Occurrence of fungi in combs of fungus-growing termites (Isoptera: Termitidae, Macrotermitinae)

Guedegbe, Herbert J.; Miambi, Edouard; Pando, Anne; Roman, Jocelyne; Houngnandan, Pascal; Rouland-Lefèvre, Corinne

doi:10.1016/j.mycres.2009.06.008

Cited by 22 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Our study revealed six fungal species within ambrosia beetle gardens (Table ), which is at least 10 times less than the number of species isolated from fungus‐growing ant gardens (between 66 and 106 fungal species, depending on the ant species; Rodrigues et al ., ) and also much less than the species numbers isolated from fungus‐growing termite gardens in the field (Thomas, ; Guedegbe et al ., ). These apparent differences between beetles and ants/termites may, in part, reflect differences between laboratory and field settings; however, a more important reason may be that beetle galleries are a much more closed system than the ant and termite nests (U.G.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Abundance and dynamics of filamentous fungi in the complex ambrosia gardens of the primitively eusocial beetleXyleborinus saxeseniiRatzeburg (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae)

Biedermann

Klepzig

Taborsky

et al. 2012

FEMS Microbiol Ecol

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Insect fungus gardens consist of a community of interacting microorganisms that can have either beneficial or detrimental effects to the farmers. In contrast to fungus-farming ants and termites, the fungal communities of ambrosia beetles and the effects of particular fungal species on the farmers are largely unknown. Here, we used a laboratory rearing technique for studying the filamentous fungal garden community of the ambrosia beetle, Xyleborinus saxesenii, which cultivates fungi in tunnels excavated within dead trees. Raffaelea sulfurea and Fusicolla acetilerea were transmitted in spore-carrying organs by gallery founding females and established first in new gardens. Raffaelea sulfurea had positive effects on egg-laying and larval numbers. Over time, four other fungal species emerged in the gardens. Prevalence of one of them, Paecilomyces variotii, correlated negatively with larval numbers and can be harmful to adults by forming biofilms on their bodies. It also comprised the main portion of garden material removed from galleries by adults. Our data suggest that two mutualistic, several commensalistic and one to two pathogenic filamentous fungi are associated with X. saxesenii. Fungal diversity in gardens of ambrosia beetles appears to be much lower than that in gardens of fungus-culturing ants, which seems to result from essential differences in substrates and behaviours.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Abundance and dynamics of filamentous fungi in the complex ambrosia gardens of the primitively eusocial beetleXyleborinus saxeseniiRatzeburg (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae)

Biedermann

Klepzig

Taborsky

et al. 2012

FEMS Microbiol Ecol

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“…The monoculture pattern of Termitomyces in combs with termites was also confirmed using molecular‐based analyses of the microbial communities in the combs (Shinzato et al , 2005). Recently, Guedegbe et al (2009) demonstrated that active combs were dominated by bands of Termitomyces fungi, which were isolated using direct polymerase endonuclease restriction–denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR‐DGGE). Taken together, these previous studies confirm the credibility of our present results.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, in the studies mentioned above, non‐ Termitomyces fungi, such as some filamentous fungi and yeasts, were detected in laboratory culture (Shinzato et al , 2005) and by using the suicide polymerase endonuclease restriction (SuPER) PCR‐DGGE method (Guedegbe et al , 2009). During our experiment, we also found that some filamentous fungi developed within the combs (without termites) when they were removed from the nests, whereas the growth of these non‐ Termitomyces fungi was inhibited within the nests (with termites).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of gut‐associated and nest‐associated microbial communities of a fungus‐growing termite (Odontotermes yunnanensis)

et al. 2010

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The digestion of cellulose by fungus‐growing termites involves a complex of different organisms, such as the termites themselves, fungi and bacteria. To further investigate the symbiotic relationships of fungus‐growing termites, the microbial communities of the termite gut and fungus combs of Odontotermes yunnanensis were examined. The major fungus species was identified as Termitomyces sp. To compare the micro‐organism diversity between the digestive tract of termites and fungus combs, four polymerase chain reaction clone libraries were created (two fungus‐targeted internal transcribed spacer [ITS]– ribosomal DNA [rDNA] libraries and two bacteria‐targeted 16S rDNA libraries), and one library of each type was produced for the host termite gut and the symbiotic fungus comb. Results of the fungal clone libraries revealed that only Termitomyces sp. was detected on the fungus comb; no non‐Termitomyces fungi were detected. Meanwhile, the same fungus was also found in the termite gut. The bacterial clone libraries showed higher numbers and greater diversity of bacteria in the termite gut than in the fungus comb. Both bacterial clone libraries from the insect gut included Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Spirochaetes, Nitrospira, Deferribacteres, and Fibrobacteres, whereas the bacterial clone libraries from the fungal comb only contained Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Acidobacteris.

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“…The members of this family are usually considered to be saprophytic, but some taxa have been described as endophytic or pathogenic [16], [17], with a few species being associated with termites [18]. In the past thirty years, a number of studies have reported on the taxonomy, phylogenetic reconstruction, ecology, and relationship between xylariaceous fungal teleomorph and anamorph stages, including work on endophytic xylariaceous fungi [19]–[28].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity and Taxonomy of Endophytic Xylariaceous Fungi from Medicinal Plants of Dendrobium (Orchidaceae)

et al. 2013

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Dendrobium spp. are traditional Chinese medicinal plants, and the main effective ingredients (polysaccharides and alkaloids) have pharmacologic effects on gastritis infection, cancer, and anti-aging. Previously, we confirmed endophytic xylariaceous fungi as the dominant fungi in several Dendrobium species of tropical regions from China. In the present study, the diversity, taxonomy, and distribution of culturable endophytic xylariaceous fungi associated with seven medicinal species of Dendrobium (Orchidaceae) were investigated. Among the 961 endophytes newly isolated, 217 xylariaceous fungi (morphotaxa) were identified using morphological and molecular methods. The phylogenetic tree constructed using nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), large subunit of ribosomal DNA (LSU), and beta-tubulin sequences divided these anamorphic xylariaceous isolates into at least 18 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The diversity of the endophytic xylariaceous fungi in these seven Dendrobium species was estimated using Shannon and evenness indices, with the results indicating that the dominant Xylariaceae taxa in each Dendrobium species were greatly different, though common xylariaceous fungi were found in several Dendrobium species. These findings implied that different host plants in the same habitats exhibit a preference and selectivity for their fungal partners. Using culture-dependent approaches, these xylariaceous isolates may be important sources for the future screening of new natural products and drug discovery.

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Occurrence of fungi in combs of fungus-growing termites (Isoptera: Termitidae, Macrotermitinae)

Cited by 22 publications

References 27 publications

Abundance and dynamics of filamentous fungi in the complex ambrosia gardens of the primitively eusocial beetleXyleborinus saxeseniiRatzeburg (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae)

Abundance and dynamics of filamentous fungi in the complex ambrosia gardens of the primitively eusocial beetleXyleborinus saxeseniiRatzeburg (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae)

Comparison of gut‐associated and nest‐associated microbial communities of a fungus‐growing termite (Odontotermes yunnanensis)

Diversity and Taxonomy of Endophytic Xylariaceous Fungi from Medicinal Plants of Dendrobium (Orchidaceae)

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