Trachymyrmex septentrionalis ants promote fungus garden hygiene using Trichoderma-derived metabolite cues.

ABSTRACT: Fungus-growing ants depend on a fungal mutualist that can fall prey to fungal pathogens. This mutualist is cultivated by these ants in structures called fungus gardens. Ants exhibit weeding behaviors that keep their fungus gardens healthy by physically removing compromised pieces. However, how ants detect diseases of their fungus gardens is unknown. Here, we applied the logic of Koch's postulates using environmental fungal community gene sequencing, fungal isolation, and laboratory infection experiments to establish that Trichoderma spp. can act as previously unrecognized pathogens of Trachymyrmex septentrionalis fungus gardens. Our environmental data showed that Trichoderma are the most abundant noncultivar fungi in wild T. septentrionalis fungus gardens. We fu

SUBMITTER: Kyle KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10288546 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature