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Bringhurst B, Greenwold M, Kellner K, Seal JN. Symbiosis, dysbiosis and the impact of horizontal exchange on bacterial microbiomes in higher fungus-gardening ants. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3231. [PMID: 38332146 PMCID: PMC10853281 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53218-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Advances in our understanding of symbiotic stability have demonstrated that microorganisms are key to understanding the homeostasis of obligate symbioses. Fungus-gardening ants are excellent model systems for exploring how microorganisms may be involved in symbiotic homeostasis as the host and symbionts are macroscopic and can be easily experimentally manipulated. Their coevolutionary history has been well-studied; examinations of which have depicted broad clade-to-clade specificity between the ants and fungus. Few studies hitherto have addressed the roles of microbiomes in stabilizing these associations. Here, we quantified changes in microbiome structure as a result of experimentally induced horizontal exchange of symbionts. This was done by performing cross-fostering experiments forcing ants to grow novel fungi and comparing known temporally unstable (undergoing dysbiosis) and stable combinations. We found that fungus-gardening ants alter their unstable, novel garden microbiomes into configurations like those found in native gardens. Patterns of dysbiosis/symbiosis appear to be predictable in that two related species with similar specificity patterns also show similar patterns of microbial change, whereas a species with more relaxed specificity does not show such microbiome change or restructuring when growing different fungi. It appears that clade-to-clade specificity patterns are the outcomes of community-level interactions that promote stability or cause symbiotic collapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake Bringhurst
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Tyler, 3900 University Blvd, Tyler, TX, 757998, USA
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 1315 Kinnear Rd, Columbus, OH, 43212, USA
| | - Matthew Greenwold
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Tyler, 3900 University Blvd, Tyler, TX, 757998, USA
| | - Katrin Kellner
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Tyler, 3900 University Blvd, Tyler, TX, 757998, USA
| | - Jon N Seal
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Tyler, 3900 University Blvd, Tyler, TX, 757998, USA.
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2
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Orbán-Bakk K, Witek M, Dubiec A, Heinze J, Markó B, Csata E. Infection with a non-lethal fungal parasite is associated with increased immune investment in the ant Myrmica scabrinodis. J Invertebr Pathol 2024; 202:108027. [PMID: 38042446 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2023.108027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Social insects, such as ants, are preferred host organisms of pathogens and parasites because colonies are densely populated, and the number of potential hosts is high in the same place and time. Within a colony, individuals are exposed differentially to risks according to their function and age. Thus, older individuals forage and are therefore the most exposed to infection, predation, or physical stress, while young workers mostly stay inside the sheltered nest being less exposed. Immune investment is considered to be dependent on an individual's age and pathogen pressure. Long-term exposure to a parasite could affect the immune activity of individuals in an intriguing way that interferes with the age-dependent decline in immunocompetence. However, there are only few cases in which such interferences can be studied. The myrmecopathogenic fungus Rickia wasmannii, which infects entire colonies without killing the workers, is a suitable candidate for such studies. We investigated the general immunocompetence of Myrmica scabrinodis ant workers associated with non-lethal fungal infection by measuring the levels of active phenoloxidase (PO) and total PO (PPO) (reflecting the amount of both active and inactive forms of the enzyme) in two age classes. The level of PO proved to be higher in infected workers than in uninfected ones, while the level of PPO increased with age but was not affected by infection. Overall, these results indicate that a long-term infection could go hand in hand with increased immune activity of ant workers, conferring them higher level of protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kincső Orbán-Bakk
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Clinicilor st. 5-7, Romania; Center for Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Sociobiology and Insect Ecology Lab, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Clinicilor st. 5-7, Romania.
| | - Magdalena Witek
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wilcza 64, 00-679 Warszawa, Poland.
| | - Anna Dubiec
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wilcza 64, 00-679 Warszawa, Poland.
| | - Jürgen Heinze
- Institute for Zoology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Bálint Markó
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Clinicilor st. 5-7, Romania; Institute for Research, Development and Innovation in Applied Natural Sciences, Babeș-Bolyai University, Fântânele 30, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
| | - Enikő Csata
- Institute for Zoology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany.
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3
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de Oliveira KB, Goes AC, Silva AD, Vieira PC, Rodrigues A. Fungal Cultivars of Higher Attine Ants Promote Escovopsis Chemotropism. Curr Microbiol 2023; 81:37. [PMID: 38063979 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-023-03552-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
In varied environments, microorganisms search for partners or nutritional resources using chemical signals. Microbes are drawn (chemotaxis) or grow directionally (chemotropism) towards the chemical source, enabling them to establish and maintain symbiosis. The hypocrealean fungi Escovopsis enhance their growth towards the basidiomycete fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus, which is cultivated by leaf-cutting attine ants for food. Although directional growth is well documented in this symbiosis, it is unclear whether non-volatile or volatile organic compounds participate in the interaction between cultivar and Escovopsis, and which specific chemical compounds might attract and induce chemotropism. In this study, we examined the growth responses of Escovopsis isolates to non-volatile and volatile organic compounds produced by fungal cultivars of higher attine ants. We also isolated and identified molecules released by the ant-cultivar and assessed the chemotropism of Escovopsis towards them. Our results indicate that the growth of Escovopsis is stimulated in the presence of both non-volatile and volatile compounds from fungal cultivars. We also identified three isomeric diketopiperazines molecules from crude extracts of the ant cultivar, suggesting that these might play a role in Escovopsis chemotropism. Our findings provide insights into the complex chemical interactions that govern the association between Escovopsis and fungal cultivars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina B de Oliveira
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | - Aryel C Goes
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Airton D Silva
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Paulo C Vieira
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Andre Rodrigues
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil.
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4
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Siedlecki I, Piątek M, Majchrowska M, Okrasińska A, Owczarek-Kościelniak M, Pawłowska J. Discovery of Formicomyces microglobosus gen. et sp. nov. strengthens the hypothesis of independent evolution of ant-associated fungi in Trichomeriaceae. Fungal Biol 2023; 127:1466-1474. [PMID: 38097320 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2023.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Different groups of fungi have been reported to interact with ants. Recent studies have shown that fungi of the order Chaetothyriales are important components of ant-fungus networks, including members of the family Trichomeriaceae, which is particularly rich in fungi isolated from carton ants nests. One of the still understudied ant-related environments are ants' infrabuccal pockets and pellets, which often contain fungal matter. The aim of this work was to determine the systematic and phylogenetic position of two slow growing strains of Trichomeriaceae isolated from infrabuccal pellets of Formica polyctena ants. Molecular analyses based on maximum likelihood and bayesian inference, using sequences of two ribosomal DNA markers: ITS and LSU have shown that the isolated strains form a monophyletic clade within the family Trichomeriaceae, sister to a clade formed by representatives of the genus Trichomerium. Morphological analyses additionally justified distinctiveness of the isolated strains, which have different morphology of conidia and conidiophores than Trichomerium representatives. Therefore, our results show that the isolated strains represent a new species within a not yet described fungal genus. Due to the strains' isolation source and their close relatedness to a fungal strain isolated from a carton nest of Lasius fuliginosus, we propose a name Formicomyces microglobosus Siedlecki & Piątek for this fungus. While our discovery strengthens a hypothesis of the multiple, independent evolution of ant-associated fungi in the family Trichomeriaceae, the ecology of F. microglobosus still remains to be characterized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Siedlecki
- University of Warsaw Botanic Garden, Aleje Ujazdowskie 4, 00-478, Warsaw, Poland; Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 101, 02-089, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Marcin Piątek
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, 31-512, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Maria Majchrowska
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 101, 02-089, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Alicja Okrasińska
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 101, 02-089, Warsaw, Poland.
| | | | - Julia Pawłowska
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 101, 02-089, Warsaw, Poland.
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5
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Valdivia C, Newton JA, von Beeren C, O'Donnell S, Kronauer DJC, Russell JA, Łukasik P. Microbial symbionts are shared between ants and their associated beetles. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:3466-3483. [PMID: 37968789 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
The transmission of microbial symbionts across animal species could strongly affect their biology and evolution, but our understanding of transmission patterns and dynamics is limited. Army ants (Formicidae: Dorylinae) and their hundreds of closely associated insect guest species (myrmecophiles) can provide unique insights into interspecific microbial symbiont sharing. Here, we compared the microbiota of workers and larvae of the army ant Eciton burchellii with those of 13 myrmecophile beetle species using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. We found that the previously characterized specialized bacterial symbionts of army ant workers were largely absent from ant larvae and myrmecophiles, whose microbial communities were usually dominated by Rickettsia, Wolbachia, Rickettsiella and/or Weissella. Strikingly, different species of myrmecophiles and ant larvae often shared identical 16S rRNA genotypes of these common bacteria. Protein-coding gene sequences confirmed the close relationship of Weissella strains colonizing army ant larvae, some workers and several myrmecophile species. Unexpectedly, these strains were also similar to strains infecting dissimilar animals inhabiting very different habitats: trout and whales. Together, our data show that closely interacting species can share much of their microbiota, and some versatile microbial species can inhabit and possibly transmit across a diverse range of hosts and environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catalina Valdivia
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Justin A Newton
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Christoph von Beeren
- Department of Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sean O'Donnell
- Department of Biodiversity, Earth & Environmental Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Daniel J C Kronauer
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jacob A Russell
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Piotr Łukasik
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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6
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Martiarena MJS, Deveau A, Montoya QV, Flórez LV, Rodrigues A. The Hyphosphere of Leaf-Cutting Ant Cultivars Is Enriched with Helper Bacteria. Microb Ecol 2023; 86:1773-1788. [PMID: 36754866 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02187-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria can live in a variety of interkingdom communities playing key ecological roles. The microbiome of leaf-cutting attine ant colonies are a remarkable example of such communities, as they support ants' metabolic processes and the maintenance of ant-fungus gardens. Studies on this topic have explored the bacterial community of the whole fungus garden, without discerning bacterial groups associated with the nutrient storage structures (gongylidia) of ant fungal cultivars. Here we studied bacteria isolated from the surface of gongylidia in the cultivars of Atta sexdens and Acromyrmex coronatus, to assess whether the bacterial community influences the biology of the fungus. A total of 10 bacterial strains were isolated from gongylidia (Bacillus sp., Lysinibacillus sp., Niallia sp., Staphylococcus sp., Paenibacillus sp., Pantoea sp., Staphylococcus sp., and one Actinobacteria). Some bacterial isolates increased gongylidia production and fungal biomass while others had inhibitory effects. Eight bacterial strains were confirmed to form biofilm-like structures on the fungal cultivar hyphae. They also showed auxiliary metabolic functions useful for the development of the fungal garden such as phosphate solubilization, siderophore production, cellulose and chitin degradation, and antifungal activity against antagonists of the fungal cultivar. Bacteria-bacteria interaction assays revealed heterogeneous behaviors including synergism and competition, which might contribute to regulate the community structure inside the garden. Our results suggest that bacteria and the ant fungal cultivar interact directly, across a continuum of positive and negative interactions within the community. These complex relationships could ultimately contribute to the stability of the ant-fungus mutualism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Jesus Sutta Martiarena
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Avenida 24-A, 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, SP, 13.506-900, Brazil
| | - Aurelie Deveau
- UMR IAM, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, 54280, Champenoux, France
| | - Quimi Vidaurre Montoya
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Avenida 24-A, 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, SP, 13.506-900, Brazil
| | - Laura V Flórez
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andre Rodrigues
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Avenida 24-A, 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, SP, 13.506-900, Brazil.
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7
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Camargo TS, Nickele MA, Filho WR, do Rocio Chiarello Penteado S, de Queiroz EC, Auer CG. Fungal Community Associated with the Leaf-Cutting Ant Acromyrmex crassispinus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Colonies: a Search for Potential Biocontrol Agents. Microb Ecol 2023; 86:1281-1291. [PMID: 37115262 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02217-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex crassispinus is considered an important pest in forest plantations in southern Brazil. This work aimed to study the fungal community associated with A. crassispinus colonies, subjected to treatments with subdoses of granulated baits (sulfluramid), which might reduce the ability of the ants to care for their symbiotic fungus and other fungi (maybe biocontrol fungi) would take over, to prospect for potential biological control agents. Samplings of fungus gardens and dead ants allowed the identification of 195 fungal isolates, distributed in 29 families, 36 genera, and 53 species. The most frequent genera were Trichoderma (49.2%), Penicillium (13.8%), Chaetomium (6.2%), and Fusarium (3.6%). This is the first study that conducted a survey of antagonistic and entomopathogenic fungi to A. crassispinus and its symbiotic fungus, reporting for the first time the occurrence of potential biological control agents. Escovopsis weberi, Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizomucor variabilis, Trichoderma atroviride, Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma koningiopsis, and Trichoderma spirale are considered some of the potential biocontrol organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiele Sides Camargo
- Departamento de Ciências Florestais, Universidade Federal Do Paraná, Av. Pref. Lothário Meissner, 900, Jardim Botânico, Curitiba, Curitiba, Paraná, 80210-170, Brazil.
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8
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Campbell LCE, Kiers ET, Chomicki G. The evolution of plant cultivation by ants. Trends Plant Sci 2023; 28:271-282. [PMID: 36372647 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2022.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Outside humans, true agriculture was previously thought to be restricted to social insects farming fungus. However, obligate farming of plants by ants was recently discovered in Fiji, prompting a re-examination of plant cultivation by ants. Here, we generate a database of plant cultivation by ants, identify three main types, and show that these interactions evolved primarily for shelter rather than food. We find that plant cultivation evolved at least 65 times independently for crops (~200 plant species), and 15 times in farmer lineages (~37 ant taxa) in the Neotropics and Asia/Australasia. Because of their high evolutionary replication, and variation in partner dependence, these systems are powerful models to unveil the steps in the evolution and ecology of insect agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - E Toby Kiers
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Guillaume Chomicki
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, Alfred Denny Building, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
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Xiao Q, Wang L, Chen SQ, Zheng CY, Lu YY, Xu YJ. Gut Microbiome Composition of the Fire Ant Solenopsis invicta: an Integrated Analysis of Host Genotype and Geographical Distribution. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0358522. [PMID: 36602316 PMCID: PMC9927370 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03585-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Gut symbiotic bacteria are known to be closely related to insect development, nutrient metabolism, and disease resistance traits, but the most important factors leading to changes in these communities have not been well clarified. To address this, we examined the associations between the gut symbiotic bacteria and the host genotype and geographical distribution of Solenopsis invicta in China, where it is invasive and has spread primarily by human-mediated dispersal. Thirty-two phyla were detected in the gut symbiotic bacteria of S. invicta. Proteobacteria were the most dominant group among the gut symbiotic bacteria. Furthermore, the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity matrices of the gut symbiotic bacteria were significantly positively correlated with the geographical distance between the host ant colonies, but this relationship was affected by the social form. The distance between monogyne colonies had a significant effect on the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity matrices of gut symbiotic bacteria, but the distance between polygyne colonies did not. Moreover, the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity matrices were positively correlated with Nei's genetic distance of the host but were not correlated with the COI-based genetic distance. This study provides a scientific basis for further understanding the ecological adaptability of red imported fire ants during invasion and dispersal. IMPORTANCE We demonstrated that gut microbiota composition and diversity varied among populations. These among-population differences were associated with host genotype and geographical distribution. Our results suggested that population-level differences in S. invicta gut microbiota may depend more on environmental factors than on host genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Xiao
- Red Imported Fire Ant Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Red Imported Fire Ant Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Si-Qi Chen
- Red Imported Fire Ant Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chun-Yan Zheng
- Red Imported Fire Ant Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yong-Yue Lu
- Red Imported Fire Ant Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi-Juan Xu
- Red Imported Fire Ant Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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10
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Kuo HY, Chiu MC, Chou JY. Bacillus predominates in the Ophiocordyceps pseudolloydii-infected ants, and it potentially improves protection and utilization of the host cadavers. Arch Microbiol 2023; 205:53. [PMID: 36602580 PMCID: PMC9816197 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-022-03385-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The bacterial communities that colonize the cadaver environment of insects infected and killed by parasitic fungi can be selected by the sympatric fungi and provide novel impacts. In this study, we found that Bacillus cereus/thuringiensis predominate the bacterial community in Dolichoderus thoracicus ant cadavers colonized by O. pseudolloydii. The most predominant bacterial strains in these ant cadavers were hemolytic and able to produce hydrolytic enzymes for digesting the ant tissue. A relatively intense lethal effect on the co-cultured nematode was displayed by a hemolytic strain. Moreover, the antagonistic effect against pathogenic fungi detected in the bacteria sympatric with O. pseudolloydii was reported here. Naphthoquinones have been shown to confer antibacterial activities and produced by the ant-pathogenic Ophiocordyceps fungi. However, our results did not show the naphthoquinone tolerance we expected to be detected in the bacteria from the ant infected by O. pseudolloydii. The bacterial diversity in the samples associated with O. pseudolloydii infected ants as revealed in this study will be a step forward to the understanding of the roles playing by the microbial community in the native habitats of O. pseudolloydii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Yu Kuo
- Department of Biology, National Changhua University of Education, 500, Changhua, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Chung Chiu
- Department of Biology, National Changhua University of Education, 500, Changhua, Taiwan
| | - Jui-Yu Chou
- Department of Biology, National Changhua University of Education, 500, Changhua, Taiwan.
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11
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Zhang R, Liu X, Wei C. Dynamic analysis of stochastic delay mutualistic system of leaf-cutter ants with stage structure and their fungus garden. J Biol Dyn 2022; 16:565-584. [PMID: 35849728 DOI: 10.1080/17513758.2022.2099590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we propose a stochastic delay mutualistic model of leaf-cutter ants with stage structure and their fungus garden, in which we explore how the discrete delay and white noise affect the dynamic of the population system. The existence and uniqueness of global positive solution are proved, and the asymptotic behaviours of the stochastic model around the positive equilibrium point of the deterministic model are also investigated. Furthermore, the sufficient conditions for the persistence of the population are established. Finally, some numerical simulations are performed to show the effect of random environmental fluctuation on the model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruimin Zhang
- School of Science, Jimei University, Xiamen, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaohui Liu
- School of Science, Jimei University, Xiamen, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunjin Wei
- School of Science, Jimei University, Xiamen, People's Republic of China
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12
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Travanty NV, Vargo EL, Apperson CS, Ponnusamy L. Colonization by the Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta, Modifies Soil Bacterial Communities. Microb Ecol 2022; 84:240-256. [PMID: 34370055 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01826-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The long-standing association between insects and microorganisms has been especially crucial to the evolutionary and ecological success of social insect groups. Notably, research on the interaction of the two social forms (monogyne and polygyne) of the red imported fire ant (RIFA), Solenopsis invicta Buren, with microbes in its soil habitat is presently limited. In this study, we characterized bacterial microbiomes associated with RIFA nest soils and native (RIFA-negative) soils to better understand the effects of colonization of RIFA on soil microbial communities. Bacterial community fingerprints of 16S rRNA amplicons using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis revealed significant differences in the structure of the bacterial communities between RIFA-positive and RIFA-negative soils at 0 and 10 cm depths. Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons provided fine-scale analysis to test for effects of RIFA colonization, RIFA social form, and soil depth on the composition of the bacterial microbiomes of the soil and RIFA workers. Our results showed the bacterial community structure of RIFA-colonized soils to be significantly different from native soil communities and to evidence elevated abundances of several taxa, including Actinobacteria. Colony social form was not found to be a significant factor in nest or RIFA worker microbiome compositions. RIFA workers and nest soils were determined to have markedly different bacterial communities, with RIFA worker microbiomes being characterized by high abundances of a Bartonella-like endosymbiont and Entomoplasmataceae. Cloning and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene revealed the Bartonella sp. to be a novel bacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas V Travanty
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, NC, 27695, Raleigh, USA
| | - Edward L Vargo
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Charles S Apperson
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, NC, 27695, Raleigh, USA
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Loganathan Ponnusamy
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, NC, 27695, Raleigh, USA.
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
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13
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Giraldo C, Chaves-López C, Tofalo R, Angrisani R, Rodrigues A, Montoya-Lerma J. Yeasts associated with the worker caste of the leaf-cutting ant Atta cephalotes under experimental conditions in Colombia. Arch Microbiol 2022; 204:284. [PMID: 35476294 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-022-02811-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Yeasts isolated from the worker caste of the Colombian leaf-cutting ant, Atta cephalotes (Hymenoptera: Myrmicinae) were cultured and identified by molecular methods. Abundant, persistent, and omnipresent species were classified as "prevalent". Experimental data were compared with information gathered from published reports on the yeast species composition in other leaf-cutting ant species. Diversity analysis was conducted using diversity values (q0, q1, and q2) to compare the richness and abundance of yeasts present in different leaf-cutting ant species. Clustering analysis was carried out to assess the similarity of yeast community according to ant species. The yeast species composition was highly variable among the ant species. A. laevigata and A. capiguara showed the highest degree of similarity and differed from the group composed by A. cephalotes, A. sexdens, A. sexdens rubropilosa, and A. texana. The isolation of dominant yeasts in different ant castes within the different compartments of a colony strongly suggests that the identified microorganisms are not transient but are native to the soil surrounding ant colonies and the substrates used by the ants to grow their fungal cultivars. It is apparent that the ant-fungus mutualism does not operate in an environment devoid of other microbes, but rather that the association must be seen within the context of a background of other microorganisms, particularly the dominant yeasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Giraldo
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad del Valle, A.A. 25360, Cali, Colombia.
| | - Clemencia Chaves-López
- Facoltá di BioScience e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari e Ambientali, Universitá Degli Studi di Teramo, Via R. Balzarini, 164100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Rosanna Tofalo
- Facoltá di BioScience e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari e Ambientali, Universitá Degli Studi di Teramo, Via R. Balzarini, 164100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Roberto Angrisani
- NutriPlant S.R.L. Impianto Chimico per la Produzione Di Specialità Fertilizzanti per Agricoltura in Gestione Biologica e Convenzionale, S. S. 93 Km 46,400, 85024, Lavello, PZ, Italy
| | - Andre Rodrigues
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
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14
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Tartally A, Szabó N, Somogyi AÁ, Báthori F, Haelewaters D, Mucsi A, Fürjes-Mikó Á, Nash DR. Ectoparasitic fungi of Myrmica ants alter the success of parasitic butterflies. Sci Rep 2021; 11:24031. [PMID: 34911991 PMCID: PMC8674344 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02800-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Exploitation of organisms by multiple parasite species is common in nature, but interactions among parasites have rarely been studied. Myrmica ants are rich in parasites. Among others, the ectoparasitic Rickia wasmannii fungus and the parasitic caterpillars of myrmecophilous Phengaris butterflies often infect the same Myrmica colonies. In this study, we examined the effects of R. wasmannii on the adoption, long-term development, and survival of P. alcon. In laboratory conditions, caterpillars introduced into nests of Myrmica scabrinodis uninfected with R. wasmannii survived significantly longer compared to caterpillars introduced into infected nests. In the field, joint infection was less common than expected if both parasites exploited M. scabrinodis colonies independently. Pre-pupal caterpillars of P. alcon were somewhat larger in nests infected with R. wasmannii than those found in uninfected nests. Based on these results it seems that R. wasmannii infection of M. scabrinodis affects the survival and development of P. alcon caterpillars, suggesting competition between these two ant parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- András Tartally
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Norbert Szabó
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
- Juhász-Nagy Pál Doctoral School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Anna Ágnes Somogyi
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
- Juhász-Nagy Pál Doctoral School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
- Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Baross str. 13, 1088, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Báthori
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
- Juhász-Nagy Pál Doctoral School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
- Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Centre for Ecological Research, Alkotmány út 2-4, Vácrátót, Hungary, 2163
| | - Danny Haelewaters
- Research Group Mycology, Department of Biology, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | | | - Ágnes Fürjes-Mikó
- Department of Forest Protection, University of Sopron-Forest Research Institute, Hegyalja str. 18, 3232, Mátrafüred, Hungary
| | - David R Nash
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
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15
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Abstract
Transmission is a crucial step in all pathogen life cycles. As such, certain species have evolved complex traits that increase their chances to find and invade new hosts. Fungal species that hijack insect behaviors are evident examples. Many of these "zombie-making" entomopathogens cause their hosts to exhibit heightened activity, seek out elevated positions, and display body postures that promote spore dispersal, all with specific circadian timing. Answering how fungal entomopathogens manipulate their hosts will increase our understanding of molecular aspects underlying fungus-insect interactions, pathogen-host coevolution, and the regulation of animal behavior. It may also lead to the discovery of novel bioactive compounds, given that the fungi involved have traditionally been understudied. This minireview summarizes and discusses recent work on zombie-making fungi of the orders Hypocreales and Entomophthorales that has resulted in hypotheses regarding the mechanisms that drive fungal manipulation of insect behavior. We discuss mechanical processes, host chemical signaling pathways, and fungal secreted effectors proposed to be involved in establishing pathogen-adaptive behaviors. Additionally, we touch on effectors' possible modes of action and how the convergent evolution of host manipulation could have given rise to the many parallels in observed behaviors across fungus-insect systems and beyond. However, the hypothesized mechanisms of behavior manipulation have yet to be proven. We, therefore, also suggest avenues of research that would move the field toward a more quantitative future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charissa de Bekker
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Cluster, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - William C. Beckerson
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Cluster, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Carolyn Elya
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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16
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Lindström S, Timonen S, Sundström L. The bacterial and fungal community composition in time and space in the nest mounds of the ant Formica exsecta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Microbiologyopen 2021; 10:e1201. [PMID: 34459553 PMCID: PMC8289489 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In a subarctic climate, the seasonal shifts in temperature, precipitation, and plant cover drive the temporal changes in the microbial communities in the topsoil, forcing soil microbes to adapt or decline. Many organisms, such as mound-building ants, survive the cold winter owing to the favorable microclimate in their nest mounds. We have previously shown that the microbial communities in the nest of the ant Formica exsecta are significantly different from those in the surrounding bulk soil. In the current study, we identified taxa, which were consistently present in the nests over a study period of three years. Some taxa were also significantly enriched in the nest samples compared with spatially corresponding reference soils. We show that the bacterial communities in ant nests are temporally stable across years, whereas the fungal communities show greater variation. It seems that the activities of the ants contribute to unique biochemical processes in the secluded nest environment, and create opportunities for symbiotic interactions between the ants and the microbes. Over time, the microbial communities may come to diverge, due to drift and selection, especially given the long lifespan (up to 30 years) of the ant colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stafva Lindström
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research ProgrammeFaculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Tvärminne Zoological StationHankoFinland
- Department of MicrobiologyUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Sari Timonen
- Department of MicrobiologyUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Liselotte Sundström
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research ProgrammeFaculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Tvärminne Zoological StationHankoFinland
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17
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Aylward FO. The coevolutionary history of the microbial planet. Environ Microbiol Rep 2021; 13:12-14. [PMID: 32939975 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Frank O Aylward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
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18
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Maya-Yescas ME, Revah S, Le Borgne S, Valenzuela J, Palacios-González E, Terrés-Rojas E, Vigueras-Ramírez G. Growth of Leucoagaricus gongylophorus Möller (Singer) and production of key enzymes in submerged and solid-state cultures with lignocellulosic substrates. Biotechnol Lett 2021; 43:845-854. [PMID: 33389270 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-020-03057-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to characterize the growth of the fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus LEU18496, isolated from the fungus garden of the nest of leaf cutter ants Atta mexicana. The fungus garden was cultivated in an artificial laboratory nest and the fungus further grown in submerged (SmC) and solid state (SSC) cultures with sugarcane bagasse, grass or model substrates containing CM-cellulose, xylan or lignin. The CO2 production rate with grass in SmC (Vmax 34.76 mg CO2 Lgas-1 day- 1) was almost four times than SSC (Vmax 9.49 mg CO2 Lgas-1 day- 1), while the production rate obtained in sugarcane bagasse in SmC (Vmax 16.02 mg CO2 Lgas-1 day- 1) was almost three times than that for SSC (Vmax 5.42 mg CO2 Lgas-1 day- 1). In addition, the fungus grew with defined carbon substrates mixtures in SmC, but at different rates, first xylan, followed by CM-cellulose and lignin. Endoglucanase and xylanase activities (U mgprotein-1) were detected in all cultures, the specific activity was higher in the fungus-garden, 5.2 and 1.8; followed by SSC-grass, 1.5 and 0.8, and SSC-bagasse, 0.9 and 0.8, respectively. Laccase activity in the fungus-garden was 44.8 U L- 1 and 10.9 U L- 1 in the SSC-grass. The gongylidia structures observed by environmental scanning electron microscopy were ca. 40 µm and the hyphae width ca. 5 µm. The results show that L. gongylophorus from A. mexicana have promising applications for the treatment of plant residues to release fermentable sugars and the production of high value lignocellulolytic enzymes such as endoglucanase, xylanase or laccases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minerva E Maya-Yescas
- Posgrado en Ciencias Naturales e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa, Vasco de Quiroga 4871, Cuajimalpa, 05348, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Sergio Revah
- Departamento de Procesos y Tecnología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa, Vasco de Quiroga 4871, Cuajimalpa, 05348, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Sylvie Le Borgne
- Departamento de Procesos y Tecnología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa, Vasco de Quiroga 4871, Cuajimalpa, 05348, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Jorge Valenzuela
- Red de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Ecología, Carr. Antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, 91070, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Eduardo Palacios-González
- Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo, Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas 152, San Bartolo Atepehuacan, Gustavo A. Madero, 07730, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Eduardo Terrés-Rojas
- Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo, Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas 152, San Bartolo Atepehuacan, Gustavo A. Madero, 07730, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Gabriel Vigueras-Ramírez
- Departamento de Procesos y Tecnología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa, Vasco de Quiroga 4871, Cuajimalpa, 05348, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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19
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Tragust S, Herrmann C, Häfner J, Braasch R, Tilgen C, Hoock M, Milidakis MA, Gross R, Feldhaar H. Formicine ants swallow their highly acidic poison for gut microbial selection and control. eLife 2020; 9:e60287. [PMID: 33138912 PMCID: PMC7609056 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals continuously encounter microorganisms that are essential for health or cause disease. They are thus challenged to control harmful microbes while allowing the acquisition of beneficial microbes. This challenge is likely especially important for social insects with respect to microbes in food, as they often store food and exchange food among colony members. Here we show that formicine ants actively swallow their antimicrobial, highly acidic poison gland secretion. The ensuing acidic environment in the stomach, the crop, can limit the establishment of pathogenic and opportunistic microbes ingested with food and improve the survival of ants when faced with pathogen contaminated food. At the same time, crop acidity selectively allows acquisition and colonization by Acetobacteraceae, known bacterial gut associates of formicine ants. This suggests that swallowing of the poison in formicine ants acts as a microbial filter and that antimicrobials have a potentially widespread but so far underappreciated dual role in host-microbe interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Tragust
- Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center for Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, UniversitätsstraßeBayreuthGermany
| | - Claudia Herrmann
- Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center for Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, UniversitätsstraßeBayreuthGermany
| | - Jane Häfner
- Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center for Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, UniversitätsstraßeBayreuthGermany
| | - Ronja Braasch
- Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center for Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, UniversitätsstraßeBayreuthGermany
| | - Christina Tilgen
- Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center for Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, UniversitätsstraßeBayreuthGermany
| | - Maria Hoock
- Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center for Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, UniversitätsstraßeBayreuthGermany
| | - Margarita Artemis Milidakis
- Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center for Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, UniversitätsstraßeBayreuthGermany
| | - Roy Gross
- Microbiology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am HublandWürzburgGermany
| | - Heike Feldhaar
- Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center for Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, UniversitätsstraßeBayreuthGermany
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20
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An JS, Lee JY, Kim E, Ahn H, Jang YJ, Shin B, Hwang S, Shin J, Yoon YJ, Lee SK, Oh DC. Formicolides A and B, Antioxidative and Antiangiogenic 20-Membered Macrolides from a Wood Ant Gut Bacterium. J Nat Prod 2020; 83:2776-2784. [PMID: 32892623 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c00772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Two new macrolides, formicolides A (1) and B (2), were isolated from Streptomyces sp. BA01, a gut bacterial strain of the wood ant (Formica yessensis). Their 20-membered macrocyclic lactone structures were established using NMR and mass spectrometric data. The relative configurations of the formicolides were determined by J-based configuration analysis utilizing ROESY, HETLOC, and HECADE NMR spectroscopic data. Genomic and bioinformatics analysis of the bacterial strain enabled us to identify the type-I polyketide synthase pathway employing a trans-acyltransferase system. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 are proposed based on detailed analysis of the sequences of the ketoreductases in the modular gene cluster and statistical comparative analysis of the experimental NMR chemical shifts and quantum mechanical calculations. Formicolides A and B (1 and 2) induced quinone reductase activity in murine Hepa-1c1c7 cells and antiangiogenic activity by suppression of tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joon Soo An
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Yun Lee
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunji Kim
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyungju Ahn
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Joon Jang
- Natura Center of Life and Environment, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Bora Shin
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunghoon Hwang
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongheon Shin
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeo Joon Yoon
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Kook Lee
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Chan Oh
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
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21
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Francoeur CB, Khadempour L, Moreira-Soto RD, Gotting K, Book AJ, Pinto-Tomás AA, Keefover-Ring K, Currie CR. Bacteria Contribute to Plant Secondary Compound Degradation in a Generalist Herbivore System. mBio 2020; 11:e02146-20. [PMID: 32934088 PMCID: PMC7492740 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02146-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Herbivores must overcome a variety of plant defenses, including coping with plant secondary compounds (PSCs). To help detoxify these defensive chemicals, several insect herbivores are known to harbor gut microbiota with the metabolic capacity to degrade PSCs. Leaf-cutter ants are generalist herbivores, obtaining sustenance from specialized fungus gardens that act as external digestive systems and which degrade the diverse collection of plants foraged by the ants. There is in vitro evidence that certain PSCs harm Leucoagaricus gongylophorus, the fungal cultivar of leaf-cutter ants, suggesting a role for the Proteobacteria-dominant bacterial community present within fungus gardens. In this study, we investigated the ability of symbiotic bacteria present within fungus gardens of leaf-cutter ants to degrade PSCs. We cultured fungus garden bacteria, sequenced the genomes of 42 isolates, and identified genes involved in PSC degradation, including genes encoding cytochrome P450 enzymes and genes in geraniol, cumate, cinnamate, and α-pinene/limonene degradation pathways. Using metatranscriptomic analysis, we showed that some of these degradation genes are expressed in situ Most of the bacterial isolates grew unhindered in the presence of PSCs and, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), we determined that isolates from the genera Bacillus, Burkholderia, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Pseudomonas degrade α-pinene, β-caryophyllene, or linalool. Using a headspace sampler, we show that subcolonies of fungus gardens reduced α-pinene and linalool over a 36-h period, while L. gongylophorus strains alone reduced only linalool. Overall, our results reveal that the bacterial communities in fungus gardens play a pivotal role in alleviating the effect of PSCs on the leaf-cutter ant system.IMPORTANCE Leaf-cutter ants are dominant neotropical herbivores capable of deriving energy from a wide range of plant substrates. The success of leaf-cutter ants is largely due to their external gut, composed of key microbial symbionts, specifically, the fungal mutualist L. gongylophorus and a consistent bacterial community. Both symbionts are known to have critical roles in extracting energy from plant material, yet comparatively little is known about their roles in the detoxification of plant secondary compounds. In this study, we assessed if the bacterial communities associated with leaf-cutter ant fungus gardens can degrade harmful plant chemicals. We identify plant secondary compound detoxification in leaf-cutter ant gardens as a process that depends on the degradative potential of both the bacterial community and L. gongylophorus Our findings suggest that the fungus garden and its associated microbial community influence the generalist foraging abilities of the ants, underscoring the importance of microbial symbionts in plant substrate suitability for herbivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte B Francoeur
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Lily Khadempour
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Rolando D Moreira-Soto
- Sección de Entomología Medica, Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Kirsten Gotting
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Adam J Book
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Adrián A Pinto-Tomás
- Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
- Centro de Investigación en Biología Celular y Molecular, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Ken Keefover-Ring
- Departments of Botany and Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Cameron R Currie
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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22
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Huang H, Ren L, Li H, Schmidt A, Gershenzon J, Lu Y, Cheng D. The nesting preference of an invasive ant is associated with the cues produced by actinobacteria in soil. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008800. [PMID: 32913361 PMCID: PMC7482974 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Soil-dwelling animals are at risk of pathogen infection in soils. When choosing nesting sites, animals could reduce this risk by avoiding contact with pathogens, yet there is currently little evidence. We tested this hypothesis using Solenopsis invicta as a model system. Newly mated queens of S. invicta were found to nest preferentially in soil containing more actinobacteria of Streptomyces and Nocardiopsis and to be attracted to two volatiles produced by these bacteria, geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol. Actinobacteria-rich soil was favored by S. invicta and this soil contained fewer putative entomopathogenic fungi than adjacent areas. Queens in such soil benefited from a higher survival rate. In culture, isolated actinobacteria inhibited entomopathogenic fungi, suggested that their presence may reduce the risk of fungal infection. These results indicated a soil-dwelling ant may choose nest sites presenting relatively low pathogen risk by detecting the odors produced by bacteria with anti-fungal properties. Insect pathogens are widely distributed in soil. Soil-dwelling insects must overcome challenges arising from pathogens in soil. Here we report that a soil-dwelling ant may choose nest sites with lower pathogen infection risk, specifically the ant can sense the cues of some actinobacteria that can inhibit the growth of the pathogens. By choosing the sites with higher abundance of some actinobacteria, the ant can get a higher survival rate. The ant and some actinobacteria thus coordinate a specialized adaptive strategy of infection risk management, enabling the ant population to grow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongmei Huang
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lu Ren
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huijing Li
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Axel Schmidt
- Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Jonathan Gershenzon
- Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Yongyue Lu
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- * E-mail: (YL); (DC)
| | - Daifeng Cheng
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- * E-mail: (YL); (DC)
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do Nascimento LE, Amaral RR, Ferreira RMDA, Trindade DVS, do Nascimento RE, da Costa TS, Souto RNP. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as Potential Mechanical Vectors of Pathogenic Bacteria in a Public Hospital in the Eastern Amazon, Brazil. J Med Entomol 2020; 57:1619-1626. [PMID: 32368780 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjaa062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Studies related to ants found in hospital environments have aroused interest in their role as mechanical vectors of pathogenic microorganisms. The objective of the current research was to determine the species composition and bacterial contamination of ant species found in a public hospital in the eastern Amazonian region. Ants were captured using bait containing honey and sterilized sardines in 15 locations within the Macapá Emergency Hospital, Amapá. Ants were identified morphologically using specific keys. Bacteria were first inoculed in a Brain Heart Infusion broth and then plated on 5% Agar with blood or MacConkey media. Bacterial species were identified through biochemical procedures. In total, 9,687 ants were collected, with 69.8% from the dry season and 30.2% from the rainy season. Nine species of ants were identified belonging to three subfamilies: the Monomorium pharaonis (Linnaeus 1758) being the most common, comprising 39.2% of the total specimens. Only one ant species was found in each bait, facilitating microbiological analyses. In total, 92 bacteria isolates were identified comprising 12 species. Pseudomonas aeruginosa Schroeter 1872 (Pseudomonadales: Pseudomonadaceae) was pathogenic bacteria, most frequently isolated, comprising 10.9% of the positive samples. The most contaminated ant in the study was M. pharaonis with 38.3%. It was the dominant ant species in this hospital environment. Its wide prevalence, forage day and night of this vector in hospital facilitated bacterial contamination. The presence of bacteria on ants may be associated with the dissemination of pathogens which cause hospital infections, making pest control a necessity in these institutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Espíndola do Nascimento
- Programa de pós graduação Stricto sensu em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Campus Universitário Marco Zero do Equador, Rodovia Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira, KM-02 Bairro Zerão, CEP: 68902-280 Macapá, AP, Brazil
- Laboratório de Arthropoda, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Campus Universitário Marco Zero do Equador, Rodovia Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira, KM-02, Bairro Zerão, CEP: 68902-280 Macapá, AP, Brasil
| | - Raquel Rodrigues Amaral
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Campus Universitário Marco Zero do Equador, Rodovia Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira, KM-02 Bairro Zerão, CEP: 68902-280 Macapá, AP, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Marcelo Dos Anjos Ferreira
- Laboratório de Arthropoda, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Campus Universitário Marco Zero do Equador, Rodovia Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira, KM-02, Bairro Zerão, CEP: 68902-280 Macapá, AP, Brasil
| | - Diogo Vitor Soares Trindade
- Laboratório de Ciências, Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Amapá, Rod. BR 210, Km 3, Brasil Novo, CEP: 68909-398 Macapá, AP, Brazil
| | - Rafael Espíndola do Nascimento
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Campus Universitário Marco Zero do Equador, Rodovia Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira, KM-02 Bairro Zerão, CEP: 68902-280 Macapá, AP, Brazil
| | - Tiago Silva da Costa
- Laboratório de Arthropoda, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Campus Universitário Marco Zero do Equador, Rodovia Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira, KM-02, Bairro Zerão, CEP: 68902-280 Macapá, AP, Brasil
| | - Raimundo Nonato Picanço Souto
- Programa de pós graduação Stricto sensu em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Campus Universitário Marco Zero do Equador, Rodovia Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira, KM-02 Bairro Zerão, CEP: 68902-280 Macapá, AP, Brazil
- Laboratório de Arthropoda, Universidade Federal do Amapá, Campus Universitário Marco Zero do Equador, Rodovia Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira, KM-02, Bairro Zerão, CEP: 68902-280 Macapá, AP, Brasil
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24
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Abstract
Ants have been shown to engage in symbiosis across the tree of life, although our knowledge is far from complete. These interactions range from mutualistic to parasitic with several instances of manipulation of host behavior. Nutrient contributions in these symbioses include both farming for food and nitrogen recycling by gut-associated microbes. Interestingly, the ants that are mostly likely to host diverse and likely functional gut microbial communities are those that feed on extreme diets. Although we do see many instances of symbiosis between ants and microbes, there are also examples of species without a functional gut microbiome. Symbiosis among microbes and eukaryotic hosts is common and often considered a hallmark of multicellular evolution [1]. This is true among many of the over 13000 species of ants, although symbiosis between ants and microbes are not ubiquitous. These microbial-ant symbiotic interactions span the tree of life and include microbial eukaryotes, fungi, viruses, and bacteria. These interactions range from pathogenic to mutualistic, with many relationships still not well understood. Although our knowledge of the diversity of these microbes in ants is growing rapidly, and in some cases we know the function and interaction with the host, we still have much to learn about - the little things that run the little things that run the world!
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Affiliation(s)
- Corrie S Moreau
- Cornell University, Departments of Entomology and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, 129 Garden Avenue, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA.
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25
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Abstract
Fungus-growing ants and their microbial symbionts have emerged as a model system for understanding antibiotic deployment in an ecological context. Here we establish that bacterial symbionts of the ant Trachymyrmex septentrionalis antagonize their most likely competitors, other strains of ant-associated bacteria, using the thiopeptide antibiotic GE37468. Genomic analysis suggests that these symbionts acquired the GE37468 gene cluster from soil bacteria. This antibiotic, with known activity against human pathogens, was previously identified in a biochemical screen but had no known ecological role. GE37468's host-associated defense role in this insect niche intriguingly parallels the function of similar thiopeptides in the human microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preston T Chang
- Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Krithika Rao
- Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Lauren O Longo
- Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Elisabeth S Lawton
- Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Georgia Scherer
- Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Ethan B Van Arnam
- Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
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26
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Reeves DD, Price SL, Ramalho MO, Moreau CS. The Diversity and Distribution of Wolbachia, Rhizobiales, and Ophiocordyceps Within the Widespread Neotropical Turtle Ant, Cephalotes atratus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Neotrop Entomol 2020; 49:52-60. [PMID: 31912447 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-019-00735-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Ants are an ecologically and evolutionarily diverse group, and they harbor a wide range of symbiotic microbial communities that often greatly affect their biology. Turtle ants (genus Cephalotes) engage in mutualistic relationships with gut bacteria and are exploited by microbial parasites. Studies have shown that associations among these microbial lineages and the turtle ant hosts vary geographically. However, these studies have been limited, and thorough within-species analyses of the variation and structure of these microbial communities have yet to be conducted. The giant turtle ant, Cephalotes atratus (Linnaeus 1758), is a geographically widespread, genetically diverse Neotropical species that has been sampled extensively across its geographic range, making it ideal for analysis of microbial associations. In this study, we verified the presence, genetic variation, and geographic patterns at the individual, colony, and population level of three microbial groups associated with the giant turtle ant: Wolbachia, a genus of facultative bacteria which are often parasitic, affecting host reproduction; Rhizobiales, a mutualistic order of bacteria hypothesized to be an obligate nutritional symbiont in turtle ants; and Ophiocordyceps, a genus of endoparasitic fungi infecting many arthropod species by manipulating their behavior for fungal reproduction. In this study, we found varying degrees of prevalence for two distantly related genotypes (haplogroups) of Wolbachia and high degree of prevalence of Rhizobiales across colonies with little genetic variation. In addition, we found low occurrence of Ophiocordyceps. This study highlights a key first step in understanding the diversity, distribution, and prevalence of the microbial community of C. atratus.
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Affiliation(s)
- D D Reeves
- Department of Science and Education, Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - S L Price
- Department of Science and Education, Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - M O Ramalho
- Department of Science and Education, Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
| | - C S Moreau
- Department of Science and Education, Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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Bordoni A, Tatini I, Puente Romero C, Perito B, Turillazzi S, Dapporto L. No evidence of queen immunisation despite transgenerational immunisation in Crematogaster scutellaris ants. J Insect Physiol 2020; 120:103998. [PMID: 31843493 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.103998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Like vertebrates, invertebrates evolved acquired immunity based on memory-like mechanisms, known as immunisation. Immunisation and its transmission among individuals are phylogenetically ancestral and conserved characters that have been reported in different insect orders. Physiological mechanisms are still largely unknown, and the high variability in responses in different host-parasite systems led to different conclusions. In social insect species, the complex organisation of colonies further complicates the interpretation of the immune responses. In ants, it has been shown that the expression of immunisation depends on species, caste and physiological status of individuals. In this study, we investigate the occurrence of immunisation in queens of Crematogaster scutellaris ants using the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae as elicitor. Foundation in C. scutellaris is claustral and monogynic, allowing us to test the existence of the phenomenon in two distinct physiological conditions, corresponding to the claustral and colonial phases of queens. Queens and foundresses challenged with heavy doses of the pathogen showed higher mortality if previously exposed to light doses, indicating the absence of immunisation in our experimental settings. On the other hand, evidence of the trans-generational immunisation in the same host-parasite system has been recently found, where workers produced by queens exposed to light doses of M. anisopliae survived longer than those belonging to the control group. These results indicate that foundresses exposed to M. anisopliae can elicit an increased resistance in the offspring without providing themselves with a similar increased immune response and that immunisation and trans-generational immunisation are uncoupled phenomena in this host-parasite system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adele Bordoni
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via madonna del piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Irene Tatini
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via madonna del piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Cristina Puente Romero
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via madonna del piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Brunella Perito
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via madonna del piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Stefano Turillazzi
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via madonna del piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Leonardo Dapporto
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via madonna del piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
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28
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Díez-Méndez A, García-Fraile P, Solano F, Rivas R. The ant Lasius niger is a new source of bacterial enzymes with biotechnological potential for bleaching dye. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15217. [PMID: 31645628 PMCID: PMC6811527 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51669-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Industrial synthetic dyes cause health and environmental problems. This work describes the isolation of 84 bacterial strains from the midgut of the Lasius niger ant and the evaluation of their potential application in dye bioremediation. Strains were identified and classified as judged by rRNA 16S. The most abundant isolates were found to belong to Actinobacteria (49%) and Firmicutes (47.2%). We analyzed the content in laccase, azoreductase and peroxidase activities and their ability to degrade three known dyes (azo, thiazine and anthraquinone) with different chemical structures. Strain Ln26 (identified as Brevibacterium permense) strongly decolorized the three dyes tested at different conditions. Strain Ln78 (Streptomyces ambofaciens) exhibited a high level of activity in the presence of Toluidine Blue (TB). It was determined that 8.5 was the optimal pH for these two strains, the optimal temperature conditions ranged between 22 and 37 °C, and acidic pHs and temperatures around 50 °C caused enzyme inactivation. Finally, the genome of the most promising candidate (Ln26, approximately 4.2 Mb in size) was sequenced. Genes coding for two DyP-type peroxidases, one laccase and one azoreductase were identified and account for the ability of this strain to effectively oxidize a variety of dyes with different chemical structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Díez-Méndez
- Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Salamanca, Plaza Doctores de la Reina s/n, 37007, Salamanca, Spain.
- Spanish-Portuguese Institute for Agricultural Research (CIALE), Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Paula García-Fraile
- Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Salamanca, Plaza Doctores de la Reina s/n, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
- Spanish-Portuguese Institute for Agricultural Research (CIALE), Salamanca, Spain
- Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Videnska 1083, 142 20 Praha 4, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Francisco Solano
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology B. Faculty of Medicine and LAIB-IMIB, University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Raúl Rivas
- Department of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Salamanca, Plaza Doctores de la Reina s/n, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
- Spanish-Portuguese Institute for Agricultural Research (CIALE), Salamanca, Spain
- Associated Unit USAL-CSIC (IRNASA), Salamanca, Spain
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29
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Loreto RG, Hughes DP. The metabolic alteration and apparent preservation of the zombie ant brain. J Insect Physiol 2019; 118:103918. [PMID: 31400384 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.103918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Some parasites can manipulate the behavior of their animal hosts to increase transmission. An interesting area of research is understanding how host neurobiology is manipulated by microbes to the point of displaying such aberrant behaviors. Here, we characterize the metabolic profile of the brain of an insect at the moment of the behavioral manipulation by a parasitic microbe. Our model system are ants infected with the parasitic fungus Ophiocordyceps kimflemingiae (=unilateralis), which manipulates ants to climb and bite into plant substrates, before killing the host (i.e. zombie ants). At the moment of the behavioral manipulation by the fungus, the host's brain is not invaded by the fungus which is known to extensively invade muscle tissue. We found that, despite not being invaded by the parasite, the brains of manipulated ants are notably different, showing alterations in neuromodulatory substances, signs of neurodegeneration, changes in energy use, and antioxidant compound that signal stress reactions by the host. Ergothionine, a fungal derived compound with known neuronal cytoprotection functions was found to be highly elevated in zombie ant brains suggesting the fungus, which does not invade the central nervous system, is preserving the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel G Loreto
- Department of Entomology and Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 16802 PA, USA; Unit of Genetics and Genomics of Insect Vectors, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institute Pasteur, Paris 75724, France
| | - David P Hughes
- Department of Entomology and Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 16802 PA, USA; Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 16802 PA, USA.
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30
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Ortega HE, Ferreira LLG, Melo WGP, Oliveira ALL, Ramos Alvarenga RF, Lopes NP, Bugni TS, Andricopulo AD, Pupo MT. Antifungal compounds from Streptomyces associated with attine ants also inhibit Leishmania donovani. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007643. [PMID: 31381572 PMCID: PMC6695191 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial strains isolated from attine ants showed activity against the insect specialized fungal pathogen Escovopsis and also against the human protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani. The bioassay guided fractionation of extracts from cultures of Streptomyces sp. ICBG292, isolated from the exoskeleton of Cyphomyrmex workers, led to the isolation of Mer-A2026B (1), piericidin-A1 (2) and nigericin (3). Nigericin (3) presented high activity against intracellular amastigotes of L. donovani (IC50 0.129 ± 0.008 μM). Streptomyces puniceus ICBG378, isolated from workers of Acromyrmex rugosus rugosus, produced dinactin (4) with potent anti-L. donovani activity against intracellular amastigotes (IC50 0.018 ± 0.003 μM). Compounds 3 and 4 showed good selectivity indexes, 88.91 and 656.11 respectively, and were more active than positive control, miltefosine. Compounds 1–4 were also active against some Escovopsis strains. Compounds 1 and 2 were also produced by Streptomyces sp. ICBG233, isolated from workers of Atta sexdens, and detected in ants’ extracts by mass spectrometry, suggesting they are produced in the natural environment as defensive compounds involved in the symbiotic interaction. Visceral leishmaniasis, caused by Leishmania infantum and L. donovani, is characterized by high rate mortality worldwide. Current treatments for this disease suffer from toxicity, variable efficacy, requirements for parenteral administration and length of treatment regimens. New chemical entities and development of new drugs are important to overcome the impact of this protozoan disease. Actinobacterial strains, such as Streptomyces, have been a source of most naturally derived antibiotics, as well as anticancer, anthelmintic, and antifungal drugs. These microorganisms also produce small molecules important in symbiotic interactions with insects, such as fungus-growing ants, fungus-growing termites, beetles and wasps against pathogens. Several novel compounds have been reported from these microorganisms with promising biological activities. In this work we show an interesting ecologic approach for drug discovery that also shows promise for the identification of antileishmanial natural products from fungus-growing ant ecosystem. Two compounds isolated from Streptomyces strains showed potent activity against L. donovani, higher than the positive control (miltefosine) with high selectivity indexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Humberto E. Ortega
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Leonardo L. G. Ferreira
- Laboratório de Química Medicinal e Computacional, Centro de Pesquisa e Inovação em Biodiversidade e Fármacos, Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, São Carlos-SP, Brazil
| | - Weilan G. P. Melo
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Ligia L. Oliveira
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - René F. Ramos Alvarenga
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Norberto P. Lopes
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Tim S. Bugni
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Adriano D. Andricopulo
- Laboratório de Química Medicinal e Computacional, Centro de Pesquisa e Inovação em Biodiversidade e Fármacos, Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, São Carlos-SP, Brazil
| | - Mônica T. Pupo
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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31
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Cheng D, Chen S, Huang Y, Pierce NE, Riegler M, Yang F, Zeng L, Lu Y, Liang G, Xu Y. Symbiotic microbiota may reflect host adaptation by resident to invasive ant species. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007942. [PMID: 31323076 PMCID: PMC6668852 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Exotic invasive species can influence the behavior and ecology of native and resident species, but these changes are often overlooked. Here we hypothesize that the ghost ant, Tapinoma melanocephalum, living in areas that have been invaded by the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, displays behavioral differences to interspecific competition that are reflected in both its trophic position and symbiotic microbiota. We demonstrate that T. melanocephalum workers from S. invicta invaded areas are less aggressive towards workers of S. invicta than those inhabiting non-invaded areas. Nitrogen isotope analyses reveal that colonies of T. melanocephalum have protein-rich diets in S. invicta invaded areas compared with the carbohydrate-rich diets of colonies living in non-invaded areas. Analysis of microbiota isolated from gut tissue shows that T. melanocephalum workers from S. invicta invaded areas also have different bacterial communities, including a higher abundance of Wolbachia that may play a role in vitamin B provisioning. In contrast, the microbiota of workers of T. melanocephalum from S. invicta-free areas are dominated by bacteria from the orders Bacillales, Lactobacillales and Enterobacteriales that may be involved in sugar metabolism. We further demonstrate experimentally that the composition and structure of the bacterial symbiont communities as well as the prevalence of vitamin B in T. melanocephalum workers from S. invicta invaded and non-invaded areas can be altered if T. melanocephalum workers are supplied with either protein-rich or carbohydrate-rich food. Our results support the hypothesis that bacterial symbiont communities can help hosts by buffering behavioral changes caused by interspecies competition as a consequence of biological invasions. Insects display a wide range of dependence on symbiotic bacteria for basic functions. Responses by resident species to selective pressures imposed by invasive species, as well as specific underlying mechanisms that give rise to these responses are still poorly understood. Here we investigate the role of the symbiotic bacteria of the ghost ant, Tapinoma melanocephalum, to changes in host behavior associated with interspecies competition in areas invaded by fire ants, Solenopsis invicta. We show that Wolbachia is significantly enriched in workers of T. melanocephalum from S. invicta infested areas, and that these bacteria also increase in abundance in colonies that have been supplied with protein-rich food. Our results suggest that bacterial symbiont communities can play an important role in enabling ants to tolerate changes in behavior and diet as a result of biological invasions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daifeng Cheng
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Siqi Chen
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuquan Huang
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Naomi E. Pierce
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, United States of America
| | - Markus Riegler
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ling Zeng
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongyue Lu
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guangwen Liang
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yijuan Xu
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- * E-mail:
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32
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Mangold CA, Ishler MJ, Loreto RG, Hazen ML, Hughes DP. Zombie ant death grip due to hypercontracted mandibular muscles. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb200683. [PMID: 31315924 PMCID: PMC6679347 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.200683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
There are numerous examples of parasites that manipulate the behavior of the hosts that they infect. One such host-pathogen relationship occurs between the 'zombie-ant fungus' Ophiocordyceps unilateralis sensu lato and its carpenter ant host. Infected ants climb to elevated locations and bite onto vegetation where they remain permanently affixed well after death. The mandibular muscles, but not the brain, of infected ants are extensively colonized by the fungus. We sought to investigate the mechanisms by which O. unilateralis s.l. may be able to influence mandibular muscle contraction despite widespread muscle damage. We found that infected muscles show evidence of hypercontraction. Despite the extensive colonization, both motor neurons and neuromuscular junctions appear to be maintained. Infection results in sarcolemmal damage, but this is not specific to the death grip. We found evidence of precise penetration of muscles by fungal structures and the presence of extracellular vesicle-like particles, both of which may contribute to mandibular hypercontraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen A Mangold
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Melissa J Ishler
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Entomology, College of Agricultural Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Raquel G Loreto
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Entomology, College of Agricultural Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Unit of Genetics and Genomics of Insect Vectors, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institute Pasteur, Paris 75015, France
| | - Missy L Hazen
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences Microscopy and Cytometry Facility, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - David P Hughes
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Entomology, College of Agricultural Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Biology, Eberly College of Science, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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33
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Renoz F, Pons I, Vanderpoorten A, Bataille G, Noël C, Foray V, Pierson V, Hance T. Evidence for Gut-Associated Serratia symbiotica in Wild Aphids and Ants Provides New Perspectives on the Evolution of Bacterial Mutualism in Insects. Microb Ecol 2019; 78:159-169. [PMID: 30276419 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-018-1265-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Many insects engage in symbiotic associations with diverse assemblages of bacterial symbionts that can deeply impact on their ecology and evolution. The intraspecific variation of symbionts remains poorly assessed while phenotypic effects and transmission behaviors, which are key processes for the persistence and evolution of symbioses, may differ widely depending on the symbiont strains. Serratia symbiotica is one of the most frequent symbiont species in aphids and a valuable model to assess this intraspecific variation since it includes both facultative and obligate symbiotic strains. Despite evidence that some facultative S. symbiotica strains exhibit a free-living capacity, the presence of these strains in wild aphid populations, as well as in insects with which they maintain regular contact, has never been demonstrated. Here, we examined the prevalence, diversity, and tissue tropism of S. symbiotica in wild aphids and associated ants. We found a high occurrence of S. symbiotica infection in ant populations, especially when having tended infected aphid colonies. We also found that the S. symbiotica diversity includes strains found located within the gut of aphids and ants. In the latter, this tissue tropism was found restricted to the proventriculus. Altogether, these findings highlight the extraordinary diversity and versatility of an insect symbiont and suggest the existence of novel routes for symbiont acquisition in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Renoz
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Croix du sud 4-5, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
| | - Inès Pons
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Croix du sud 4-5, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Alain Vanderpoorten
- Department of Biology, Institute of Botany, University of Liège, B22 Sart Tilman, 4000, Liege, Belgium
| | - Gwennaël Bataille
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Croix du sud 4-5, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Christine Noël
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Croix du sud 4-5, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Vincent Foray
- Centre de Recherche de Biologie cellulaire de Montpellier, UMR CNRS 5237, 34293, Montpellier, France
| | - Valentin Pierson
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Croix du sud 4-5, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Thierry Hance
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Croix du sud 4-5, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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de Bekker C. Ophiocordyceps-ant interactions as an integrative model to understand the molecular basis of parasitic behavioral manipulation. Curr Opin Insect Sci 2019; 33:19-24. [PMID: 31358190 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Ophiocordyceps-infected ants display a substrate biting behavior that aids parasite transmission. World-wide research into this behavioral manipulation has led to new fungal species descriptions, annotated genomes, and detailed field observations. Experimentally tractable modified ant behaviors and the development of infection techniques have enabled the quest for the molecular basis of this phenomenon. Behavioral studies followed by transcriptomics, metabolomics and three-dimensional electron microscopy have led to novel mechanistic hypotheses. This multidisciplinary work represents a big leap forward. However, definitive answers have yet to be obtained. A comprehensive understanding hinges on continued integrative efforts that reveal the precise natural history, behavioral ecology and evolutionary relationships between Ophiocordyceps-ant systems, and the true functions and involvement of genes and metabolites in behavioral manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charissa de Bekker
- University of Central Florida, College of Sciences, Biology Department, 4110 Libra Drive, 32816 Orlando, FL, United States.
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35
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Malagocka J, Eilenberg J, Jensen AB. Social immunity behaviour among ants infected by specialist and generalist fungi. Curr Opin Insect Sci 2019; 33:99-104. [PMID: 31358203 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Social insects are distinguished by their lifestyle of living in groups with division of labour, cooperative brood care, and reproduction limited to a few colony members. Social insects often build large colonies with remarkable densities of highly related individuals and this can lead to an increased pathogen pressure. Our review focuses on interactions of ants with two important taxonomic groups of fungi infecting ants: Hypocreales (Ascomycota) and Entomophthorales (Entomophthoromycotina), and their different infection strategies, including host manipulation for optimal spore dispersal in the specialised ant pathogens. In social insects such as ants, resistance to pathogens is present at the colony level, with social immunity in addition to the individual resistance. We describe how ants use both organizational and behavioural defence strategies to combat fungal pathogens, with emphasis on highly specialised fungi from the genera Ophiocordyceps and Pandora.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Malagocka
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
| | - Jørgen Eilenberg
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Annette Bruun Jensen
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
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36
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Abstract
Ant invasions are often harmful to native species communities. Their pathogens and host disease defense mechanisms may be one component of their devastating success. First, they can introduce harmful diseases to their competitors in the introduced range, to which they themselves are tolerant. Second, their supercolonial social structure of huge multi-queen nest networks means that they will harbor a broad pathogen spectrum and high pathogen load while remaining resilient, unlike the smaller, territorial colonies of the native species. Thus, it is likely that invasive ants act as a disease reservoir, promoting their competitive advantage and invasive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvia Cremer
- IST Austria (Institute of Science and Technology Austria), Am Campus 1, A-3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria.
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37
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Haelewaters D, Boer P, Báthori F, Rádai Z, Reboleira ASP, Tartally A, Pfliegler WP, De Kesel A, Nedvěd O. Studies of Laboulbeniales on Myrmica ants (IV): host-related diversity and thallus distribution patterns of Rickia wasmannii. Parasite 2019; 26:29. [PMID: 31106730 PMCID: PMC6526729 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2019028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal species identities are often based on morphological features, but current molecular phylogenetic and other approaches almost always lead to the discovery of multiple species in single morpho-species. According to the morphological species concept, the ant-parasitic fungus Rickia wasmannii (Ascomycota, Laboulbeniales) is a single species with pan-European distribution and a wide host range. Since its description, it has been reported from ten species of Myrmica (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), of which two belong to the rubra-group and the other eight to the phylogenetically distinct scabrinodis-group. We found evidence for R. wasmannii being a single phylogenetic species using sequence data from two loci. Apparently, the original morphological description (dating back to 1899) represents a single phylogenetic species. Furthermore, the biology and host-parasite interactions of R. wasmannii are not likely to be affected by genetic divergence among different populations of the fungus, implying comparability among studies conducted on members of different ant populations. We found no differences in total thallus number on workers between Myrmica species, but we did observe differences in the pattern of thallus distribution over the body. The locus of infection is the frontal side of the head in Myrmica rubra and M. sabuleti whereas in M. scabrinodis the locus of infection differs between worker ants from Hungary (gaster tergites) and the Netherlands (frontal head). Possible explanations for these observations are differences among host species and among populations of the same species in (i) how ant workers come into contact with the fungus, (ii) grooming efficacy, and (iii) cuticle surface characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny Haelewaters
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Farlow Reference Library and Herbarium of Cryptogamic Botany, Harvard University 22 Divinity Avenue Cambridge MA
02138 USA
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Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia Branišovská 31 37005
České Budějovice Czech Republic
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Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University 915 W. State Street West Lafayette IN
47907 USA
| | - Peter Boer
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Gemene Bos 12 1861 HG
Bergen The Netherlands
| | - Ferenc Báthori
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Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen Egyetem tér 1 4032
Debrecen Hungary
| | - Zoltán Rádai
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Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen Egyetem tér 1 4032
Debrecen Hungary
| | - Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira
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Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen Universitetsparken 15 2100
København Ø Denmark
| | - András Tartally
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Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen Egyetem tér 1 4032
Debrecen Hungary
| | - Walter P. Pfliegler
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Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Debrecen Egyetem tér 1 4032
Debrecen Hungary
| | | | - Oldřich Nedvěd
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Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia Branišovská 31 37005
České Budějovice Czech Republic
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Martinez AFC, de Almeida LG, Moraes LAB, Cônsoli FL. Microbial Diversity and Chemical Multiplicity of Culturable, Taxonomically Similar Bacterial Symbionts of the Leaf-Cutting Ant Acromyrmex coronatus. Microb Ecol 2019; 77:1067-1081. [PMID: 30789995 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-019-01341-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Insects are a highly diverse group, exploit a wide range of habitats, and harbor bacterial symbionts of largely unknown diversity. Insect-associated bacterial symbionts are underexplored but promising sources of bioactive compounds. The community of culturable bacteria associated with the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex coronatus (Fabricius) and the diversity of their metabolites produced were investigated. Forty-six phylotypes belonging to Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria were identified. The chemical profiles of 65 isolates were further analyzed by LC-MS/MS, and principal components analysis (PCA) was used to group the isolates according to their chemical profiles. Historically, selection of bacterial strains for drug discovery has been based on phenotypic and/or genotypic traits. Use of such traits may well impede the discovery of new compounds; in this study, several indistinguishable phylotypes cultured in identical nutritional and environmental conditions produced completely different chemical profiles. Our data also demonstrated the wide chemical diversity to be explored in insect-associated symbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Flávia Canovas Martinez
- Laboratório de Interações em Insetos, Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz", Universidade de São Paulo, Av Pádua Dias 11, Piracicaba, SP, 13418-900, Brazil
| | - Luís Gustavo de Almeida
- Laboratório de Interações em Insetos, Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz", Universidade de São Paulo, Av Pádua Dias 11, Piracicaba, SP, 13418-900, Brazil
| | - Luiz Alberto Beraldo Moraes
- Laboratório de Espectrometria de Massas aplicada a Produtos Naturais, Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av dos Bandeirantes 3900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14040-901, Brazil
| | - Fernando Luís Cônsoli
- Laboratório de Interações em Insetos, Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz", Universidade de São Paulo, Av Pádua Dias 11, Piracicaba, SP, 13418-900, Brazil.
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39
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Hong SH, Ban YH, Byun WS, Kim D, Jang YJ, An JS, Shin B, Lee SK, Shin J, Yoon YJ, Oh DC. Camporidines A and B: Antimetastatic and Anti-inflammatory Polyketide Alkaloids from a Gut Bacterium of Camponotus kiusiuensis. J Nat Prod 2019; 82:903-910. [PMID: 30912943 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.8b01000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Chemical studies of gut bacteria of the carpenter ant Camponotus kiusiuensis led to the discovery of two new alkaloids, camporidines A and B (1 and 2), from Streptomyces sp. STA1. The structures of 1 and 2 were established as new polyketide alkaloids bearing a piperidine-cyclopentene-epoxide 6/5/3 tricyclic system based on NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric analysis. The relative configurations of the camporidines were determined by their 1H-1H NOESY/ROESY and 1D NOE NMR correlations. The experimental ECD spectra of 1 and 2 were compared with their calculated ECD spectra to assign their absolute configurations. Camporidine A (1) displayed antimetastatic activity by suppression of cell invasion against the metastatic breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and showed an anti-inflammatory effect by suppressing nitric oxide production induced by lipopolysaccharide. In addition, the putative biosynthetic gene cluster of the camporidines was identified, and the biosynthetic pathway of the camporidines was proposed based on bioinformatic analysis of the full genome of Streptomyces sp. STA1. Camporidines A and B (1 and 2) could be biosynthesized by a modular type I PKS containing an acyl transferase domain that accepts an unusual extender unit, which becomes the (C1'-C6') hexyl side chain. The post-PKS modification enzymes were predicted to perform an amination and an oxidation along with spontaneous Schiff base formation and generate the unique piperidine-cyclopentene-epoxide 6/5/3 tricyclic framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seong-Heon Hong
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy , Seoul National University , Seoul 08826 , Republic of Korea
| | - Yeon Hee Ban
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience , Ewha Womans University , Seoul 03760 , Republic of Korea
| | - Woong Sub Byun
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy , Seoul National University , Seoul 08826 , Republic of Korea
| | - Donghwa Kim
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy , Seoul National University , Seoul 08826 , Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Joon Jang
- Natura Academia Research Center , Seoul 08826 , Republic of Korea
| | - Joon Soo An
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy , Seoul National University , Seoul 08826 , Republic of Korea
| | - Bora Shin
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy , Seoul National University , Seoul 08826 , Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Kook Lee
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy , Seoul National University , Seoul 08826 , Republic of Korea
| | - Jongheon Shin
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy , Seoul National University , Seoul 08826 , Republic of Korea
| | - Yeo Joon Yoon
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience , Ewha Womans University , Seoul 03760 , Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Chan Oh
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy , Seoul National University , Seoul 08826 , Republic of Korea
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40
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Lester PJ, Buick KH, Baty JW, Felden A, Haywood J. Different bacterial and viral pathogens trigger distinct immune responses in a globally invasive ant. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5780. [PMID: 30962470 PMCID: PMC6453929 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41843-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive species populations periodically collapse from high to low abundance, sometimes even to extinction. Pathogens and the burden they place on invader immune systems have been hypothesised as a mechanism for these collapses. We examined the association of the bacterial pathogen (Pseudomonas spp.) and the viral community with immune gene expression in the globally invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile (Mayr)). RNA-seq analysis found evidence for 17 different viruses in Argentine ants from New Zealand, including three bacteriophages with one (Pseudomonas phage PS-1) likely to be attacking the bacterial host. Pathogen loads and prevalence varied immensely. Transcriptomic data showed that immune gene expression was consistent with respect to the viral classification of negative-sense, positive-sense and double-stranded RNA viruses. Genes that were the most strongly associated with the positive-sense RNA viruses such as the Linepithema humile virus 1 (LHUV-1) and the Deformed wing virus (DWV) were peptide recognition proteins assigned to the Toll and Imd pathways. We then used principal components analysis and regression modelling to determine how RT-qPCR derived immune gene expression levels were associated with viral and bacterial loads. Argentine ants mounted a substantial immune response to both Pseudomonas and LHUV-1 infections, involving almost all immune pathways. Other viruses including DWV and the Kashmir bee virus appeared to have much less immunological influence. Different pathogens were associated with varying immunological responses, which we hypothesize to interact with and influence the invasion dynamics of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J Lester
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand.
| | - Kaitlin H Buick
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 7060, Wellington, 6242, New Zealand
| | - James W Baty
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
| | - Antoine Felden
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
| | - John Haywood
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
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41
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Sapountzis P, Zhukova M, Shik JZ, Schiott M, Boomsma JJ. Reconstructing the functions of endosymbiotic Mollicutes in fungus-growing ants. eLife 2018; 7:e39209. [PMID: 30454555 PMCID: PMC6245734 DOI: 10.7554/elife.39209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Mollicutes, a widespread class of bacteria associated with animals and plants, were recently identified as abundant abdominal endosymbionts in healthy workers of attine fungus-farming leaf-cutting ants. We obtained draft genomes of the two most common strains harbored by Panamanian fungus-growing ants. Reconstructions of their functional significance showed that they are independently acquired symbionts, most likely to decompose excess arginine consistent with the farmed fungal cultivars providing this nitrogen-rich amino-acid in variable quantities. Across the attine lineages, the relative abundances of the two Mollicutes strains are associated with the substrate types that foraging workers offer to fungus gardens. One of the symbionts is specific to the leaf-cutting ants and has special genomic machinery to catabolize citrate/glucose into acetate, which appears to deliver direct metabolic energy to the ant workers. Unlike other Mollicutes associated with insect hosts, both attine ant strains have complete phage-defense systems, underlining that they are actively maintained as mutualistic symbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Sapountzis
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of BiologyUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Mariya Zhukova
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of BiologyUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Jonathan Z Shik
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of BiologyUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Morten Schiott
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of BiologyUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Jacobus J Boomsma
- Centre for Social Evolution, Department of BiologyUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
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42
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Cooling MD, Hoffmann BD, Gruber MAM, Lester PJ. Indirect evidence of pathogen-associated altered oocyte production in queens of the invasive yellow crazy ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes, in Arnhem Land, Australia. Bull Entomol Res 2018; 108:451-460. [PMID: 28920560 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485317000967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Anoplolepis gracilipes is one of the six most widespread and pestiferous invasive ant species. Populations of this invader in Arnhem Land, Australia have been observed to decline, but the reasons behind these declines are not known. We investigated if there is evidence of a pathogen that could be responsible for killing ant queens or affecting their reproductive output. We measured queen number per nest, fecundity and fat content of queens from A. gracilipes populations in various stages of decline or expansion. We found no significant difference in any of these variables among populations. However, 23% of queens were found to have melanized nodules, a cellular immune response, in their ovaries and fat bodies. The melanized nodules found in dissected queens are highly likely to indicate the presence of pathogens or parasites capable of infecting A. gracilipes. Queens with nodules had significantly fewer oocytes in their ovaries, but nodule presence was not associated with low ant population abundances. Although the microorganism responsible for the nodules is as yet unidentified, this is the first evidence of the presence of a pathogenic microorganism in the invasive ant A. gracilipes that may be affecting reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- M D Cooling
- School of Biological Sciences,Victoria University of Wellington,PO Box 600,Wellington 6140,New Zealand
| | - B D Hoffmann
- CSIRO,Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre,PMB 44,Winnellie,NT 0822,Australia
| | - M A M Gruber
- School of Biological Sciences,Victoria University of Wellington,PO Box 600,Wellington 6140,New Zealand
| | - P J Lester
- School of Biological Sciences,Victoria University of Wellington,PO Box 600,Wellington 6140,New Zealand
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43
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Kellner K, Kardish MR, Seal JN, Linksvayer TA, Mueller UG. Symbiont-Mediated Host-Parasite Dynamics in a Fungus-Gardening Ant. Microb Ecol 2018; 76:530-543. [PMID: 29285550 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-017-1124-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Group-living can promote the evolution of adaptive strategies to prevent and control disease. Fungus-gardening ants must cope with two sets of pathogens, those that afflict the ants themselves and those of their symbiotic fungal gardens. While much research has demonstrated the impact of specialized fungal pathogens that infect ant fungus gardens, most of these studies focused on the so-called higher attine ants, which are thought to coevolve diffusely with two clades of leucocoprinaceous fungi. Relatively few studies have addressed disease ecology of lower Attini, which are thought to occasionally recruit (domesticate) novel leucocoprinaceous fungi from free-living populations; coevolution between lower-attine ants and their fungi is therefore likely weaker (or even absent) than in the higher Attini, which generally have many derived modifications. Toward understanding the disease ecology of lower-attine ants, this study (a) describes the diversity in the microfungal genus Escovopsis that naturally infect fungus gardens of the lower-attine ant Mycocepurus smithii and (b) experimentally determines the relative contributions of Escovopsis strain (a possible garden disease), M. smithii ant genotype, and fungal cultivar lineage to disease susceptibility and colony fitness. In controlled in-vivo infection laboratory experiments, we demonstrate that the susceptibility to Escovopsis infection was an outcome of ant-cultivar-Escovopsis interaction, rather than solely due to ant genotype or fungal cultivar lineage. The role of complex ant-cultivar-Escovopsis interactions suggests that switching M. smithii farmers onto novel fungus types might be a strategy to generate novel ant-fungus combinations resistant to most, but perhaps not all, Escovopsis strains circulating in a local population of this and other lower-attine ants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Kellner
- Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX, 75799, USA.
