A metatranscriptomic approach to the identification of microbiota associated with the ant Formica exsecta.

ABSTRACT: Social insects live in cooperative colonies, often in high densities and with closely related individuals, and interact using social contact behaviours. Compared to solitary insects, social insects have evolved multi-level immunity that includes immune responses common to holometabolous insects, and social immunity, which is exclusive to social taxa. This suggests that social insects may be subject to high pathogen pressure, yet relatively little is known about the range of symbiotic and pathogenic microbial communities that associate with social insects. In this study we examined transcriptome data generated from the ant Formica exsecta for sequences identifying as microbes (or other organisms potentially of non-ant origin). Sequences showing homology to two viruses and several other pote

SUBMITTER: Johansson H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3832538 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature