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Zhou Q, Yu T, Li W, Nasser R, Chidwala N, Mo J. Prostaglandin A3 regulates the colony development of Odontotermes formosanus by reducing worker proportion. CROP HEALTH 2024; 2:11. [PMID: 38984319 PMCID: PMC11232360 DOI: 10.1007/s44297-024-00030-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Subterranean termites cause significant economic losses worldwide due to their destruction of agricultural and forest plants. In the past, soil termiticides were commonly used to control subterranean termites because they were effective and affordable. However, due to growing environmental concerns, these harmful substances have become less popular as they cause damage to non-target organisms and lead to environmental contamination. Baits crafted from plants and other easily metabolized compounds serve as excellent alternatives. In this study, we gathered branches from the promising plant, Magnolia grandiflora L. (MGL), along with branches from five other tree species that are potential food for termites. These branches were used as food to observe the population growth of Odontotermes formosanus. Additionally, a mix of branches from all six species was used to feed the control group (MIX). The study results showed that MGL nutrition significantly inhibited worker development, resulting in a significantly lower worker-to-soldier ratio (WSR). Furthermore, LC‒MS/MS analysis revealed that the level of prostaglandin A3 (PGA3) in workers significantly increased when they were under MGL nutrition. Additionally, ICP-MS analysis indicated a significant increase in calcium concentrations in the branches of MGL and combs under MGL nutrition. Moreover, there was a significant increase in peroxidase (POD) activity in workers under MGL nutrition. These findings suggest that the inhibitory effect of MGL nutrition on worker development may be due to excessive PGA3 synthesis, as Ca2+ and POD are involved in the synthesis process of PGs in insects. Subsequent verification experiments strongly support this hypothesis, as the WSR of colonies fed PGA3-added MIX was significantly lower than that of the MIX alone. This study introduces a new concept for developing environmentally friendly biological control methods for O. formosanus and sheds light on the potential role of PGs in termite development. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s44297-024-00030-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihuan Zhou
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058 China
| | - Ting Yu
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058 China
| | - Wuhan Li
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058 China
| | - Raghda Nasser
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058 China
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Faculty of Science, Minia University, El-Minia, 61519 Egypt
| | - Nooney Chidwala
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058 China
| | - Jianchu Mo
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058 China
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Barrajon-Santos V, Nepel M, Hausmann B, Voglmayr H, Woebken D, Mayer VE. Dynamics and drivers of fungal communities in a multipartite ant-plant association. BMC Biol 2024; 22:112. [PMID: 38745290 PMCID: PMC11093746 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01897-y] [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: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fungi and ants belong to the most important organisms in terrestrial ecosystems on Earth. In nutrient-poor niches of tropical rainforests, they have developed steady ecological relationships as a successful survival strategy. In tropical ant-plant mutualisms worldwide, where resident ants provide the host plants with defense and nutrients in exchange for shelter and food, fungi are regularly found in the ant nesting space, inhabiting ant-made dark-colored piles ("patches"). Unlike the extensively investigated fungus-growing insects, where the fungi serve as the primary food source, the purpose of this ant-fungi association is less clear. To decipher the roles of fungi in these structures within ant nests, it is crucial to first understand the dynamics and drivers that influence fungal patch communities during ant colony development. RESULTS In this study, we investigated how the ant colony age and the ant-plant species affect the fungal community in the patches. As model we selected one of the most common mutualisms in the Tropics of America, the Azteca-Cecropia complex. By amplicon sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region, we analyzed the patch fungal communities of 93 Azteca spp. colonies inhabiting Cecropia spp. trees. Our study demonstrates that the fungal diversity in patches increases as the ant colony grows and that a change in the prevalent fungal taxa occurs between initial and established patches. In addition, the ant species significantly influences the composition of the fungal community in established ant colonies, rather than the host plant species. CONCLUSIONS The fungal patch communities become more complex as the ant colony develops, due to an acquisition of fungi from the environment and a substrate diversification. Our results suggest a successional progression of the fungal communities in the patches during ant colony growth and place the ant colony as the main driver shaping such communities. The findings of this study demonstrate the unexpectedly complex nature of ant-plant mutualisms in tropical regions at a micro scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Barrajon-Santos
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Doctoral School in Microbiology and Environmental Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Maximilian Nepel
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Present Address: Plant Health and Environment Laboratory, Ministry for Primary Industries, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Bela Hausmann
- Joint Microbiome Facility of the Medical University of Vienna and the University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Laboratory Medicine Division of Clinical Microbiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hermann Voglmayr
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dagmar Woebken
- Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Veronika E Mayer
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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Guo W, Song Y, Chen H, Li X. Dietary potential of the symbiotic fungus Penicillium herquei for the larvae of a nonsocial fungus-cultivating weevil Euops chinensis. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0153723. [PMID: 38445862 PMCID: PMC11022562 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01537-23] [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: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Many insect taxa cultivate fungi for food. Compared to well-known fungus cultivation in social insects, our knowledge on fungus cultivation in nonsocial insects is still limited. Here, we studied the nutritional potentials of the fungal cultivar, Penicillium herquei, for the larvae of its nonsocial insect farmer, Euops chinensis, a specialist on Japanese knotweed Reynoutria japonica. Overall, fungal hyphae and leaf rolls contained significantly higher carbon (C), stable isotopes of C (δ13C), and nitrogen (δ15N) but significantly lower C/N ratios compared to unrolled leaves, whereas insect bodies contained significantly higher N contents but lower C and C/N ratios compared to other types of samples. The MixSIAR model indicated that fungal hyphae contributed a larger proportion (0.626-0.797) to the diet of E. chinensis larvae than leaf materials. The levels of ergosterol, six essential amino acids, seven nonessential amino acids, and three B vitamins tested in fungal hyphae and/or leaf rolls were significantly higher than in unrolled leaves and/or larvae. The P. herquei genome contains the complete set of genes required for the biosynthesis of ergosterol, the essential amino acids valine and threonine, nine nonessential amino acids, and vitamins B2 and B3, whereas some genes associated with five essential and one nonessential amino acid were lost in the P. herquei genome. These suggest that P. herquei is capable of providing the E. chinensis larvae food with ergosterol, amino acids, and B vitamins. P. herquei appears to be able to synthesize or concentrate these nutrients considering that they were specifically concentrated in fungal hyphae. IMPORTANCE The cultivation of fungi for food has occurred across divergent insect lineages such as social ants, termites, and ambrosia beetles, as well as some seldom-reported solitary insects. Although the fungal cultivars of these insects have been studied for decades, the dietary potential of fungal cultivars for their hosts (especially for those nonsocial insects) is largely unknown. Our research on the mutualistic system Euops chinensis-Penicillium herquei represents an example of the diverse nutritional potentials of the fungal cultivar P. herquei in the diet of the larvae of its solitary host, E. chinensis. These results demonstrate that P. herquei has the potential to synthesize or concentrate ergosterol, amino acids, and B vitamins and benefits the larvae of E. chinensis. Our findings would shed light on poorly understood fungal cultivation mutualisms in nonsocial insects and underscore the nutritional importance of fungal cultivars in fungal cultivation mutualisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenfeng Guo
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Crop Genetic Improvement and Biotechnology Lab, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Yu Song
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Hu Chen
- Wuhan Benagen Technology Co., Ltd, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaoqiong Li
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
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Dar MA, Xie R, Zabed HM, Ali S, Zhu D, Sun J. Termite Microbial Symbiosis as a Model for Innovative Design of Lignocellulosic Future Biorefinery: Current Paradigms and Future Perspectives. BIOMASS 2024; 4:180-201. [DOI: 10.3390/biomass4010009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
The hunt for renewable and alternative fuels has driven research towards the biological conversion of lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) into biofuels, including bioethanol and biohydrogen. Among the natural biomass utilization systems (NBUS), termites represent a unique and easy-to-access model system to study host–microbe interactions towards lignocellulose bioconversion/valorization. Termites have gained significant interest due to their highly efficient lignocellulolytic systems. The wood-feeding termites apply a unique and stepwise process for the hydrolysis of lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose via biocatalytic processes; therefore, mimicking their digestive metabolism and physiochemical gut environments might lay the foundation for an innovative design of nature-inspired biotechnology. This review highlights the gut system of termites, particularly the wood-feeding species, as a unique model for future biorefinery. The gut system of termites is a treasure-trove for prospecting novel microbial species, including protists, bacteria, and fungi, having higher biocatalytic efficiencies and biotechnological potentials. The significance of potential bacteria and fungi for harnessing the enzymes appropriate for lignocellulosic biorefinery is also discussed. Termite digestomes are rich sources of lignocellulases and related enzymes that could be utilized in various industrial processes and biomass-related applications. Consideration of the host and symbiont as a single functioning unit will be one of the most crucial strategies to expedite developments in termite-modeled biotechnology in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mudasir A. Dar
- Biofuels Institute, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Rongrong Xie
- Biofuels Institute, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Hossain M. Zabed
- School of Life Science, Guangzhou University, 230 Wai Huan Xi Road, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Shehbaz Ali
- Biofuels Institute, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Daochen Zhu
- Biofuels Institute, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Jianzhong Sun
- Biofuels Institute, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
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Elsamahy T, Sun J, Elsilk SE, Ali SS. Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene plastic waste by a constructed tri-culture yeast consortium from wood-feeding termite: Degradation mechanism and pathway. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 448:130944. [PMID: 36860037 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.130944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Polyethylene (PE) is one of the most common synthetic polymers, and PE waste pollution has been an environmental and health concern for decades. Biodegradation is the most eco-friendly and effective approach for plastic waste management. Recently, an emphasis has been placed on novel symbiotic yeasts isolated from termite guts as promising microbiomes for multiple biotechnological applications. This study might be the first to explore the potential of a constructed tri-culture yeast consortium, designated as DYC, isolated from termites for the degradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE). The yeast consortium DYC stands for the molecularly identified species Sterigmatomyces halophilus, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, and Meyerozyma caribbica. The LDPE-DYC consortium showed a high growth rate on UV-sterilized LDPE as a sole carbon source, resulting in a reduction in tensile strength (TS) of 63.4% and a net LDPE mass reduction of 33.2% compared to the individual yeasts. All yeasts, individually and in consortium, showed a high production rate for LDPE-degrading enzymes. The hypothetical LDPE biodegradation pathway that was proposed revealed the formation of several metabolites, including alkanes, aldehydes, ethanol, and fatty acids. This study emphasizes a novel concept for using LDPE-degrading yeasts from wood-feeding termites for plastic waste biodegradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamer Elsamahy
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Jianzhong Sun
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
| | - Sobhy E Elsilk
- Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt
| | - Sameh S Ali
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China; Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt.
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6
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The metamicrobiome: key determinant of the homeostasis of nutrient recycling. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:183-195. [PMID: 36328807 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.10.003] [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: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The metamicrobiome is an integrated concept to study carbon and nutrient recycling in ecosystems. Decomposition of plant-derived matter by free-living microbes and fire - two key recycling pathways - are highly sensitive to global change. Mutualistic associations of microbes with plants and animals strongly reduce this sensitivity. By solving a fundamental allometric trade-off between metabolic and homeostatic capacity, these mutualisms enable continued recycling of plant matter where and when conditions are unfavourable for the free-living microbiome. A diverse metamicrobiome - where multiple plant- and animal-associated microbiomes complement the free-living microbiome - thus enhances homeostasis of ecosystem recycling rates in variable environments. Research into metamicrobiome structure and functioning in ecosystems is therefore important for progress towards understanding environmental change.
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Al-Tohamy R, Ali SS, Zhang M, Sameh M, Mahmoud YAG, Waleed N, Okasha KM, Sun S, Sun J. Can wood-feeding termites solve the environmental bottleneck caused by plastics? A critical state-of-the-art review. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 326:116606. [PMID: 36403319 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The abundance of synthetic polymers has become an ever-increasing environmental threat in the world. The excessive utilization of plastics leads to the accumulation of such recalcitrant pollutants in the environment. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, unprecedented demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, face masks, and gloves made up of single-use items has resulted in the massive generation of plastic biomedical waste. As secondary pollutants, microplastic particles (<5 mm) are derived from pellet loss and degradation of macroplastics. Therefore, urgent intervention is required for the management of these hazardous materials. Physicochemical approaches have been employed to degrade synthetic polymers, but these approaches have limited efficiency and cause the release of hazardous metabolites or by-products into the environment. Therefore, bioremediation is a proper option as it is both cost-efficient and environmentally friendly. On the other hand, plants evolved lignocellulose to be resistant to destruction, whereas insects, such as wood-feeding termites, possess diverse microorganisms in their guts, which confer physiological and ecological benefits to their host. Plastic and lignocellulose polymers share a number of physical and chemical properties, despite their structural and recalcitrance differences. Among these similarities are a hydrophobic nature, a carbon skeleton, and amorphous/crystalline regions. Compared with herbivorous mammals, lignocellulose digestion in termites is accomplished at ordinary temperatures. This unique characteristic has been of great interest for the development of a plastic biodegradation approach by termites and their gut symbionts. Therefore, transferring knowledge from research on lignocellulosic degradation by termites and their gut symbionts to that on synthetic polymers has become a new research hotspot and technological development direction to solve the environmental bottleneck caused by synthetic plastic polymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rania Al-Tohamy
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environmnt and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Sameh S Ali
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environmnt and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China; Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt.
| | - Meng Zhang
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environmnt and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Mariam Sameh
- Clinical Pharmacy Practice Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, The British University in Egypt, El-Sherouk City, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Yehia A-G Mahmoud
- Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
| | - Nadeen Waleed
- Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
| | - Kamal M Okasha
- Internal Medicine and Nephrology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
| | - Sarina Sun
- Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Jianzhong Sun
- Biofuels Institute, School of the Environmnt and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China.
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Tharavecharak S, D’Alessandro-Gabazza CN, Toda M, Yasuma T, Tsuyama T, Kamei I, Gabazza EC. Culture Conditions for Mycelial Growth and Anti-Cancer Properties of Termitomyces. MYCOBIOLOGY 2023; 51:94-108. [PMID: 37122680 PMCID: PMC10142329 DOI: 10.1080/12298093.2023.2187614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Termitomyces sp. that grow in symbiosis with fungus-farming Termites have medicinal properties. However, they are rare in nature, and their artificial culture is challenging. The expression of AXL receptor tyrosine kinase and immune checkpoint molecules favor the growth of cancer cells. The study evaluated the optimal conditions for the artificial culture of Termitomyces and their inhibitory activity on AXL and immune checkpoint molecules in lung adenocarcinoma and melanoma cell lines. The culture of 45 strains of Termitomyces was compared. Five strains with marked growth rates were selected. Four of the selected strains form a single cluster by sequence analysis. The mycelium of 4 selected strains produces more fungal mass in potato dextrose broth than in a mixed media. The bark was the most appropriate solid substrate for Termitomyces mycelia culture. The mycelium of all five selected strains showed a higher growth rate under normal CO2 conditions. The culture broth, methanol, and ethyl acetate of one selected strain (T-120) inhibited the mRNA relative expression of AXL receptor tyrosine kinase and immune checkpoint molecules in cancer cell lines. Overall, these results suggest the potential usefulness of Termitomyces extracts as a co-adjuvant therapy in malignant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suphachai Tharavecharak
- Graduate School of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Tsu, Japan
| | | | - Masaaki Toda
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Tsu, Japan
| | - Taro Yasuma
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Tsu, Japan
| | - Taku Tsuyama
- Graduate School of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Ichiro Kamei
- Graduate School of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Esteban C. Gabazza
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Tsu, Japan
- CONTACT Esteban C. Gabazza
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Conservation management and termites: a case study from central Côte d’Ivoire (West Africa). JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467422000207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Termites are essential components of tropical ecosystems, in which they provide fundamental ecosystem services, such as decomposition of dead plant material, fostering of soil mineralization and provisioning of new microhabitats. We investigated the termite communities of four habitats in two protected areas in West Africa, which differ in management effectiveness: the strictly protected Lamto Reserve (LR) and the Marahoué National Park (MNP), which suffers from anthropogenic disturbance despite its protection status. We tested the effect of disturbance on species composition, richness and abundance as well as on functional (feeding type) composition. The effect of disturbance was clearly visible in the termite communities. Compared to the LR, the MNP had less termite species overall and in all habitats except the shrub savannah. Also the abundance of termites was generally reduced and a decrease of soil feeders recorded. The latter is well-known to be sensitive to anthropogenic disturbance in forests. Comparing our results with other studies, we were able to identify suitable bioindicators of ecosystem health for West-African savannahs. Furthermore, we discuss the potential consequences of anthropogenic disturbance on ecosystem services provided by termites.
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Barcoto MO, Rodrigues A. Lessons From Insect Fungiculture: From Microbial Ecology to Plastics Degradation. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:812143. [PMID: 35685924 PMCID: PMC9171207 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.812143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities have extensively transformed the biosphere by extracting and disposing of resources, crossing boundaries of planetary threat while causing a global crisis of waste overload. Despite fundamental differences regarding structure and recalcitrance, lignocellulose and plastic polymers share physical-chemical properties to some extent, that include carbon skeletons with similar chemical bonds, hydrophobic properties, amorphous and crystalline regions. Microbial strategies for metabolizing recalcitrant polymers have been selected and optimized through evolution, thus understanding natural processes for lignocellulose modification could aid the challenge of dealing with the recalcitrant human-made polymers spread worldwide. We propose to look for inspiration in the charismatic fungal-growing insects to understand multipartite degradation of plant polymers. Independently evolved in diverse insect lineages, fungiculture embraces passive or active fungal cultivation for food, protection, and structural purposes. We consider there is much to learn from these symbioses, in special from the community-level degradation of recalcitrant biomass and defensive metabolites. Microbial plant-degrading systems at the core of insect fungicultures could be promising candidates for degrading synthetic plastics. Here, we first compare the degradation of lignocellulose and plastic polymers, with emphasis in the overlapping microbial players and enzymatic activities between these processes. Second, we review the literature on diverse insect fungiculture systems, focusing on features that, while supporting insects' ecology and evolution, could also be applied in biotechnological processes. Third, taking lessons from these microbial communities, we suggest multidisciplinary strategies to identify microbial degraders, degrading enzymes and pathways, as well as microbial interactions and interdependencies. Spanning from multiomics to spectroscopy, microscopy, stable isotopes probing, enrichment microcosmos, and synthetic communities, these strategies would allow for a systemic understanding of the fungiculture ecology, driving to application possibilities. Detailing how the metabolic landscape is entangled to achieve ecological success could inspire sustainable efforts for mitigating the current environmental crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana O. Barcoto
- Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Andre Rodrigues
- Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
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Hojo M. Distribution patterns of four Termitomyces species cultivated by a fungus-growing termite, Odontotermes formosanus, in Taiwan. FUNGAL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.funeco.2021.101136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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12
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Vesala R, Rikkinen A, Pellikka P, Rikkinen J, Arppe L. You eat what you find - Local patterns in vegetation structure control diets of African fungus-growing termites. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8566. [PMID: 35342606 PMCID: PMC8928904 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungus-growing termites and their symbiotic Termitomyces fungi are critically important carbon and nutrient recyclers in arid and semiarid environments of sub-Saharan Africa. A major proportion of plant litter produced in these ecosystems is decomposed within nest chambers of termite mounds, where temperature and humidity are kept optimal for the fungal symbionts. While fungus-growing termites are generally believed to exploit a wide range of different plant substrates, the actual diets of most species remain elusive. We studied dietary niches of two Macrotermes species across the semiarid savanna landscape in the Tsavo Ecosystem, southern Kenya, based on carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stable isotopes in Termitomyces fungus combs. We applied Bayesian mixing models to determine the proportion of grass and woody plant matter in the combs, these being the two major food sources available for Macrotermes species in the region. Our results showed that both termite species, and colonies cultivating different Termitomyces fungi, occupied broad and largely overlapping isotopic niches, indicating no dietary specialization. Including laser scanning derived vegetation cover estimates to the dietary mixing model revealed that the proportion of woody plant matter in fungus combs increased with increasing woody plant cover in the nest surroundings. Nitrogen content of fungus combs was positively correlated with woody plant cover around the mounds and negatively correlated with the proportion of grass matter in the comb. Considering the high N demand of large Macrotermes colonies, woody plant matter seems to thus represent a more profitable food source than grass. As grass is also utilized by grazing mammals, and the availability of grass matter typically fluctuates over the year, mixed woodland-grasslands and bushlands seem to represent more favorable habitats for large Macrotermes colonies than open grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Risto Vesala
- Finnish Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Aleksi Rikkinen
- Department of Geosciences and GeographyUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Petri Pellikka
- Department of Geosciences and GeographyUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- State Key Laboratory for Information Engineering in SurveyingMapping and Remote SensingWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Jouko Rikkinen
- Finnish Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Laura Arppe
- Finnish Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
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Characterization of Two Fusarium solani Species Complex Isolates from the Ambrosia Beetle Xylosandrus morigerus. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8030231. [PMID: 35330233 PMCID: PMC8956061 DOI: 10.3390/jof8030231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ambrosia beetles are insect vectors of important plant diseases and have been considered as a threat to forest ecosystems, agriculture, and the timber industry. Several factors have been suggested as promoters of the pathogenic behavior of ambrosia beetles; one of them is the nature of the fungal mutualist and its ability to establish an infectious process. In Mexico, Xylosandrus morigerus is an invasive ambrosia beetle that damages many agroecosystems. Herein, two different isolates from the X. morigerus ambrosia beetle belonging to the Fusarium genus are reported. Both isolates belong to the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) but not to the Ambrosia Fusarium clade (AFC). The two closely related Fusarium isolates are pathogenic to different forest and agronomic species, and the morphological differences between them and the extracellular protease profile suggest intraspecific variability. This study shows the importance of considering these beetles as vectors of different species of fungal plant pathogens, with some of them even being phylogenetically closely related and having different pathogenic abilities, highlighting the relevance of the fungal mutualist as a factor for the ambrosia complex becoming a pest.
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14
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Schmidt S, Kildgaard S, Guo H, Beemelmanns C, Poulsen M. The chemical ecology of the fungus-farming termite symbiosis. Nat Prod Rep 2022; 39:231-248. [PMID: 34879123 PMCID: PMC8865390 DOI: 10.1039/d1np00022e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Covering: September 1972 to December 2020Explorations of complex symbioses have often elucidated a plethora of previously undescribed chemical compounds that may serve ecological functions in signalling, communication or defence. A case in point is the subfamily of termites that cultivate a fungus as their primary food source and maintain complex bacterial communities, from which a series of novel compound discoveries have been made. Here, we summarise the origins and types of 375 compounds that have been discovered from the symbiosis over the past four decades and discuss the potential for synergistic actions between compounds within the complex chemical mixtures in which they exist. We go on to highlight how vastly underexplored the diversity and geographic distribution of the symbiosis is, which leaves ample potential for natural product discovery of compounds of both ecological and medical importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Schmidt
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Sara Kildgaard
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Huijuan Guo
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology e.V., Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI), Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Christine Beemelmanns
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology e.V., Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI), Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Poulsen
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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15
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Arrey G, Li G, Murphy R, Guimaraes L, Alizadeh S, Poulsen M, Regenberg B. Isolation, characterization, and genome assembly of Barnettozyma botsteinii sp. nov. and novel strains of Kurtzmaniella quercitrusa isolated from the intestinal tract of the termite Macrotermes bellicosus. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2021; 11:jkab342. [PMID: 34586397 PMCID: PMC8664483 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Bioconversion of hemicelluloses into simpler sugars leads to the production of a significant amount of pentose sugars, such as d-xylose. However, efficient utilization of pentoses by conventional yeast production strains remains challenging. Wild yeast strains can provide new industrially relevant characteristics and efficiently utilize pentose sugars. To explore this strategy, we isolated gut-residing yeasts from the termite Macrotermes bellicosus collected in Comoé National Park, Côte d'Ivoire. The yeasts were classified through their Internal Transcribed Spacer/Large Subunit sequence, and their genomes were sequenced and annotated. We identified a novel yeast species, which we name Barnettozyma botsteinii sp. nov. 1118T (MycoBank: 833563, CBS 16679T and IBT 710) and two new strains of Kurtzmaniella quercitrusa: var. comoensis (CBS 16678, IBT 709) and var. filamentosus (CBS 16680, IBT 711). The two K. quercitrusa strains grow 15% faster on synthetic glucose medium than Saccharomyces cerevisiae CEN.PKT in acidic conditions (pH = 3.2) and both strains grow on d-xylose as the sole carbon source at a rate of 0.35 h-1. At neutral pH, the yeast form of K. quercitrusa var. filamentosus, but not var. comoensis, switched to filamentous growth in a carbon source-dependent manner. Their genomes are 11.0-13.2 Mb in size and contain between 4888 and 5475 predicted genes. Together with closely related species, we did not find any relationship between gene content and ability to grow on xylose. Besides its metabolism, K. quercitrusa var. filamentosus has a large potential as a production organism, because of its capacity to grow at low pH and to undergo a dimorphic shift.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard Arrey
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 1165, Denmark
| | - Guangshuo Li
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 1165, Denmark
| | - Robert Murphy
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 1165, Denmark
| | - Leandro Guimaraes
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 1165, Denmark
| | - Sefa Alizadeh
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 1165, Denmark
| | - Michael Poulsen
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 1165, Denmark
| | - Birgitte Regenberg
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 1165, Denmark
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16
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Vidkjær NH, Schmidt S, Hu H, Bodawatta KH, Beemelmanns C, Poulsen M. Species- and Caste-Specific Gut Metabolomes in Fungus-Farming Termites. Metabolites 2021; 11:metabo11120839. [PMID: 34940597 PMCID: PMC8707012 DOI: 10.3390/metabo11120839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungus-farming termites host gut microbial communities that contribute to the pre-digestion of plant biomass for manuring the fungal mutualist, and potentially to the production of defensive compounds that suppress antagonists. Termite colonies are characterized by complex division of labor and differences in diet between termite size (minor and major) and morphological (worker and soldier) castes, and this extends to the composition of their gut microbial communities. We hypothesized that gut metabolomes should mirror these differences and tested this through untargeted LC-MS/MS analyses of three South African species of fungus-farming termites. We found distinct metabolomes between species and across castes, especially between soldiers and workers. Primary metabolites dominate the metabolomes and the high number of overlapping features with the mutualistic fungus and plant material show distinct impacts of diet and the environment. The identification of a few bioactive compounds of likely microbial origin underlines the potential for compound discovery among the many unannotated features. Our untargeted approach provides a first glimpse into the complex gut metabolomes and our dereplication suggests the presence of bioactive compounds with potential defensive roles to be targeted in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanna Hjort Vidkjær
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (S.S.); (H.H.)
- Correspondence: (N.H.V.); (M.P.); Tel.: +45-353-324-41 (N.H.V.); +45-353-303-77 (M.P.)
| | - Suzanne Schmidt
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (S.S.); (H.H.)
| | - Haofu Hu
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (S.S.); (H.H.)
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark;
| | - Kasun H. Bodawatta
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark;
| | - Christine Beemelmanns
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology e.V., Hans-Knöll-Institute (HKI), Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany;
| | - Michael Poulsen
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; (S.S.); (H.H.)
- Correspondence: (N.H.V.); (M.P.); Tel.: +45-353-324-41 (N.H.V.); +45-353-303-77 (M.P.)
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17
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Ahmad F, Yang GY, Liang SY, Zhou QH, Gaal HA, Mo JC. Multipartite symbioses in fungus-growing termites (Blattodea: Termitidae, Macrotermitinae) for the degradation of lignocellulose. INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 28:1512-1529. [PMID: 33236502 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Fungus-growing termites are among the most successful herbivorous animals and improve crop productivity and soil fertility. A range of symbiotic organisms can be found inside their nests. However, interactions of termites with these symbionts are poorly understood. This review provides detailed information on the role of multipartite symbioses (between termitophiles, termites, fungi, and bacteria) in fungus-growing termites for lignocellulose degradation. The specific functions of each component in the symbiotic system are also discussed. Based on previous studies, we argue that the enzymatic contribution from the host, fungus, and bacteria greatly facilitates the decomposition of complex polysaccharide plant materials. The host-termitophile interaction protects the termite nest from natural enemies and maintains the stability of the microenvironment inside the colony.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhan Ahmad
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agricultural and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Entomology Section, Central Cotton Research Institute, Sakrand, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Gui-Ying Yang
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agricultural and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shi-You Liang
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agricultural and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qi-Huan Zhou
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agricultural and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hassan Ahmed Gaal
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agricultural and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, Somali National University, Mogadishu, Somalia
| | - Jian-Chu Mo
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agricultural and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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18
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Sijinamanoj V, Muthukumar T, Muthuraja R, Rayappan K, Karmegam N, Saminathan K, Govarthanan M, Kathireswari P. Ligninolytic valorization of agricultural residues by Aspergillus nomius and Trichoderma harzianum isolated from gut and comb of Odontotermes obesus (Termitidae). CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 284:131384. [PMID: 34323800 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Fungi produce enzymes that degrade the complex lignin thereby enabling the efficient utilization of plant lignocellulosic biomass in the production of biofuel and cellulose-based products. In the present study, the agricultural residues such as paddy straw, sugarcane bagasse, and coconut husk were used as substrates for the biodegradation by Aspergillus nomius (MN700028) and Trichoderma harzianum (MN700029) isolated from gut of the termite, Odontotermes obesus and fungus comb in the termite mound, respectively. The influence of varying concentrations of different carbon sources, pH, and temperature on ligninolytic enzyme production was examined under laboratory conditions. The highest activities of manganese peroxidase (0.24 U/mL), lignin peroxidase (10.38 U/mL) and laccase (0.05 U/mL) were observed under studied conditions. Fungal pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass for 45 days showed that A. nomius and T. harzianum degraded 84.4% and 81.66% of hemicelluloses, 8.16% and 93.75% of cellulose, and 52.59% and 65% of lignin, respectively. The interaction of pH, temperature, and different carbon sources with fungal biomass and enzyme production was found significant (p ≤ 0.05). SEM analysis indicated alterations in the microstructures of degraded lignocellulosic substrates. A. nomius and T. harzianum were highly efficient in ligninolytic enzymes production and in vitro digestibility of agricultural residues. The study reports the production of laccase by A. nomius isolated from termite gut for the first time. The fungal isolates A. nomius and T. harzianum posses potential for ligninocellulosic waste degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Velayuthan Sijinamanoj
- PG and Research Department of Zoology, Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Coimbatore, 641 029, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Thangavelu Muthukumar
- Root and Soil Biology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, 641 046, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Raji Muthuraja
- Root and Soil Biology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, 641 046, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Kathirvel Rayappan
- Department of Zoology, Sri Vidya Mandir Arts and Science College, Krishnagiri, 636 902, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Natchimuthu Karmegam
- Department of Botany, Government Arts College (Autonomous), Salem, 636 007, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Kulandaivel Saminathan
- Department of Chemistry, Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Coimbatore, 641 029, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Muthusamy Govarthanan
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea.
| | - Palanisamy Kathireswari
- PG and Research Department of Zoology, Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Coimbatore, 641 029, Tamil Nadu, India.
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19
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Tokuda G. Origin of symbiotic gut spirochetes as key players in the nutrition of termites. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:4092-4097. [PMID: 34097340 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Termites harbour symbiotic spirochetes in their hindguts, which have long been considered treponemes, although they represent separate lines of descent from known species of Treponema. 'Termite gut treponemes' have a mutualistic relationship with the host termites with their physiological properties including CO2 -reductive acetogenesis, from which the resulting acetate fulfils most of the respiratory requirement of the host. Song and co-workers showed that a spirochetal isolate (strain RmG30) from a Madeira cockroach represents the earliest branching lineage of extremely diverse termite (Treponema) cluster I and was a simple homolactic fermenter, suggesting that CO2 -reductive acetogenesis exhibited by some members of termite cluster I originated via horizontal gene transfer. Phylogenomic and 16S rRNA sequence-based phylogenetic analyses indicated a deeply-branched sister clade containing termite cluster I was distinguishable as a family-level lineage. In this context, a new family, 'Termitinemataceae' has been proposed for this clade. Strain RmG30 has been designated as the type strain of Breznakiella homolactica gen. nov. sp. nov. named after John A. Breznak, an American microbiologist distinguished in termite gut microbiology. The study has posed important questions for the future, including the actual roles of the termite spirochetes in each termite lineage and the evolutionary process of their physiological properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaku Tokuda
- Tropical Biosphere Research Center, COMB, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan
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20
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Griffiths HM, Eggleton P, Hemming-Schroeder N, Swinfield T, Woon JS, Allison SD, Coomes DA, Ashton LA, Parr CL. Carbon flux and forest dynamics: Increased deadwood decomposition in tropical rainforest tree-fall canopy gaps. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:1601-1613. [PMID: 33506557 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Tree mortality rates are increasing within tropical rainforests as a result of global environmental change. When trees die, gaps are created in forest canopies and carbon is transferred from the living to deadwood pools. However, little is known about the effect of tree-fall canopy gaps on the activity of decomposer communities and the rate of deadwood decay in forests. This means that the accuracy of regional and global carbon budgets is uncertain, especially given ongoing changes to the structure of rainforest ecosystems. Therefore, to determine the effect of canopy openings on wood decay rates and regional carbon flux, we carried out the first assessment of deadwood mass loss within canopy gaps in old-growth rainforest. We used replicated canopy gaps paired with closed canopy sites in combination with macroinvertebrate accessible and inaccessible woodblocks to experimentally partition the relative contribution of microbes vs. termites to decomposition within contrasting understorey conditions. We show that over a 12 month period, wood mass loss increased by 63% in canopy gaps compared with closed canopy sites and that this increase was driven by termites. Using LiDAR data to quantify the proportion of canopy openings in the study region, we modelled the effect of observed changes in decomposition within gaps on regional carbon flux. Overall, we estimate that this accelerated decomposition increases regional wood decay rate by up to 18.2%, corresponding to a flux increase of 0.27 Mg C ha-1 year-1 that is not currently accounted for in regional carbon budgets. These results provide the first insights into how small-scale disturbances in rainforests can generate hotspots for decomposer activity and carbon fluxes. In doing so, we show that including canopy gap dynamics and their impacts on wood decomposition in forest ecosystems can help improve the predictive accuracy of the carbon cycle in land surface models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M Griffiths
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Paul Eggleton
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | | | - Tom Swinfield
- Department of Plant Sciences and Conservation Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Centre for Conservation Science, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Cambridge, UK
| | - Joel S Woon
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Steven D Allison
- Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - David A Coomes
- Department of Plant Sciences and Conservation Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Louise A Ashton
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Catherine L Parr
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Wits, South Africa
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21
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Wu D, Staab M, Yu M. Canopy Closure Retards Fine Wood Decomposition in Subtropical Regenerating Forests. Ecosystems 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-021-00622-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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22
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Murphy R, Benndorf R, de Beer ZW, Vollmers J, Kaster AK, Beemelmanns C, Poulsen M. Comparative Genomics Reveals Prophylactic and Catabolic Capabilities of Actinobacteria within the Fungus-Farming Termite Symbiosis. mSphere 2021; 6:e01233-20. [PMID: 33658277 PMCID: PMC8546716 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.01233-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Actinobacteria, one of the largest bacterial phyla, are ubiquitous in many of Earth's ecosystems and often act as defensive symbionts with animal hosts. Members of the phylum have repeatedly been isolated from basidiomycete-cultivating fungus-farming termites that maintain a monoculture fungus crop on macerated dead plant substrate. The proclivity for antimicrobial and enzyme production of Actinobacteria make them likely contributors to plant decomposition and defense in the symbiosis. To test this, we analyzed the prophylactic (biosynthetic gene cluster [BGC]) and metabolic (carbohydrate-active enzyme [CAZy]) potential in 16 (10 existing and six new genomes) termite-associated Actinobacteria and compared these to the soil-dwelling close relatives. Using antiSMASH, we identified 435 BGCs, of which 329 (65 unique) were similar to known compound gene clusters, while 106 were putatively novel, suggesting ample prospects for novel compound discovery. BGCs were identified among all major compound categories, including 26 encoding the production of known antimicrobial compounds, which ranged in activity (antibacterial being most prevalent) and modes of action that might suggest broad defensive potential. Peptide pattern recognition analysis revealed 823 (43 unique) CAZymes coding for enzymes that target key plant and fungal cell wall components (predominantly chitin, cellulose, and hemicellulose), confirming a substantial degradative potential of these bacteria. Comparison of termite-associated and soil-dwelling bacteria indicated no significant difference in either BGC or CAZy potential, suggesting that the farming termite hosts may have coopted these soil-dwelling bacteria due to their metabolic potential but that they have not been subject to genome change associated with symbiosis.IMPORTANCEActinobacteria have repeatedly been isolated in fungus-farming termites, and our genome analyses provide insights into the potential roles they may serve in defense and for plant biomass breakdown. These insights, combined with their relatively higher abundances in fungus combs than in termite gut, suggest that they are more likely to play roles in fungus combs than in termite guts. Up to 25% of the BGCs we identify have no similarity to known clusters, indicating a large potential for novel chemistry to be discovered. Similarities in metabolic potential of soil-dwelling and termite-associated bacteria suggest that they have environmental origins, but their consistent presence with the termite system suggests their importance for the symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Murphy
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Biology, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Copenhagen East, Denmark
| | - René Benndorf
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Z Wilhelm de Beer
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Forestry and Agriculture Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - John Vollmers
- Institute for Biological Interfaces (IBG 5), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Anne-Kristin Kaster
- Institute for Biological Interfaces (IBG 5), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Christine Beemelmanns
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knöll Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Poulsen
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Biology, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Copenhagen East, Denmark
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23
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Yang G, Ahmad F, Zhou Q, Guo M, Liang S, Gaal HA, Mo J. Investigation of Physicochemical Indices and Microbial Communities in Termite Fungus-Combs. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:581219. [PMID: 33519727 PMCID: PMC7843810 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.581219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Termitomyces species are wild edible mushrooms that possess high nutritional value and a wide range of medicinal properties. However, the cultivation of these mushrooms is very difficult because of their symbiotic association with termites. In this study, we aimed to examine the differences in physicochemical indices and microbial communities between combs with Termitomyces basidiomes (CF) and combs without Termitomyces basidiomes (CNF). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID), some commercial kits, high-throughput sequencing of the 16s RNA, and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) were used. Humidity, pH, and elements, i.e., Al, Ba, Fe, Mn, Ni, S, Ca, and Mg were higher while amino acids particularly alanine, tyrosine, and isoleucine were lower in CF as compared to CNF. The average contents of fatty acids were not significantly different between the two comb categories. The bacterial genera Alistipes, Burkholderia, Sediminibacterium, and Thermus were dominant in all combs. Brevibacterium, Brevundimonas, and Sediminibacterium were significantly more abundant in CF. Basidiomycota and Ascomycota were also identified in combs. Termitomyces clypeatus, Termitomyces sp. Group3, and Termitomyces sp. were the most dominant species in combs. However, any single Termitomyces species was abundantly present in an individual comb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guiying Yang
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Farhan Ahmad
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Entomology Section, Central Cotton Research Institute, Sakrand, Pakistan
| | - Qihuan Zhou
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meixia Guo
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shiyou Liang
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hassan Ahmed Gaal
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Entomology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, Somali National University, Mogadishu, Somalia
| | - Jianchu Mo
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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24
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Li H, Young SE, Poulsen M, Currie CR. Symbiont-Mediated Digestion of Plant Biomass in Fungus-Farming Insects. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 66:297-316. [PMID: 32926791 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-040920-061140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Feeding on living or dead plant material is widespread in insects. Seminal work on termites and aphids has provided profound insights into the critical nutritional role that microbes play in plant-feeding insects. Some ants, beetles, and termites, among others, have evolved the ability to use microbes to gain indirect access to plant substrate through the farming of a fungus on which they feed. Recent genomic studies, including studies of insect hosts and fungal and bacterial symbionts, as well as metagenomics and proteomics, have provided important insights into plant biomass digestion across insect-fungal mutualisms. Not only do advances in understanding of the divergent and complementary functions of complex symbionts reveal the mechanism of how these herbivorous insects catabolize plant biomass, but these symbionts also represent a promising reservoir for novel carbohydrate-active enzyme discovery, which is of considerable biotechnological interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjie Li
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China;
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA; ,
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, USA
| | - Soleil E Young
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA; ,
| | - Michael Poulsen
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark;
| | - Cameron R Currie
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA; ,
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, USA
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25
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Korb J, Silué SK, Koné NA. Can Differences in Symbiont Transmission Mode Explain the Abundance and Distribution of Fungus-Growing Termites in West Africa? Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.600318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungus-growing termites (Isoptera: Macrotermitinae) dominate African savannah ecosystems where they play important roles in ecosystem functioning. Their ecological dominance in these ecosystems has been attributed to living in an ectosymbiosis with fungi of the genus Termitomyces (Lyophyllaceae). Evolutionary theory predicts that the transmission mode of a symbiont determines cooperation and conflict between host and symbiont with vertical transmission (co-transmission of host and symbiont offspring to the next generation) leading to less conflict than horizontal transmission (symbionts are acquired by the host from the environment). Thus, one can hypothesize associations with vertical transmission to be ecological more successful than those with horizontal transmission. We tested this by analyzing whether there is an association between transmission mode and fungus-growing termite species abundance and distribution in West-African savannah and forest ecosystems. We used data from a total of 78 study sites comprising protected National Parks as well as anthropogenically disturbed ecosystems, covering Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, and Togo. Our results showed that, in contrast to expectation, species with horizontal symbiont transmission were more common. We encountered more often species with horizontal than vertical transmission. This result might be due to the fact that only five out of the 25 identified fungus-growing termite species had vertical transmission. Yet, species with horizontal transmission also had higher relative abundances within study sites than those with vertical transmission. Thus, transmission mode is unlikely to explain abundance differences between fungus-growing termite species.
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26
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Benndorf R, Schwitalla JW, Martin K, de Beer ZW, Vollmers J, Kaster AK, Poulsen M, Beemelmanns C. Nocardia macrotermitis sp. nov. and Nocardia aurantia sp. nov., isolated from the gut of the fungus-growing termite Macrotermes natalensis. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2020; 70:5226-5234. [PMID: 32815801 PMCID: PMC7660896 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.004398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The taxonomic positions of two novel aerobic, Gram-stain-positive Actinobacteria, designated RB20T and RB56T, were determined using a polyphasic approach. Both were isolated from the fungus-farming termite Macrotermes natalensis. Results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that both strains are members of the genus Nocardia with the closest phylogenetic neighbours Nocardia miyunensis JCM12860T (98.9 %) and Nocardia nova DSM44481T (98.5 %) for RB20T and Nocardia takedensis DSM 44801T (98.3 %), Nocardia pseudobrasiliensis DSM 44290T (98.3 %) and Nocardia rayongensis JCM 19832T (98.2 %) for RB56T. Digital DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) between RB20T and N. miyunensis JCM12860T and N. nova DSM 44481T resulted in similarity values of 33.9 and 22.0 %, respectively. DDH between RB56T and N. takedensis DSM44801T and N. pseudobrasiliensis DSM44290T showed similarity values of 20.7 and 22.3 %, respectively. In addition, wet-lab DDH between RB56T and N. rayongensis JCM19832T resulted in 10.2 % (14.5 %) similarity. Both strains showed morphological and chemotaxonomic features typical for the genus Nocardia, such as the presence of meso-diaminopimelic acid (A2pm) within the cell wall, arabinose and galactose as major sugar components within whole cell-wall hydrolysates, the presence of mycolic acids and major phospholipids (diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol), and the predominant menaquinone MK-8 (H4, ω-cyclo). The main fatty acids for both strains were hexadecanoic acid (C16 : 0), 10-methyloctadecanoic acid (10-methyl C18 : 0) and cis-9-octadecenoic acid (C18 : 1 ω9c). We propose two novel species within the genus Nocardia: Nocardia macrotermitis sp. nov. with the type strain RB20T (=VKM Ac-2841T=NRRL B65541T) and Nocardia aurantia sp. nov. with the type strain RB56T (=VKM Ac-2842T=NRRL B65542T).
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Affiliation(s)
- René Benndorf
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology e. V., Hans-Knöll-Institute, Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Jan W. Schwitalla
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology e. V., Hans-Knöll-Institute, Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Karin Martin
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology e. V., Hans-Knöll-Institute, Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Z. Wilhelm de Beer
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Forestry and Agriculture Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, 0028 Hatfield, South Africa
| | - John Vollmers
- Institute for Biological Interfaces (IBG 5), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von- Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Anne-Kristin Kaster
- Institute for Biological Interfaces (IBG 5), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von- Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Michael Poulsen
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Biology, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark
| | - Christine Beemelmanns
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology e. V., Hans-Knöll-Institute, Beutenbergstraße 11a, 07745 Jena, Germany
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27
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Scharf ME. Challenges and physiological implications of wood feeding in termites. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 41:79-85. [PMID: 32823202 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Termites are fascinating insects for a number of reasons, one of which being their specialization on diets of wood lignocellulose. The goal of this review is to consider stress-inducing characteristics of wood and apparent molecular-physiological adaptations in termite guts to overcome these stressors. Defensive factors present in wood include extractive secondary plant metabolites, lignin and related phenolics, crystalline cellulose, and low nitrogen content. Molecular-physiological adaptations of the termite gut to deal with these factors include robust detoxification and antioxidant machinery, the production of a peritrophic matrix and a wide range of cellulases from host and symbiotic sources, and creation of niches available to nitrogen-fixing bacterial symbionts. Considering termite gut physiology and symbioses in the context of stress-response has applied implications. These outcomes can include development of efficient biomass breakdown strategies, protection of microbes during industrial processing applications, and safeguarding wooden structures from termite damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael E Scharf
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
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28
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Exploring the effect of plant substrates on bacterial community structure in termite fungus-combs. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232329. [PMID: 32357167 PMCID: PMC7194444 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungus-cultivating termites are successful herbivores largely rely on the external symbiotic fungus-combs to decompose plant polysaccharides. The comb harbors both fungi and bacteria. However, the complementary roles and functions of the bacteria are out of the box. To this purpose, we look into different decomposition stages of fungus-combs using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to examine bacterial community structure. We also explored the bacterial response to physicochemical indexes (such as moisture, ash content and organic matter) and plant substrates (leaves or branches or mix food). Some specific families such as Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Peptostreptococcaceae may be involved in lignocellulose degradation, whereas Burkholderiaceae may be associated with aromatic compounds degradation. We observed that as the comb mature there is a shift of community composition which may be an adjustment of specific bacteria to deal with different lignocellulosic material. Our results indicated that threshold amount of physicochemical indexes are beneficial for bacterial diversity but too high moisture, low organic matter and high ash content may reduce their diversity. Furthermore, the average highest bacterial diversity was recorded from the comb built by branches followed by mix food and leaves. Besides, this study could help in the use of bacteria from the comb of fungus-cultivating termites in forestry and agricultural residues making them easier to digest as fodder.
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29
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Tuma J, Eggleton P, Fayle TM. Ant-termite interactions: an important but under-explored ecological linkage. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 95:555-572. [PMID: 31876057 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Animal interactions play an important role in understanding ecological processes. The nature and intensity of these interactions can shape the impacts of organisms on their environment. Because ants and termites, with their high biomass and range of ecological functions, have considerable effects on their environment, the interaction between them is important for ecosystem processes. Although the manner in which ants and termites interact is becoming increasingly well studied, there has been no synthesis to date of the available literature. Here we review and synthesise all existing literature on ant-termite interactions. We infer that ant predation on termites is the most important, most widespread, and most studied type of interaction. Predatory ant species can regulate termite populations and subsequently slow down the decomposition of wood, litter and soil organic matter. As a consequence they also affect plant growth and distribution, nutrient cycling and nutrient availability. Although some ant species are specialised termite predators, there is probably a high level of opportunistic predation by generalist ant species, and hence their impact on ecosystem processes that termites are known to provide varies at the species level. The most fruitful future research direction will be to evaluate the impact of ant-termite predation on broader ecosystem processes. To do this it will be necessary to quantify the efficacy both of particular ant species and of ant communities as a whole in regulating termite populations in different biomes. We envisage that this work will require a combination of methods, including DNA barcoding of ant gut contents along with field observations and exclusion experiments. Such a combined approach is necessary for assessing how this interaction influences entire ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiri Tuma
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.,Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Soil Biology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Paul Eggleton
- Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Tom M Fayle
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.,Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
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30
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Bodawatta KH, Poulsen M, Bos N. Foraging Macrotermes natalensis Fungus-Growing Termites Avoid a Mycopathogen but Not an Entomopathogen. INSECTS 2019; 10:E185. [PMID: 31247889 PMCID: PMC6681374 DOI: 10.3390/insects10070185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Fungus-growing termites have to defend both themselves and their monoculture fungal cultivars from antagonistic microbes. One of the ways that pathogens can enter the termite colony is on the plant substrate that is collected by termite foragers. In order to understand whether foragers avoid substrate infected with antagonists, we offered sub-colonies of Macrotermes natalensis a choice between food exposed to either a mycopathogenic or an entomopathogenic fungus, and control food. Workers did not show any preference between entomopathogen-exposed and control substrate, but significantly avoided the mycopathogen-exposed substrate. This suggests that the behaviour of foraging workers is more strongly influenced by pathogens affecting their crop than those posing risks to the termite workers themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasun H Bodawatta
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark
| | - Michael Poulsen
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark.
| | - Nick Bos
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark
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