Lack of host fidelity and low virulence of the filamentous fungus Escovopsis trichodermoides
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Data
2019-02-22
Autores
Bizarria Júnior, Rodolfo
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Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
Resumo
Uma das associações simbióticas fascinantes na natureza é o mutualismo entre as formigas da tribo Attini (atíneas) e fungos que cultivam como alimento. Fungos do gênero Escovopsis são considerados parasitas dos fungos cultivados por esses insetos. Tais parasitas são especializados a determinados fungos das formigas, embora eventuais trocas de hospedeiros ocorreram durante a evolução. Recentemente, nosso grupo de pesquisa descreveu o fungo Escovopsis trichodermoides em colônias de atíneas basais. Entretanto, a especificidade e infectividade frente aos fungos cultivados por esses insetos ainda não foram abordados. Evidências provenientes de ensaios in vitro e em colônias sugerem um padrão generalista de infecção de E. trichodermoides, com ausência de fidelidade frente a diferentes fungos mutualistas. A produção de metabólitos inibitórios está envolvida no antagonismo de E. trichodermoides, caracterizando a competição por interferência como mecanismo frente aos diferentes hospedeiros. Além disso, foi observada baixa suscetibilidade de colônias de Mycocepurus goeldii (uma atínea basal) à infecção de E. trichodermoides, com alta porcentagem de sobrevivência. No geral, os resultados confirmam o antagonismo de E. trichodermoides, entretanto, com baixa virulência e ausência de fidelidade frente a diferentes cultivares, padrão ainda não observado na fungicultura das formigas atíneas.
A fascinating symbiotic association in nature is the mutualism between ants in the tribe Attini (attine) and fungi they cultivate for food. Fungi in the genus Escovopsis are parasites of the ant fungal cultivars. Such parasites are specialized to certain fungal cultivars, although host-switching events occurred during the evolution of this parasite. Recently, our research group described E. trichodermoides associated with lower attine ant colonies. However, the specificity and infectivity towards the ant fungal cultivars are still elusive. Evidence from in vitro assays as well as experiments in live ant colonies indicates a generalist pattern of infection of E. trichodermoides, with lack of host fidelity. The production of inhibitory metabolites is implicated in the antagonism of E. trichodermoides, characterizing interference competition as a mechanism towards the different hosts. In addition, colonies of the ant species Mycocepurus goeldii (a lower attine ant) showed high survival rates after exposure to conidia of E. trichodermoides. Collectively, our results confirm the antagonism of E. trichodermoides, with low virulence and absence of fidelity towards different fungal cultivars, a pattern first reported in the fungiculture of attine ants.
A fascinating symbiotic association in nature is the mutualism between ants in the tribe Attini (attine) and fungi they cultivate for food. Fungi in the genus Escovopsis are parasites of the ant fungal cultivars. Such parasites are specialized to certain fungal cultivars, although host-switching events occurred during the evolution of this parasite. Recently, our research group described E. trichodermoides associated with lower attine ant colonies. However, the specificity and infectivity towards the ant fungal cultivars are still elusive. Evidence from in vitro assays as well as experiments in live ant colonies indicates a generalist pattern of infection of E. trichodermoides, with lack of host fidelity. The production of inhibitory metabolites is implicated in the antagonism of E. trichodermoides, characterizing interference competition as a mechanism towards the different hosts. In addition, colonies of the ant species Mycocepurus goeldii (a lower attine ant) showed high survival rates after exposure to conidia of E. trichodermoides. Collectively, our results confirm the antagonism of E. trichodermoides, with low virulence and absence of fidelity towards different fungal cultivars, a pattern first reported in the fungiculture of attine ants.
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Palavras-chave
Fungicultura, Antibiose, Antagonismo, Formigas cultivadoras de fungos, Simbiose, Fungiculture, Antibiosis, Antagonism, Fungus-growing ants, Symbiosis