| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3399256 | Current Opinion in Microbiology | 2012 | 9 Pages |
The symbiosis between fungus-farming ants (Attini, Formicidae), their cultivated fungi, garden-infecting Escovopsis pathogens, and Pseudonocardia bacteria on the ant integument has been popularized as an example of ant–Escovopsis–Pseudonocardia co-evolution. Recent research could not verify earlier conclusions regarding antibiotic-secreting, integumental Pseudonocardia that co-evolve to specifically suppress Escovopsis disease in an ancient co-evolutionary arms-race. Rather than long-term association with a single, co-evolving Pseudonocardia strain, attine ants accumulate complex, dynamic biofilms on their integument and in their gardens. Emerging views are that the integumental biofilms protect the ants primarily against ant diseases, whereas garden biofilms protect primarily against garden diseases; attine ants selectively recruit (‘screen in’) microbes into their biofilms; and the biofilms of ants and gardens serve diverse functions beyond disease-suppression.
► Fungus-farming ants protect their fungal gardens against Escovopsis garden-disease. ► Pseudonocardia bacteria on the ant integument are thought to specifically suppress Escovopsis. ► A decade of research focused on Escovopsis–Pseudonocardia arms-race co-evolution. ► Recently, assumptions of Escovopsis–Pseudonocardia co-evolution could not be verified. ► Biofilms on the ant integument may protect the ants primarily against ant diseases.
