Combined -omics framework reveals how ant symbionts benefit the Neotropical ant-plant Tococa quadrialata at different levels.

ABSTRACT: Ant-plant defensive mutualism is a widely studied phenomenon, where ants protect their host plants (myrmecophytes) against herbivores in return for the provision of nesting sites and food. However, few studies addressed the influence of ant colonization and herbivory on the plant's metabolism. We chose the Amazonian plant Tococa quadrialata, living in association with Azteca cf. tonduzi ants for an ant-exclusion study to reveal the chemistry behind this symbiosis. We found that colonized plants did not only benefit from protection but also from increased amino acid and nitrogen content, enabling better performance even in an herbivore-free environment. In contrast, ant-deprived T. quadrialata plants accumulated more ellagitannins, a major class of constitutive d

SUBMITTER: Muller AT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9579026 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature