Association between Pseudonocardia symbionts and Atta leaf-cutting ants suggested by improved isolation methods

Fungus-growing ants associate with multiple symbiotic microbes, including Actinobacteria for production of antibiotics.The best studied of these bacteria are within the genus Pseudonocardia, which in most fungus-growing ants are conspicuouslyvisible on the external cuticle of workers. However, given that fungus-growing ants in the genus Atta do not carry visibleActinobacteria on their cuticle, it is unclear if this genus engages in the symbiosis with Pseudonocardia. Here we explore whetherimproving culturing techniques can allow for successful isolation of Pseudonocardia from Atta cephalotes leaf-cutting ants. Weobtained Pseudonocardia from 9 of 11 isolation method/colony component combinations from all 5 colonies intensively sampled.The most efficient technique was bead-beating workers in phosphate buffer solution, then plating the suspension on carboxymethylcellulosemedium. Placing these strains in a fungus-growing ant-associated Pseudonocardia phylogeny revealed that while somestrains grouped with clades of Pseudonocardia associated with other genera of fungus-growing ants, a large portion of the isolatesfell into two novel phylogenetic clades previously not identified from this ant-microbe symbiosis. Our findings suggest thatPseudonocardia may be associated with Atta fungus-growing ants, potentially internalized, and that localizing the symbiont andexploring its role is necessary to shed further light on the association. [Int Microbiol 2013; 16(1):17-25

Escovopsis trichodermoides sp. nov., isolated from a nest of the lower attine ant Mycocepurus goeldii

Currently, five species are formally described in Escovopsis, a specialized mycoparasitic genus of fungus gardens of attine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: tribe Attini). Four species were isolated from leaf-cutting ants in Brazil, including Escovopsis moelleri and Escovopsis microspora from nests of Acromyrmex subterraneus molestans, Escovopsis weberi from a nest of Atta sp. and Escovopsis lentecrescens from a nest of Acromyrmex subterraneus subterraneus. The fifth species, Escovopsis aspergilloides was isolated from a nest of the higher attine ant Trachymyrmex ruthae from Trinidad. Here, we describe a new species, Escovopsis trichodermoides isolated from a fungus garden of the lower attine ant Mycocepurus goeldii, which differs from the five other species by highly branched, trichoderma-like conidiophores lacking swollen vesicles, with reduced conidiogenous cells and distinctive conidia morphology. Phylogenetic analyses based on partial tef1 gene sequences support the distinctiveness of this species. A portion of the internal transcribed spacers of the nuclear rDNA was sequenced to serve as a DNA barcode. Future molecular and morphological studies in this group of fungi will certainly unravel the taxonomic diversity of Escovopsis associated with fungus-growing ants.Instituto de Botánica "Dr. Carlos Spegazzini

Escovopsis trichodermoides sp. nov., isolated from a nest of the lower attine ant Mycocepurus goeldii

Currently, five species are formally described in Escovopsis, a specialized mycoparasitic genus of fungus gardens of attine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: tribe Attini). Four species were isolated from leaf-cutting ants in Brazil, including Escovopsis moelleri and Escovopsis microspora from nests of Acromyrmex subterraneus molestans, Escovopsis weberi from a nest of Atta sp. and Escovopsis lentecrescens from a nest of Acromyrmex subterraneus subterraneus. The fifth species, Escovopsis aspergilloides was isolated from a nest of the higher attine ant Trachymyrmex ruthae from Trinidad. Here, we describe a new species, Escovopsis trichodermoides isolated from a fungus garden of the lower attine ant Mycocepurus goeldii, which differs from the five other species by highly branched, trichoderma-like conidiophores lacking swollen vesicles, with reduced conidiogenous cells and distinctive conidia morphology. Phylogenetic analyses based on partial tef1 gene sequences support the distinctiveness of this species. A portion of the internal transcribed spacers of the nuclear rDNA was sequenced to serve as a DNA barcode. Future molecular and morphological studies in this group of fungi will certainly unravel the taxonomic diversity of Escovopsis associated with fungus-growing ants.la fecha de publicacion corresponde a la primera versión on line del manuscrit

Fungi associated with Acromyrmex and basal Attini ants from Argentina and Brasil

As formigas cultivadoras de fungo (tribo Attini) são insetos eusociais, os quais formam colônias de centenas até milhões de indivíduos, sendo o fungo a principal fonte de alimentação das larvas e a rainha. Segundo sua fungicultura, elas são divididas em grupos, onde encontram-se as denominadas agricultura de “Lower-Attini” (agricultura das formigas basais) e aquelas com agricultura derivada ou “Higher-Attini”. Dentro da agricultura derivada, estão as formigas conhecidas como “cortadeiras”, que cortam material vegetal fresco para utilizar como substrato para o fungo mutualista que cultivam, enquanto que as formigas com agricultura basal, usam como substrato exoesqueleto e fezes secas de insetos, sementes, material de serrapilheira e folhas secas. Dentro dos ninhos, constroem câmeras onde mantém o fungo formando uma estrutura em forma de esponja chamada de “jardim de fungo”. O substrato é constantemente renovado e o material vegetal, uma vez tendo propiciado o crescimento do fungo é descartado, segundo a espécie de formiga, em câmaras especiais dentro do ninho ou externamente ao ar livre. Ainda, não se sabe muito sobre a estrutura e diversidade das comunidades de micro-organismos associados aos ninhos, apesar do crescente número de publicações a respeito. A biologia das formigas cortadeiras da Argentina é pouco estudada e praticamente não se sabe nada sobre os micro-organismos que encontram-se associados aos jardins de fungos e depósitos de descarte. Neste trabalho, apresentão-se dados sobre as leveduras que habitam e estão relacionadas com os ninhos de três espécies de formigas cortadeiras: Acromyrmex heyeri, Acromyrmex lobicornis e Acromyrmex lundii, assim como a descrição de duas espécies novas de leveduras. Mostram-se também um hábito de forrageamento incomum na espécie...Las hormigas cultivadoras de hongos (Tribu Attini) son insectos eusociales, los cuales forman colonias de cientos hasta millones de individuos, siendo el hongo la principal fuente de alimentación de las larvas y la reina. Según, la fungicultura practicada, pueden ser divididas en grupos, donde se encuentran aquellas con agricultura conocida como “Lower-Attini” (agricultura de las hormigas basales) y aquellas con agricultura derivada o avanzada, “Higher-Attini”. Dentro de la agricultura derivada, se encuentran las hormigas conocidas como “cortadoras o podadoras”, las cuales cortan material vegetal fresco para utilizar como sustrato para el hongo mutualista que cultivan, mientras que las hormigas con agricultura de tipo basal, utilizan como sustrato exoesqueleto y excrementos secos de insectos, semillas, material de hojarasca y hojas secas. Dentro de los nidos, construyen cámaras donde mantienen el hongo formando una estructura semejante a una esponja denominada, comúnmente, como “jardín de hongo”. El sustrato es constantemente renovado y el material vegetal, una vez consumido los nutrientes del mismo, es descartado en cámaras especiales dentro del nido, o bien, depositado exteriormente al aire libre, lo que depende de la especie de hormiga. Hasta ahora, no se sabe mucho sobre la estructura y diversidad de las comunidades de microorganismos que se encuentran asociados a los nidos, a pesar del creciente número de publicaciones hechas al respecto. La biología de las hormigas cortadoras de la Argentina ha sido poco estudiada y prácticamente no se sabe nada sobre los microorganismos que se encuentran asociados a los jardines de hongos y depósito de descarte. Con todo, este trabajo presenta datos sobre las levaduras que habitan y están relacionadas con los nidos de tres especies de hormigas podadoras: Acromyrmex heyeri... (Resumen completo clicar acceso eletronico abajo

