Mycoparasitism in the attine ant fungiculture: host competition in multiple infections

• Grant number: 19/23391-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2019
• End date: November 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Agreement: NSF - Dimensions of Biodiversity and BIOTA
• Principal Investigator: André Rodrigues
• Grantee: Enzo Roberto Sorrentino
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/03746-0 - Collaborative research: Dimensions US-São Paulo: integrating phylogeny, genetics, and chemical ecology to unravel the tangled bank of the multipartite fungus-farming ant symbiosis, AP.BTA.TEM

Abstract

Parasites have a metabolic and structural arsenal that can overcome the defensive host barriers. In the fungiculture of the fungus-growing ants, fungi in the genus Escovopsis are considered specialized parasites of the basidiomycetous fungus cultivated for food by the ants. Different Escovopsis strains are found in the same ant colony; however, interactions between strains in competition for the same resource are still poorly understood. Competition favors gene flow and the establishment of refined strategies to provide resources for survival. Considering the fungiculture of the ant Mycocepurus goeldii as a model system, we intent to describe whether there is interference competition (through secretion of metabolites) between different Escovopsis strains against the same fungal cultivar host. (AU)