A mixed community of actinomycetes produce multiple antibiotics for the fungus farming ant Acromyrmex octospinosus.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Attine ants live in an intensely studied tripartite mutualism with the fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus, which provides food to the ants, and with antibiotic-producing actinomycete bacteria. One hypothesis suggests that bacteria from the genus Pseudonocardia are the sole, co-evolved mutualists of attine ants and are transmitted vertically by the queens. A recent study identified a Pseudonocardia-produced antifungal, named dentigerumycin, associated with the lower attine Apterostigma dentigerum consistent with the idea that co-evolved Pseudonocardia make novel antibiotics. An alternative possibility is that attine ants sample actinomycete bacteria from the soil, selecting and maintaining those species that make useful antibiotics. Consistent with this idea, a Streptomyc

SUBMITTER: Barke J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2942817 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature