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| Author(s): |
Rodolfo Bizarria Júnior
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Master's Dissertation |
| Press: | Rio Claro. 2019-04-17. |
| Institution: | Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Instituto de Biociências. Rio Claro |
| Defense date: | 2019-02-22 |
| Advisor: | André Rodrigues |
| Abstract | |
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. (AU) | |
| FAPESP's process: | 17/10631-9 - Escovopsis trichodermoides as a parasite in the lower-attine ant fungiculture |
| Grantee: | Rodolfo Bizarria Júnior |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships in Brazil - Master |