The Evolutionary Innovation of Nutritional Symbioses in Leaf-Cutter Ants

Aylward, Frank O.; Currie, Cameron R.; Suen, Garret

doi:10.3390/insects3010041

Title: The Evolutionary Innovation of Nutritional Symbioses in Leaf-Cutter Ants

Journal Article · Fri Jan 06 00:00:00 EST 2012 · Insects

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/insects3010041· OSTI ID:1629736

Aylward, Frank O. ^[1]; Currie, Cameron R. ^[1]; Suen, Garret ^[2]

Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Dept. of Bacteriology; Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Dept. of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center
Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Dept. of Bacteriology

Fungus-growing ants gain access to nutrients stored in plant biomass through their association with a mutualistic fungus they grow for food. This 50 million-year-old obligate mutualism likely facilitated some of these species becoming dominant Neotropical herbivores that can achieve immense colony sizes. Recent culture-independent investigations have shed light on the conversion of plant biomass into nutrients within ant fungus gardens, revealing that this process involves both the fungal cultivar and a symbiotic community of bacteria including Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Pantoea species. Moreover, the genome sequences of the leaf-cutter ants Atta cephalotes and Acromyrmex echinatior have provided key insights into how this symbiosis has shaped the evolution of these ants at a genetic level. Here we summarize the findings of recent research on the microbial community dynamics within fungus-growing ant fungus gardens and discuss their implications for this ancient symbiosis.

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Research Organization:: Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Biological Systems Science Division; National Science Foundation (NSF)

Grant/Contract Number:: FC02-07ER64494; DEB-0747002

OSTI ID:: 1629736

Journal Information:: Insects, Vol. 3, Issue 1; ISSN 2075-4450

Publisher:: MDPICopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Phylogenetic patterns of ant–fungus associations indicate that farming strategies, not only a superior fungal cultivar, explain the ecological success of leafcutter ants Mueller, Ulrich G.; Kardish, Melissa R.; Ishak, Heather D. Molecular Ecology, Vol. 27, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.14588	journal	May 2018
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Enrichment and Broad Representation of Plant Biomass-Degrading Enzymes in the Specialized Hyphal Swellings of Leucoagaricus gongylophorus, the Fungal Symbiont of Leaf-Cutter Ants Aylward, Frank O.; Khadempour, Lily; Tremmel, Daniel M. PLOS ONE, Vol. 10, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0134752	journal	August 2015
Instability of novel ant-fungal associations constrains horizontal exchange of fungal symbionts Seal, Jon N.; Mueller, U. G. Evolutionary Ecology, Vol. 28, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-013-9665-8	journal	August 2013
The good, the bad and the tasty: The many roles of mushrooms de Mattos-Shipley, K. M. J.; Ford, K. L.; Alberti, F. Studies in Mycology, Vol. 85 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.simyco.2016.11.002	journal	September 2016
Small genome of the fungus Escovopsis weberi , a specialized disease agent of ant agriculture de Man, Tom J. B.; Stajich, Jason E.; Kubicek, Christian P. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 113, Issue 13 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1518501113	journal	March 2016
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