A Brazilian Social Bee Must Cultivate Fungus to Survive

Autor(es)

Menezes, Cristiano ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; Vollet-Neto, Ayrton ^[1] ; Marsaioli, Anita Jocelyne ^[4] ; Zampieri, Davila ^[4] ; Fontoura, Isabela Cardoso ^[5] ; Luchessi, Augusto Ducati ^[5] ; Imperatriz-Fonseca, Vera Lucia ^{[6, 1]}

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Philosophy Sci & Languages Ribeirao Preto, BR-14040901 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[2] Brazilian Agr Res Corp, Embrapa Amazonia Oriental, BR-66095100 Belem, PA - Brazil

^[3] Brazilian Agr Res Corp, Embrapa Meio Ambiente, BR-13820000 Jaguariuna, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Chem, BR-13083970 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ Estadual Campinas, Sch Appl Sci, Biotechnol Lab, BR-13484350 Limeira, SP - Brazil

^[6] Vale Inst Technol, BR-66055090 Belem, PA - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Current Biology; v. 25, n. 21, p. 2851-2855, NOV 2 2015.
• Citações Web of Science: 23

Resumo

The nests of social insects provide suitable microenvironments for many microorganisms as they offer stable environmental conditions and a rich source of food {[}1-4]. Microorganisms in turn may provide several benefits to their hosts, such as nutrients and protection against pathogens {[}1, 4-6]. Several examples of symbiosis between social insects and microorganisms have been found in ants and termites. These symbioses have driven the evolution of complex behaviors and nest structures associated with the culturing of the symbiotic microorganisms {[}5, 7, 8]. However, while much is known about these relationships in many species of ants and termites, symbiotic relationships between microorganisms and social bees have been poorly explored {[}3, 4, 9, 10]. Here, we report the first case of an obligatory relationship between the Brazilian stingless bee Scaptotrigona depilis and a fungus of the genus Monascus (Ascomycotina). Fungal mycelia growing on the provisioned food inside the brood cell are eaten by the larva. Larvae reared in vitro on sterilized larval food supplemented with fungal mycelia had a much higher survival rate (76%) compared to larvae reared under identical conditions but without fungal mycelia (8% survival). The fungus was found to originate from the material from which the brood cells are made. Since the bees recycle and transport this material between nests, fungus would be transferred to newly built cells and also to newly founded nests. This is the first report of a fungus cultivation mutualism in a social bee. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 07/50218-1 - A produção de rainha e a multiplicação de colônias de abelhas sem ferrão
• Beneficiário: Cristiano Menezes
• Linha de fomento: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado Direto
• Processo FAPESP: 04/15801-0 - Biodiversidade e uso sustentável de polinizadores, com ênfase em abelhas Meliponini
• Beneficiário: Vera Lucia Imperatriz-Fonseca
• Linha de fomento: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Programa BIOTA - Temático