Lack of fungal cultivar fidelity and low virulence of Escovopsis trichodermoides

Autor(es)

Bizarria Jr, Rodolfo ; Nagamoto, Nilson Satoru ^[1] ; Rodrigues, Andre ^{[2, 3]}

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Sao Paulo State Univ, Dept Plant Protect, UNESP, Botucatu, SP - Brazil

^[2] Bizarria Jr, Jr., Rodolfo, Sao Paulo State Univ, Dept Biochem & Microbiol, UNESP, Rio Claro, SP - Brazil

^[3] Bizarria Jr, Jr., Rodolfo, Sao Paulo State Univ, Ctr Study Social Insects, UNESP, Rio Claro, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Fungal Ecology; v. 45, JUN 2020.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

Fungus-growing ants (the attines) are a paramount example of symbiosis, practicing fungiculture for food. Fungi in the genus Escovopsis (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) threaten the ant fungal cultivars and show patterns of specificity towards them. Escovopsis trichodermoides was described from colonies of the lower attine Mycocepurus goeldii, however, its ecological role is still unknown. Here we provide clues of the generalist nature of E. trichodermoides, with lack of fidelity to fungal cultivars from different attine ant species and low infection in ant colonies of M. goeldii. Inhibitory soluble compounds are produced by E. trichodermoides towards different fungal cultivars, as a mechanism of interference competition. Interestingly this generalist lifestyle is not a common trait of Escovopsis species, which usually show partner fidelity. Our study indicates that Escovopsis has more lifestyles than previously thought, prompting further investigations on its evolution in the attine ant-fungal symbiosis. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd and British Mycological Society. All rights reserved. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 17/10631-9 - Escovopsis trichodermoides como parasita na fungicultura das atíneas basais
• Beneficiário: Rodolfo Bizarria Júnior
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado
• Processo FAPESP: 17/12689-4 - Especificidade e mecanismos de ação do parasita Escovopsis associado aos jardins das formigas atíneas
• Beneficiário: André Rodrigues
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular