cactus' growth, flower, and fruit production, as well as its progeny's performance, as seedlings from scale-infested garambullo plants were shorter, and it also favors the presence of fungus (sooty mold). The parasitoid responded positively to herbivore abundance, but the presence of ants reduced the intensity of parasitism. Our results show that parasitoids can function as an indirect defense, but their effectiveness is reduced by the presence of the herbivore's mutualistic ant.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Callejas-Chavero
- Laboratorio de Ecología Vegetal, Departamento de Botánica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
| | - Diana Guadalupe Martínez-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Ecología Vegetal, Departamento de Botánica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
| | - Carlos Fabian Vargas-Mendoza
- Laboratorio de Variación Biológica y Evolución, Departamento de Zoología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
| | - Arturo Flores-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Ecología Vegetal, Departamento de Botánica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
GUO ZK, ZHU WY, ZHAO LX, CHEN YC, LI SJ, CHENG P, GE HM, TAN RX, JIAO RH. New antibacterial depsidones from an ant-derived fungus Spiromastix sp. MY-1. Chin J Nat Med 2022; 20:627-632. [DOI: 10.1016/s1875-5364(22)60170-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
|
8
|
Rost-Komiya B, Smith MA, Rogy P, Srivastava DS. Do bromeliads affect the arboreal ant communities on orange trees in northwestern Costa Rica? PLoS One 2022; 17:e0271040. [PMID: 35793376 PMCID: PMC9258856 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0271040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Ants often interact with other invertebrates as predators or mutualists. Epiphytic bromeliads provide nesting sites for ants, and could increase ant abundances in the tree canopy. We surveyed ants in the foliage of orange trees that either hosted bromeliads or did not. To determine if observed associations between bromeliads and tree ants were causal, we removed bromeliads from half of the trees, and resurveyed ants six weeks later. Our results show that bromeliad presence is correlated with higher ant abundances and different species of ants on orange trees during the dry season. This increase in ant abundance was driven primarily by Solenopsis ants, which were both numerous and found to facultatively nest in bromeliads. Bromeliad removal did not affect either ant abundance or composition, potentially because this manipulation coincided with the transition from dry to wet season. Other ant species were never encountered nesting in bromeliads, and the abundances of such ants on tree leaves were unaffected by bromeliad presence or removal. Considering the importance of ants in herbivore regulation, our findings suggest that bromeliads–through their association with ants–could indirectly be associated with biological control in agricultural systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Rost-Komiya
- Department of Zoology & Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - M. Alex Smith
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Pierre Rogy
- Department of Zoology & Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Diane S. Srivastava
- Department of Zoology & Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Offenberg J, Jensen IC, Hansen RR. Combatting plant diseases with ant chemicals: A review and meta‐analysis. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
10
|
Counsell CWW, Donahue MJ. Protection mutualists affect colonization and establishment of host‐associated species in a coral reef cryptofauna community. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chelsie W. W. Counsell
- Fairfield Univ. Fairfield CT USA
- Univ. of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Honolulu HI USA
- Hawai‘i Inst. of Marine Biology Kāne‘ohe HI USA
| | - Megan J. Donahue
- Univ. of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Honolulu HI USA
- Hawai‘i Inst. of Marine Biology Kāne‘ohe HI USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Cazalis R, Cottam R. An approach to the plant body: Assessing concrete and abstract aspects. Biosystems 2021; 207:104461. [PMID: 34166731 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2021.104461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The paper aims at proposing a representation of plants as individuals. The first section selects the population of plants to which this study is addressed. The second section describes the effective architecture of plants as modular systems with fixed and mobile elements, in other words, plants and their extensions. The third section presents how plants integrate the fixed and mobile modules into functional units through three areas of particular relevance to plant growth and development: nutrition, defence and pollination. Based on the tangible elements introduced in the previous sections, the fourth section presents the main issue of the proposal which is not apparent at first glance, namely, the local-global relationship in plants' architecture that determines their individuality as organisms. Finally, in the conclusion, we issue the challenge of developing a collective presentation of plants which satisfies their complementary dimension.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roland Cazalis
- Dept. of 'Sciences, Philosophies, Societies', ESPHIN, NAXYS, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Ron Cottam
- The Living Systems Project, Department of Electronics and Informatics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Gram-negative bacteria associated with a dominant arboreal ant species outcompete phyllosphere-associated bacteria species in a tropical canopy. Oecologia 2021; 195:959-970. [PMID: 33630170 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04878-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Ants have efficient and well-studied social immunity mechanisms, which prevent the colony contamination. Little is known about how workers keep their outside territory clear of diseases. We investigated the interactions between Azteca chartifex ants, their associated bacteria and bacteria on the phyllosphere of Byrsonima sericea trees, comparing plants patrolled and not by the ants. The hypothesis is that bacteria associated with the worker's exoskeleton may outcompete the leaf bacteria. Culturable bacteria were isolated from ants, from the main and satellite nests, and from phyllosphere of B. sericea taken from trees that had A. chartifex nests and from trees without nests. The isolates were grouped by Gram guilds and identified at the genus level. There was a higher percentage of Gram-negative isolates in the ants and on the leaves patrolled by them. There was a higher growth rate of ant bacteria from the main nest compared to those found in ants from the satellite nests. The most representative genus among ant isolates was Enterobacter, also found on leaves patrolled by ants. Under favourable in vitro conditions, A. chartifex Gram-negative bacteria outcompete leaf bacteria by overgrowth, showing a greater competition capacity over the Gram-positive bacteria from leaves with no previous interaction with ants in the field. It was demonstrated that ants carry bacteria capable of outcompeting exogenous bacteria associated with their outside territory. The leaf microbiota of a patrolled tree could be shaped by the ant microbiota, suggesting that large ant colonies may have a key role in structuring canopy plant-microbe interactions.
Collapse
|
13
|
Hung TW. Nonhuman rationality: a predictive coding perspective. Cogn Process 2021; 22:353-362. [PMID: 33404900 DOI: 10.1007/s10339-020-01009-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
How can we rethink 'rationality' in the wake of animal and artificial intelligence studies? Can nonhuman systems be rational in any nontrivial sense? In this paper, we propose that all organisms, under certain circumstances, exhibit rationality to a diverse degree and aspect in the sense of the standard picture (SP): Their inferential processes conform to logic and probability rules. We first show that according to Calvo and Friston (J R Soc Interface 14(131):20170096, 2017) and Orlandi (2018), all biological systems must embody a top-down process (active inference) to minimize free energy. Next, based on Maddy's (Second philosophy, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2007; The logical must: Wittgenstein on logic, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2014) analysis, we argue that this inferential process conforms to logic and probability rules; thus, it satisfies the SP, which explains the rudimentary logic and arithmetic (e.g., categorizing and numbering) found among pigeons and mice. We also hold that the mammalian brain is only one among many ways of implementing rationality. Finally, we discuss data from microorganisms to support this view.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tzu-Wei Hung
- Institute of European and American Studies, Academia Sinica, Taipei City, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Kaltenpoth M, Flórez LV. Versatile and Dynamic Symbioses Between Insects and Burkholderia Bacteria. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 65:145-170. [PMID: 31594411 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-011019-025025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Symbiotic associations with microorganisms represent major sources of ecological and evolutionary innovations in insects. Multiple insect taxa engage in symbioses with bacteria of the genus Burkholderia, a diverse group that is widespread across different environments and whose members can be mutualistic or pathogenic to plants, fungi, and animals. Burkholderia symbionts provide nutritional benefits and resistance against insecticides to stinkbugs, defend Lagria beetle eggs against pathogenic fungi, and may be involved in nitrogen metabolism in ants. In contrast to many other insect symbioses, the known associations with Burkholderia are characterized by environmental symbiont acquisition or mixed-mode transmission, resulting in interesting ecological and evolutionary dynamics of symbiont strain composition. Insect-Burkholderia symbioses present valuable model systems from which to derive insights into general principles governing symbiotic interactions because they are often experimentally and genetically tractable and span a large fraction of the diversity of functions, localizations, and transmission routes represented in insect symbioses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Kaltenpoth
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Evolutionary Ecology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany; ,
| | - Laura V Flórez
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Evolutionary Ecology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany; ,
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Gall-Colonizing Ants and Their Role as Plant Defenders: From 'Bad Job' to 'Useful Service'. INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10110392. [PMID: 31698832 PMCID: PMC6920797 DOI: 10.3390/insects10110392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Galls are neoformed structures on host plant tissues caused by the attack of insects or other organisms. They support different communities of specialized parasitic insects (the gall inducers), and can also provide refuge to other insects, such as moths, beetles and ants, referred to as secondary occupants. This study focuses on galls induced by the oak gall wasp Andricus quercustozae and secondarily colonized by ants in a mixed oak forest. A field survey and two experiments were carried out to a) study ant (species-specific) preferences for different features of the galls, b) describe differences in gall architecture due to ant activity, c) analyse the effects of the presence of gall-dwelling ants on plant health. The results show that there are differences between ant species in gall colonization and in the alteration of gall opening and inner structure. We verified that gall-dwelling ants protect their host plants efficiently, offering them an indirect defence mechanism against enemies (predators and pathogens). The data suggest a new paradigm in ant–plant relationships mediated by the presence of galls on the plants whose ecological and evolutionary implications are discussed.
Collapse
|
16
|
Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Offenberg
- Dept of Bioscience, Aarhus Univ. Vejlsøvej 25, DK‐8600 Silkeborg Aarhus 8000 Denmark
| | - Christian Damgaard
- Dept of Bioscience, Aarhus Univ. Vejlsøvej 25, DK‐8600 Silkeborg Aarhus 8000 Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Leichty AR, Poethig RS. Development and evolution of age-dependent defenses in ant-acacias. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:15596-15601. [PMID: 31308222 PMCID: PMC6681755 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1900644116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Age-dependent changes in plant defense against herbivores are widespread, but why these changes exist remains a mystery. We explored this question by examining a suite of traits required for the interaction between swollen thorn acacias (genus Vachellia) and ants of the genus Pseudomyrmex In this system, plants provide ants with refuge and food in the form of swollen stipular spines, protein-lipid-rich "Beltian" bodies, and sugar-secreting extrafloral nectaries-the "swollen thorn syndrome." We show that this syndrome develops at a predictable time in shoot development and is tightly associated with the temporal decline in the microRNAs miR156 and miR157 and a corresponding increase in their targets-the SPL transcription factors. Growth under reduced light intensity delays both the decline in miR156/157 and the development of the swollen thorn syndrome, supporting the conclusion that these traits are controlled by the miR156-SPL pathway. Production of extrafloral nectaries by Vachellia sp. that do not house ants is also correlated with a decline in miR156/157, suggesting that this syndrome evolved by co-opting a preexisting age-dependent program. Along with genetic evidence from other model systems, these findings support the hypothesis that the age-dependent development of the swollen thorn syndrome is a consequence of genetic regulation rather than a passive developmental pattern arising from developmental constraints on when these traits can develop.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron R Leichty
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - R Scott Poethig
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104;
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Ricks KD, Koide RT. The role of inoculum dispersal and plant species identity in the assembly of leaf endophytic fungal communities. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219832. [PMID: 31310633 PMCID: PMC6640817 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Because of disturbance and plant species loss at the local level, many arid ecosystems in the western USA benefit from revegetation. There is a growing interest in improving revegetation success by purposefully inoculating revegetation plants with mutualistic endophytic fungi that increase plant stress tolerance. However, inoculant fungi must compete against fungi that indigenous to the habitat, many of which may not be mutualistic. Our overall goal, therefore, is to learn how to efficiently colonize revegetation plants using endophytic fungal inoculum. The goal will be facilitated by understanding the factors that limit colonization of plants by endophytic fungi, including inoculum dispersal and host compatibility. We analyzed endophytic fungal communities in leaves of Bromus tectorum and Elymus elymoides (Poaceae), Chrysothamnus depressus and Artemisia tridentata (Asteraceae), Alyssum alyssoides (Brassicaceae) and Atriplex canescens (Amaranthaceae), each occurring in each of 18 field plots. We found that dispersal limitation was significant for endophytic fungal communities of Atriplex canescens and Bromus tectorum, accounting for 9 and 17%, respectively, of the variation in endophytic fungal community structure, even though the maximum distance between plots was only 350 m. Plant species identity accounted for 33% of the variation in endophytic fungal community structure. These results indicate that the communities of endophytic fungi assembling in these plant species depend significantly on proximity to inoculum source as well as the identity of the plant species. Therefore, if endophytic fungi are to be used to facilitate revegetation by these plant species, land managers may find it profitable to consider both the proximity of inoculum to revegetation plants and the suitability of the inoculum to targeted host plant species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin D. Ricks
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States of America
| | - Roger T. Koide
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Hernández-Zepeda OF, Razo-Belman R, Heil M. Reduced Responsiveness to Volatile Signals Creates a Modular Reward Provisioning in an Obligate Food-for-Protection Mutualism. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1076. [PMID: 30087690 PMCID: PMC6066664 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Plants in more than 100 families secrete extrafloral nectar (EFN) to establish food-for-protection mutualisms with ants. Facultative ant-plants secrete EFN as a jasmonic acid (JA)-dependent response to attract generalist ants. In contrast, obligate ant-plants like the Central American "Swollen-Thorn Acacias" are colonized by specialized ants, although an individual host can carry ant colonies from different species that differ in the degree of protection they provide. We hypothesized that hosts that associate simultaneously with various partners should produce rewards in a modular manner to preferentially reward high quality partners. To test this hypothesis, we applied JA to distinct leaves and quantified cell wall invertase activity (CWIN; a regulator of nectar secretion) and EFN secretion by these "local" (i.e., treated) and the "systemic" (i.e., non-treated) leaves of the same branch. Both CWIN activity and EFN secretion increased in local and systemic leaves of the facultative ant-plant Acacia cochliacantha, but only in the local leaves of the obligate ant-plant, A. cornigera. The systemic EFN secretion in A. cochliacantha was associated with an enhanced emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Such VOCs function as "external signals" that control systemic defense responses in diverse plant species. Indeed, the headspace of JA-treated branches of A. cochliacantha induced EFN secretion in both plant species, whereas the headspace of A. cornigera caused no detectable induction effect. Analyses of the headspace using GC-MS identified six VOCs in the headspace of A. cochliacantha that were not emitted by A. cornigera. Among these VOCs, β-caryophyllene and (cis)-hexenyl isovalerate have already been reported in other plant species to induce defense traits, including EFN secretion. Our observations underline the importance of VOCs as systemic within-plant signals and show that the modular rewarding in A. cornigera is likely to result from a reduced emission of the systemic signal, rather than from a reduced responsiveness to the signal. We suggest that modular rewarding allows hosts to restrict the metabolic investment to specific partners and to efficiently sanction potential exploiters.
Collapse
|
20
|
Baluška F, Mancuso S. Plant Cognition and Behavior: From Environmental Awareness to Synaptic Circuits Navigating Root Apices. MEMORY AND LEARNING IN PLANTS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-75596-0_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
|
21
|
Shaver EC, Silliman BR. Time to cash in on positive interactions for coral restoration. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3499. [PMID: 28652942 PMCID: PMC5483042 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/03/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are among the most biodiverse and productive ecosystems on Earth, and provide critical ecosystem services such as protein provisioning, coastal protection, and tourism revenue. Despite these benefits, coral reefs have been declining precipitously across the globe due to human impacts and climate change. Recent efforts to combat these declines are increasingly turning to restoration to help reseed corals and speed-up recovery processes. Coastal restoration theory and practice has historically favored transplanting designs that reduce potentially harmful negative species interactions, such as competition between transplants. However, recent research in salt marsh ecosystems has shown that shifting this theory to strategically incorporate positive interactions significantly enhances restoration yield with little additional cost or investment. Although some coral restoration efforts plant corals in protected areas in order to benefit from the facilitative effects of herbivores that reduce competitive macroalgae, little systematic effort has been made in coral restoration to identify the entire suite of positive interactions that could promote population enhancement efforts. Here, we highlight key positive species interactions that managers and restoration practitioners should utilize to facilitate the restoration of corals, including (i) trophic facilitation, (ii) mutualisms, (iii) long-distance facilitation, (iv) positive density-dependence, (v) positive legacy effects, and (vi) synergisms between biodiversity and ecosystem function. As live coral cover continues to decline and resources are limited to restore coral populations, innovative solutions that increase efficiency of restoration efforts will be critical to conserving and maintaining healthy coral reef ecosystems and the human communities that rely on them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth C Shaver
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, United States of America
| | - Brian R Silliman
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Alexander M. Jones. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2016; 210:23-24. [PMID: 26919696 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
|
23
|
Davidson DW, Kopchinskiy A, Salim KA, Grujic M, Lim L, Mei CC, Jones TH, Casamatta D, Atanasova L, Druzhinina IS. Nutrition of Borneo's ‘exploding’ ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae:Colobopsis): a preliminary assessment. Biotropica 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Diane W. Davidson
- Department of Biology; University of Utah; 257 South, 1400 East Salt Lake City UT 84112-0840 U.S.A
- P.O. Box 16272 Portal AZ 85632-1272 U.S.A
| | - Alexey Kopchinskiy
- Research Area Biotechnology and Microbiology; Institute of Chemical Engineering; Technische Universität Wien; Gumpendorfer Strasse 1a A-1060 Vienna Austria
| | - Kamariah Abu Salim
- Environmental and Life Sciences; Universiti Brunei Darussalam; Jalan Tungku Link Bandar Seri Begawan BE 1410 Brunei Darussalam
| | - Marica Grujic
- Research Area Biotechnology and Microbiology; Institute of Chemical Engineering; Technische Universität Wien; Gumpendorfer Strasse 1a A-1060 Vienna Austria
| | - Linda Lim
- Chemistry Programme; Universiti Brunei Darussalam; Jalan Tungku Link Bandar Seri Begawan BE 1410 Brunei Darussalam
| | - Chan Chin Mei
- Chemistry Programme; Universiti Brunei Darussalam; Jalan Tungku Link Bandar Seri Begawan BE 1410 Brunei Darussalam
| | - Tappey H. Jones
- Department of Chemistry; Virginia Military Institute; Lexington VA 24450 U.S.A
| | - Dale Casamatta
- Department of Biology; University of North Florida; 1 UNF Drive Jacksonville FL 32224 U.S.A
| | - Lea Atanasova
- Research Area Biotechnology and Microbiology; Institute of Chemical Engineering; Technische Universität Wien; Gumpendorfer Strasse 1a A-1060 Vienna Austria
| | - Irina S. Druzhinina
- Research Area Biotechnology and Microbiology; Institute of Chemical Engineering; Technische Universität Wien; Gumpendorfer Strasse 1a A-1060 Vienna Austria
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Offenberg
- Department of Bioscience; Aarhus University; Vejlsoevej 25 8600 Silkeborg Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Grasso DA, Pandolfi C, Bazihizina N, Nocentini D, Nepi M, Mancuso S. Extrafloral-nectar-based partner manipulation in plant-ant relationships. AOB PLANTS 2015; 7:plv002. [PMID: 25589521 PMCID: PMC4326690 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plv002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/17/2014] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Plant-ant interactions are generally considered as mutualisms, with both parties gaining benefits from the association. It has recently emerged that some of these mutualistic associations have, however, evolved towards other forms of relationships and, in particular, that plants may manipulate their partner ants to make reciprocation more beneficial, thereby stabilizing the mutualism. Focusing on plants bearing extrafloral nectaries, we review recent studies and address three key questions: (i) how can plants attract potential partners and maintain their services; (ii) are there compounds in extrafloral nectar that could mediate partner manipulation; and (iii) are ants susceptible to such compounds? After reviewing the current knowledge on plant-ant associations, we propose a possible scenario where plant-derived chemicals, such as secondary metabolites, known to have an impact on animal brain, could have evolved in plants to attract and manipulate ant behaviour. This new viewpoint would place plant-animal interaction in a different ecological context, opening new ecological and neurobiological perspectives of drug seeking and use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D A Grasso
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Parma, Viale delle Scienze 11/a, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - C Pandolfi
- LINV - Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences, University of Florence, Viale delle Idee 30, 50019 Sesto F.no, Florence, Italy
| | - N Bazihizina
- LINV - Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences, University of Florence, Viale delle Idee 30, 50019 Sesto F.no, Florence, Italy
| | - D Nocentini
- Department of Life Science, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - M Nepi
- Department of Life Science, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - S Mancuso
- LINV - Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences, University of Florence, Viale delle Idee 30, 50019 Sesto F.no, Florence, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Heil M. Extrafloral nectar at the plant-insect interface: a spotlight on chemical ecology, phenotypic plasticity, and food webs. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 60:213-32. [PMID: 25564741 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-010814-020753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Plants secrete extrafloral nectar (EFN) as an induced defense against herbivores. EFN contains not only carbohydrates and amino acids but also pathogenesis-related proteins and other protective enzymes, making EFN an exclusive reward. EFN secretion is commonly induced after wounding, likely owing to a jasmonic acid-induced cell wall invertase, and is limited by phloem sucrose availability: Both factors control EFN secretion according to the optimal defense hypothesis. Non-ant EFN consumers include parasitoids, wasps, spiders, mites, bugs, and predatory beetles. Little is known about the relevance of EFN to the nutrition of its consumers and, hence, to the structuring of arthropod communities. The mutualism can be established quickly among noncoevolved (e.g., invasive) species, indicating its easy assembly is due to ecological fitting. Therefore, increasing efforts are directed toward using EFN in biocontrol. However, documentation of the importance of EFN for the communities of plants and arthropods in natural, invasive, and agricultural ecosystems is still limited.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Heil
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, CINVESTAV-Irapuato, 36821 Irapuato, Guanajuato, México;
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Hilfiker O, Groux R, Bruessow F, Kiefer K, Zeier J, Reymond P. Insect eggs induce a systemic acquired resistance in Arabidopsis. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 80:1085-94. [PMID: 25329965 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.12707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 10/15/2014] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Although they constitute an inert stage of the insect's life, eggs trigger plant defences that lead to egg mortality or attraction of egg parasitoids. We recently found that salicylic acid (SA) accumulates in response to oviposition by the Large White butterfly Pieris brassicae, both in local and systemic leaves, and that plants activate a response that is similar to the recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), which are involved in PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI). Here we discovered that natural oviposition by P. brassicae or treatment with egg extract inhibit growth of different Pseudomonas syringae strains in Arabidopsis through the activation of a systemic acquired resistance (SAR). This egg-induced SAR involves the metabolic SAR signal pipecolic acid, depends on ALD1 and FMO1, and is accompanied by a stronger induction of defence genes upon secondary infection. Although P. brassicae larvae showed a reduced performance when feeding on Pseudomonas syringae-infected plants, this effect was less pronounced when infected plants had been previously oviposited. Altogether, our results indicate that egg-induced SAR might have evolved as a strategy to prevent the detrimental effect of bacterial pathogens on feeding larvae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Hilfiker
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
González-Teuber M, Jiménez-Alemán GH, Boland W. Foliar endophytic fungi as potential protectors from pathogens in myrmecophytic Acacia plants. Commun Integr Biol 2014; 7:970500. [PMID: 26843901 PMCID: PMC4594485 DOI: 10.4161/19420889.2014.970500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2014] [Revised: 03/09/2014] [Accepted: 03/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In defensive ant-plant interactions myrmecophytic plants express reduced chemical defense
in their leaves to protect themselves from pathogens, and it seems that mutualistic
partners are required to make up for this lack of defensive function. Previously, we
reported that mutualistic ants confer plants of Acacia hindsii protection
from pathogens, and that the protection is given by the ant-associated bacteria. Here, we
examined whether foliar endophytic fungi may potentially act as a new partner, in addition
to mutualistic ants and their bacteria inhabitants, involved in the protection from
pathogens in myrmecophytic Acacia plants. Fungal endophytes were isolated
from the asymptomatic leaves of A. hindsii plants for further molecular
identification of 18S rRNA gene. Inhibitory effects of fungal endophytes were tested
against Pseudomonas plant pathogens. Our findings support a potential
role of fungal endophytes in pathogen the protection mechanisms against pathogens in
myrmecophytic plants and provide the evidence of novel fungal endophytes capable of
biosynthesizing bioactive metabolites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Wilhelm Boland
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry; Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology ; Jena, Germany
| |
Collapse
|