Specialized Fungal Parasites and Opportunistic Fungi in Gardens of Attine Ants

Ants in the tribe Attini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) comprise about 230 described species that share the same characteristic: all coevolved in an ancient mutualism with basidiomycetous fungi cultivated for food. In this paper we focused on fungi other than the mutualistic cultivar and their roles in the attine ant symbiosis. Specialized fungal parasites in the genus Escovopsis negatively impact the fungus gardens. Many fungal parasites may have small impacts on the ants' fungal colony when the colony is balanced, but then may opportunistically shift to having large impacts if the ants' colony becomes unbalanced

Foraging of psilocybe basidiocarps by the leafcutting ant acromyrmex lobicornis in Santa Fé, Argentina

Background It is generally accepted that material collected by leaf-cutting ants of the genus Acromyrmex consists solely of plant matter, which is used in the nest as substrate for a symbiotic fungus providing nutrition to the ants. There is only one previous report of any leaf-cutting ant foraging directly on fungal basidiocarps. Findings Basidiocarps of Psilocybe coprophila growing on cow dung were actively collected by workers of Acromyrmex lobicornis in Santa Fé province, Argentina. During this behaviour the ants displayed typical signals of recognition and continuously recruited other foragers to the task. Basidiocarps of different stages of maturity were being transported into the nest by particular groups of workers, while other workers collected plant material. Conclusions The collection of mature basidiocarps with viable spores by leaf-cutting ants in nature adds substance to theories relating to the origin of fungiculture in these highly specialized social insects. © 2013 Masiulionis et al

Escovopsis trichodermoides sp nov., isolated from a nest of the lower attine ant Mycocepurus goeldii

Currently, five species are formally described in Escovopsis, a specialized mycoparasitic genus of fungus gardens of attine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: tribe Attini). Four species were isolated from leaf-cutting ants in Brazil, including Escovopsis moelleri and Escovopsis microspora from nests of Acromyrmex subterraneus molestans, Escovopsis weberi from a nest of Atta sp. and Escovopsis lentecrescens from a nest of Acromyrmex subterraneus subterraneus. The fifth species, Escovopsis aspergilloides was isolated from a nest of the higher attine ant Trachymyrmex ruthae from Trinidad. Here, we describe a new species, Escovopsis trichodermoides isolated from a fungus garden of the lower attine ant Mycocepurus goeldii, which differs from the five other species by highly branched, trichoderma-like conidiophores lacking swollen vesicles, with reduced conidiogenous cells and distinctive conidia morphology. Phylogenetic analyses based on partial tef1 gene sequences support the distinctiveness of this species. A portion of the internal transcribed spacers of the nuclear rDNA was sequenced to serve as a DNA barcode. Future molecular and morphological studies in this group of fungi will certainly unravel the taxonomic diversity of Escovopsis associated with fungus-growing ants.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Association between Pseudonocardia symbionts and Atta leaf-cutting ants suggested by improved isolation methods

Fungus-growing ants associate with multiple symbiotic microbes, including Actinobacteria for production of antibiotics. The best studied of these bacteria are within the genus Pseudonocardia, which in most fungus-growing ants are conspicuously visible on the external cuticle of workers. However, given that fungus-growing ants in the genus Atta do not carry visible Actinobacteria on their cuticle, it is unclear if this genus engages in the symbiosis with Pseudonocardia. Here we explore whether improving culturing techniques can allow for successful isolation of Pseudonocardia from Atta cephalotes leaf-cutting ants. We obtained Pseudonocardia from 9 of 11 isolation method/colony component combinations from all 5 colonies intensively sampled. The most efficient technique was bead-beating workers in phosphate buffer solution, then plating the suspension on carboxymethylcellulose medium. Placing these strains in a fungus-growing ant-associated Pseudonocardia phylogeny revealed that while some strains grouped with clades of Pseudonocardia associated with other genera of fungus-growing ants, a large portion of the isolates fell into two novel phylogenetic clades previously not identified from this ant-microbe symbiosis. Our findings suggest that Pseudonocardia may be associated with Atta fungus-growing ants, potentially internalized, and that localizing the symbiont and exploring its role is necessary to shed further light on the association