Ammonia Production by <i>Streptomyces</i> Symbionts of <i>Acromyrmex</i> Leaf-Cutting Ants Strongly Inhibits the Fungal Pathogen <i>Escovopsis</i>
Leaf-cutting ants live in mutualistic symbiosis with their garden fungus <i>Leucoagaricus gongylophorus</i> that can be attacked by the specialized pathogenic fungus <i>Escovopsis</i>. <i>Actinomyces</i> symbionts from <i>Acromyrmex</i> leaf-cutting an...
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MDPI AG
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/8/1622 |
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| author | Basanta Dhodary Dieter Spiteller |
| author_facet | Basanta Dhodary Dieter Spiteller |
| author_sort | Basanta Dhodary |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Leaf-cutting ants live in mutualistic symbiosis with their garden fungus <i>Leucoagaricus gongylophorus</i> that can be attacked by the specialized pathogenic fungus <i>Escovopsis</i>. <i>Actinomyces</i> symbionts from <i>Acromyrmex</i> leaf-cutting ants contribute to protect <i>L. gongylophorus</i> against pathogens. The symbiont <i>Streptomyces</i> sp. Av25_4 exhibited strong activity against <i>Escovopsis weberi</i> in co-cultivation assays. Experiments physically separating <i>E. weberi</i> and <i>Streptomyces</i> sp. Av25_4 allowing only exchange of volatiles revealed that <i>Streptomyces</i> sp. Av25_4 produces a volatile antifungal. Volatile compounds from <i>Streptomyces</i> sp. Av25_4 were collected by closed loop stripping. Analysis by NMR revealed that <i>Streptomyces</i> sp. Av25_4 overproduces ammonia (up to 8 mM) which completely inhibited the growth of <i>E. weberi</i> due to its strong basic pH. Additionally, other symbionts from different <i>Acromyrmex</i> ants inhibited <i>E. weberi</i> by production of ammonia. The waste of ca. one third of <i>Acomyrmex</i> and <i>Atta</i> leaf-cutting ant colonies was strongly basic due to ammonia (up to ca. 8 mM) suggesting its role in nest hygiene. Not only complex and metabolically costly secondary metabolites, such as polyketides, but simple ammonia released by symbionts of leaf-cutting ants can contribute to control the growth of <i>Escovopsis</i> that is sensitive to ammonia in contrast to the garden fungus <i>L. gongylophorus</i>. |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:35:18Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
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| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-8fbe4d95dfd74108b49421a0360aeb1a2023-11-22T08:46:25ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072021-07-0198162210.3390/microorganisms9081622Ammonia Production by <i>Streptomyces</i> Symbionts of <i>Acromyrmex</i> Leaf-Cutting Ants Strongly Inhibits the Fungal Pathogen <i>Escovopsis</i>Basanta Dhodary0Dieter Spiteller1Chemical Ecology/Biological Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78457 Konstanz, GermanyChemical Ecology/Biological Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78457 Konstanz, GermanyLeaf-cutting ants live in mutualistic symbiosis with their garden fungus <i>Leucoagaricus gongylophorus</i> that can be attacked by the specialized pathogenic fungus <i>Escovopsis</i>. <i>Actinomyces</i> symbionts from <i>Acromyrmex</i> leaf-cutting ants contribute to protect <i>L. gongylophorus</i> against pathogens. The symbiont <i>Streptomyces</i> sp. Av25_4 exhibited strong activity against <i>Escovopsis weberi</i> in co-cultivation assays. Experiments physically separating <i>E. weberi</i> and <i>Streptomyces</i> sp. Av25_4 allowing only exchange of volatiles revealed that <i>Streptomyces</i> sp. Av25_4 produces a volatile antifungal. Volatile compounds from <i>Streptomyces</i> sp. Av25_4 were collected by closed loop stripping. Analysis by NMR revealed that <i>Streptomyces</i> sp. Av25_4 overproduces ammonia (up to 8 mM) which completely inhibited the growth of <i>E. weberi</i> due to its strong basic pH. Additionally, other symbionts from different <i>Acromyrmex</i> ants inhibited <i>E. weberi</i> by production of ammonia. The waste of ca. one third of <i>Acomyrmex</i> and <i>Atta</i> leaf-cutting ant colonies was strongly basic due to ammonia (up to ca. 8 mM) suggesting its role in nest hygiene. Not only complex and metabolically costly secondary metabolites, such as polyketides, but simple ammonia released by symbionts of leaf-cutting ants can contribute to control the growth of <i>Escovopsis</i> that is sensitive to ammonia in contrast to the garden fungus <i>L. gongylophorus</i>.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/8/1622antifungalbioassaychemical ecologyclosed loop strippingvolatiles |
| spellingShingle | Basanta Dhodary Dieter Spiteller Ammonia Production by <i>Streptomyces</i> Symbionts of <i>Acromyrmex</i> Leaf-Cutting Ants Strongly Inhibits the Fungal Pathogen <i>Escovopsis</i> Microorganisms antifungal bioassay chemical ecology closed loop stripping volatiles |
| title | Ammonia Production by <i>Streptomyces</i> Symbionts of <i>Acromyrmex</i> Leaf-Cutting Ants Strongly Inhibits the Fungal Pathogen <i>Escovopsis</i> |
| title_full | Ammonia Production by <i>Streptomyces</i> Symbionts of <i>Acromyrmex</i> Leaf-Cutting Ants Strongly Inhibits the Fungal Pathogen <i>Escovopsis</i> |
| title_fullStr | Ammonia Production by <i>Streptomyces</i> Symbionts of <i>Acromyrmex</i> Leaf-Cutting Ants Strongly Inhibits the Fungal Pathogen <i>Escovopsis</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ammonia Production by <i>Streptomyces</i> Symbionts of <i>Acromyrmex</i> Leaf-Cutting Ants Strongly Inhibits the Fungal Pathogen <i>Escovopsis</i> |
| title_short | Ammonia Production by <i>Streptomyces</i> Symbionts of <i>Acromyrmex</i> Leaf-Cutting Ants Strongly Inhibits the Fungal Pathogen <i>Escovopsis</i> |
| title_sort | ammonia production by i streptomyces i symbionts of i acromyrmex i leaf cutting ants strongly inhibits the fungal pathogen i escovopsis i |
| topic | antifungal bioassay chemical ecology closed loop stripping volatiles |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/8/1622 |
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