| | - M R Kardish
- Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Deptartment of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - J N Seal
- Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX, 75799, USA
| | - T A Linksvayer
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - U G Mueller
- Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
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44
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da Silva RR, Wang M, Nothias LF, van der Hooft JJJ, Caraballo-Rodríguez AM, Fox E, Balunas MJ, Klassen JL, Lopes NP, Dorrestein PC. Propagating annotations of molecular networks using in silico fragmentation. PLoS Comput Biol 2018; 14:e1006089. [PMID: 29668671 PMCID: PMC5927460 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Revised: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The annotation of small molecules is one of the most challenging and important steps in untargeted mass spectrometry analysis, as most of our biological interpretations rely on structural annotations. Molecular networking has emerged as a structured way to organize and mine data from untargeted tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) experiments and has been widely applied to propagate annotations. However, propagation is done through manual inspection of MS/MS spectra connected in the spectral networks and is only possible when a reference library spectrum is available. One of the alternative approaches used to annotate an unknown fragmentation mass spectrum is through the use of in silico predictions. One of the challenges of in silico annotation is the uncertainty around the correct structure among the predicted candidate lists. Here we show how molecular networking can be used to improve the accuracy of in silico predictions through propagation of structural annotations, even when there is no match to a MS/MS spectrum in spectral libraries. This is accomplished through creating a network consensus of re-ranked structural candidates using the molecular network topology and structural similarity to improve in silico annotations. The Network Annotation Propagation (NAP) tool is accessible through the GNPS web-platform https://gnps.ucsd.edu/ProteoSAFe/static/gnps-theoretical.jsp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo R. da Silva
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- NPPNS, Department of Physic and Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Mingxun Wang
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Louis-Félix Nothias
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Justin J. J. van der Hooft
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Plant Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrés Mauricio Caraballo-Rodríguez
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Evan Fox
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States of America
| | - Marcy J. Balunas
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States of America
| | - Jonathan L. Klassen
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States of America
| | - Norberto Peporine Lopes
- NPPNS, Department of Physic and Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Pieter C. Dorrestein
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
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Konrad M, Pull CD, Metzler S, Seif K, Naderlinger E, Grasse AV, Cremer S. Ants avoid superinfections by performing risk-adjusted sanitary care. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:2782-2787. [PMID: 29463746 PMCID: PMC5856517 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1713501115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Being cared for when sick is a benefit of sociality that can reduce disease and improve survival of group members. However, individuals providing care risk contracting infectious diseases themselves. If they contract a low pathogen dose, they may develop low-level infections that do not cause disease but still affect host immunity by either decreasing or increasing the host's vulnerability to subsequent infections. Caring for contagious individuals can thus significantly alter the future disease susceptibility of caregivers. Using ants and their fungal pathogens as a model system, we tested if the altered disease susceptibility of experienced caregivers, in turn, affects their expression of sanitary care behavior. We found that low-level infections contracted during sanitary care had protective or neutral effects on secondary exposure to the same (homologous) pathogen but consistently caused high mortality on superinfection with a different (heterologous) pathogen. In response to this risk, the ants selectively adjusted the expression of their sanitary care. Specifically, the ants performed less grooming and more antimicrobial disinfection when caring for nestmates contaminated with heterologous pathogens compared with homologous ones. By modulating the components of sanitary care in this way the ants acquired less infectious particles of the heterologous pathogens, resulting in reduced superinfection. The performance of risk-adjusted sanitary care reveals the remarkable capacity of ants to react to changes in their disease susceptibility, according to their own infection history and to flexibly adjust collective care to individual risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Konrad
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), A-3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Christopher D Pull
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), A-3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Sina Metzler
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), A-3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Katharina Seif
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), A-3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Elisabeth Naderlinger
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), A-3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Anna V Grasse
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), A-3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Sylvia Cremer
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), A-3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
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Pull CD, Ugelvig LV, Wiesenhofer F, Grasse AV, Tragust S, Schmitt T, Brown MJF, Cremer S. Destructive disinfection of infected brood prevents systemic disease spread in ant colonies. eLife 2018; 7:e32073. [PMID: 29310753 PMCID: PMC5760203 DOI: 10.7554/elife.32073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In social groups, infections have the potential to spread rapidly and cause disease outbreaks. Here, we show that in a social insect, the ant Lasius neglectus, the negative consequences of fungal infections (Metarhizium brunneum) can be mitigated by employing an efficient multicomponent behaviour, termed destructive disinfection, which prevents further spread of the disease through the colony. Ants specifically target infected pupae during the pathogen's non-contagious incubation period, utilising chemical 'sickness cues' emitted by pupae. They then remove the pupal cocoon, perforate its cuticle and administer antimicrobial poison, which enters the body and prevents pathogen replication from the inside out. Like the immune system of a metazoan body that specifically targets and eliminates infected cells, ants destroy infected brood to stop the pathogen completing its lifecycle, thus protecting the rest of the colony. Hence, in an analogous fashion, the same principles of disease defence apply at different levels of biological organisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher D Pull
- IST Austria (Institute of Science and Technology Austria)KlosterneuburgAustria
| | - Line V Ugelvig
- IST Austria (Institute of Science and Technology Austria)KlosterneuburgAustria
| | - Florian Wiesenhofer
- IST Austria (Institute of Science and Technology Austria)KlosterneuburgAustria
| | - Anna V Grasse
- IST Austria (Institute of Science and Technology Austria)KlosterneuburgAustria
| | - Simon Tragust
- IST Austria (Institute of Science and Technology Austria)KlosterneuburgAustria
- Evolution, Genetics and BehaviourUniversity of RegensburgRegensburgGermany
| | - Thomas Schmitt
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical BiologyUniversity of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Mark JF Brown
- School of Biological SciencesRoyal Holloway University of LondonEghamUnited Kingdom
| | - Sylvia Cremer
- IST Austria (Institute of Science and Technology Austria)KlosterneuburgAustria
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Peral GT, Rutkowski T, Wojtaszyn G, Espadaler X. Myrmicinosporidium durum in Poland: a new location for this fungal ant endoparasite and updated world distribution. Acta Parasitol 2017; 62:875-879. [PMID: 29035866 DOI: 10.1515/ap-2017-0106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Myrmicinosporidium durum is an enigmatic fungal parasite of ants with an unclear phylogeny and life cycle. Despite the fact that new records of this fungus have been revealed in the last few years; several countries from Eastern Europe still lack such information. With this study, we reveal the most northerly location of this fungus to date and its first record in Poland a contribution to filling the gaps in data about its European distribution. Additionally, we present an updated compilation of the world distribution of M. durum and its host ant species.
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48
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Shin B, Park SH, Kim BY, Jo SI, Lee SK, Shin J, Oh DC. Deinococcucins A-D, Aminoglycolipids from Deinococcus sp., a Gut Bacterium of the Carpenter Ant Camponotus japonicus. J Nat Prod 2017; 80:2910-2916. [PMID: 29090916 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.7b00426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Four new aminoglycolipids, deinococcucins A-D (1-4), were discovered from a Deinococcus sp. strain isolated from the gut of queen carpenter ants, Camponotus japonicus. The structures of deinococcucins A-D were elucidated as a combination of N-acetyl glucosamine, 2,3-dihydroxypropanoic acid, and an alkyl amine with a C16 or C17 hydrocarbon chain primarily based on 1D and 2D NMR and mass spectroscopic data. The exact location of the olefinic double bond in deinococcucins C and D (3 and 4) was assigned based on the liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy data obtained after olefin metathesis. The absolute configurations of the N-acetyl glucosamine and 2,3-dihydroxy moieties were determined through gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy analysis of authentic samples and phenylglycine methyl ester-derivatized products, respectively. Deinococcucins A and C displayed significant induction of quinone reductase in murine Hepa-1c1c7 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bora Shin
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University , 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - So Hyun Park
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University , 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Yong Kim
- ChunLab, Inc. , 2477 Nambusunhwan-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul 06725, Republic of Korea
| | - Shin-Il Jo
- Animal Welfare Division, Seoul Zoo , Seoul Grand Park, 102 Daegongwongwangjang-ro, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do 13829, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Kook Lee
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University , 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongheon Shin
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University , 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Chan Oh
- Natural Products Research Institute, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University , 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
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49
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Ramalho MO, Bueno OC, Moreau CS. Species-specific signatures of the microbiome from Camponotus and Colobopsis ants across developmental stages. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0187461. [PMID: 29166404 PMCID: PMC5699820 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Symbiotic relationships between hosts and bacteria are common in nature, and these may be responsible for the evolutionary success of various groups of animals. Among ants, these associations have been well studied in some genera of the Camponotini, but several questions remain regarding the generality of the previous findings across all the members of this ant tribe and if bacterial communities change across development in these hosts. This study is the first to characterize the bacterial community associated with a colony of the recently recognized genus Colobopsis and three colonies of Camponotus (two distinct species) and show how different the composition of the bacterial community is when compared across the different genera. Our data reveal that Colobopsis (species: Co. riehlii) and Camponotus (species: Ca. floridanus and Ca. planatus) have distinct microbiota, and we were able to verify that the identity of the species contributes more to the bacterial diversity. We also demonstrated that there were no significant differences between colonies of the same species (Camponotus planatus), and between stages of development from different colonies. We did find that some developmental stages have distinct bacteria, confirming that each stage of development could have a specific microbiota. Our results show species are one of the factors that shape the bacterial community in these Camponotini ants. Additional studies of the intra-colonial microbiome of other hosts and across development may reveal additional clues about the function and importance of bacteria in colony recognition, individual and colony health, and nutritional upgrading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Oliveira Ramalho
- Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho” UNESP–Instituto de Biociências—Campus Rio Claro, Departamento de Biologia e Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais, Bela Vista, Rio Claro-SP, Brasil
- Field Museum of Natural History, Department of Science and Education, Integrative Research Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Odair Correa Bueno
- Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho” UNESP–Instituto de Biociências—Campus Rio Claro, Departamento de Biologia e Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais, Bela Vista, Rio Claro-SP, Brasil
| | - Corrie Saux Moreau
- Field Museum of Natural History, Department of Science and Education, Integrative Research Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
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Liu CX, Liu SH, Zhao JW, Zhang J, Wang XJ, Li JS, Wang JD, Xiang WS. A new spectinabilin derivative with cytotoxic activity from ant-derived Streptomyces sp. 1H-GS5. J Asian Nat Prod Res 2017; 19:924-929. [PMID: 27838921 DOI: 10.1080/10286020.2016.1254200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
A new spectinabilin derivative (1) was isolated from the fermentation broth of the ant-derived Streptomyces sp. 1H-GS5, and the structure was elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis. Compound 1 showed cytotoxicity against human tumor cell lines A549, HCT-116, and HepG2 with IC50 values of 9.7, 12.8, and 9.1 μg/ml, respectively, which was relative higher than that of spectinabilin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong-Xi Liu
- a Life Science and Biotechnology Research Center , School of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , China
| | - Shuang-He Liu
- a Life Science and Biotechnology Research Center , School of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , China
- b Department of New Drug Screening , Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd , Taizhou 318000 , China
| | - Jun-Wei Zhao
- a Life Science and Biotechnology Research Center , School of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , China
| | - Ji Zhang
- a Life Science and Biotechnology Research Center , School of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , China
| | - Xiang-Jing Wang
- a Life Science and Biotechnology Research Center , School of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , China
| | - Jian-Song Li
- a Life Science and Biotechnology Research Center , School of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , China
- b Department of New Drug Screening , Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd , Taizhou 318000 , China
| | - Ji-Dong Wang
- b Department of New Drug Screening , Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd , Taizhou 318000 , China
| | - Wen-Sheng Xiang
- a Life Science and Biotechnology Research Center , School of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University , Harbin 150030 , China
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