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Temporary infidelity may contribute to the stability of ancient relationships
June 02, 2009Fungus-farming ants have cultivated the same fungal crops for 50 million years. Each young ant queen carries a bit of fungus garden with her when she flies away to mate and establish a new nest. Short breaks in the ants' relationship with the fungus during nest establishment may contribute to the stability of this long-term mutualism, according to a study at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Gamboa, Panama.
"We were struck by the paradox that even though the ants transfer a single fungal strain from generation to generation, nests of different ant species, and even genera, throughout Central America share genetically very similar fungi, indicating that there are exchanges going on between fungi from different nests," said Michael Poulsen, who held a Smithsonian short term fellowship while a doctoral student at the University of Copenhagen. "In these experiments, we found that there is a very short window of time--as the young queen establishes a new nest--when partner switching can occur."
Ants in the genus Acromyrmex cultivate a single fungal species in their nests: Leucoagaricus gonglyophorus. Mature ant colonies contain one fungal clone--a single genotype, which uses several strategies to make sure that other fungi do not invade.
Researchers noticed that several queens from different colonies sometimes start nests very close together and wondered if young queens were given fungi from a nest other than their natal nest-would they treat it as their own fungal crop?
"That's exactly what happens," said Poulsen, now research associate at the University of Wisconsin. "Young queens adopt a fungus from another nest and cultivate it in their new nest. This sort of temporary partner switching probably acts as an evolutionary safety net in the ant-fungus mutualism by preventing the accumulation of deleterious mutations."
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Researchers noticed that several queens from different colonies sometimes start nests very close together and wondered if young queens were given fungi from a nest other than their natal nest-would they treat it as their own fungal crop?
"That's exactly what happens," said Poulsen, now research associate at the University of Wisconsin. "Young queens adopt a fungus from another nest and cultivate it in their new nest. This sort of temporary partner switching probably acts as an evolutionary safety net in the ant-fungus mutualism by preventing the accumulation of deleterious mutations."
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Fungus Current Events and Fungus News RSSRot resistant wheat could save farmers millions
CSIRO researchers have identified wheat and barley lines resistant to Crown Rot - a disease that costs Australian wheat and barley farmers $79 million in lost yield every year.
Pumpkin skin may scare away germs
The skin of that pumpkin you carve into a Jack-o'-Lantern to scare away ghosts and goblins on Halloween contains a substance that could put a scare into microbes that cause millions of cases of yeast infections in adults and infants each year.
Catching a killer one spore at a time
A workshop at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama has dramatically improved the ability of conservationists and regulatory agencies to monitor the spread of chytridiomycosis-one of the deadliest frog diseases on Earth.
Coral bleaching increases chances of coral disease
Mass coral bleaching has devastated coral colonies around the world for almost three decades. Now scientists have found that bleaching can make corals more susceptible to disease and, in turn, coral disease can exacerbate the negative effects of bleaching.
Canker disease in eucalyptus in the Basque Country
The first experiences with exotic species in the Basque Country, and alternative to Pinus radiata, were undertaken in 1957, concretely in Laukiz, Lezama and Alonsotegui (Muro, 1975) where the eucalyptus, amongst other forest species, was introduced.
Nanotech Research Featured in Nature Nanotechnology Journal
Using an RNA-powered nanomotor, University of Cincinnati (UC) biomedical engineering researchers have successfully developed an artificial pore able to transmit nanoscale material through a membrane.
Genetic discovery could break wine industry bottleneck, accelerate grapevine breeding
One of the best known episodes in the 8000-year history of grapevine cultivation led to biological changes that have not been well understood - until now.
New Sequencing Technique Could Boost Pine Beetle Fight, Improve Cancer Research
UBC researchers have helped developed a cheaper, faster way to compile draft genome sequences that could advance the fight against mountain pine beetle (MPB) infestation and improve cancer research.
Nanoparticle treatment for burns curbs infection, reduces inflammation
Treating second-degree burns with a nanoemulsion lotion sharply curbs bacterial growth and reduces inflammation that otherwise can jeopardize recovery, University of Michigan scientists have shown in initial laboratory studies.
Dandelion rubber
Most natural rubber comes from rubber trees in Southeast Asia, but this source is now under threat from a fungus. Researchers have optimized the Russian dandelion to make it suitable for large-scale rubber production.
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