Pathogenic interaction between Escovopsis weberi and Leucoagaricus sp.: mechanisms involved and virulence levels

Marfetán, Jorge A.; Romero, Andrea Irene; Folgarait, Patricia J.

doi:10.1016/j.funeco.2015.04.002

Cited by 32 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 48 publications

(66 reference statements)

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“…This work was pioneering, as it showed the pathogenicity of Escovopsis in leaf-cutter ant colonies. From this study, several research perspectives were opened to understand the biology of this parasite and its use as potential biological control agent for leaf-cutter ants (Reynolds and Currie 2004;Gerardo et al 2004Gerardo et al , 2006Silva et al 2006;Folgarait et al 2011a;Elizondo-Wallace et al 2014;Marfetán et al 2015;Man et al 2016). In addition, Escovopsioides fungi have similar characteristics to those of Escovopsis and are also found in the fungus gardens of leaf-cutter ants and other genera of attine ants (Augustin et al 2013;Reis et al 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The studies by Reynolds and Currie (2004) and Marfetán et al (2015) advanced our understanding on the role played by Escovopsis in the fungus gardens.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A recent study by Marfetán et al (2015) reported the occurrence of specialised hyphal structures by strains of E. weberi such as hook-like protuberances and prolongations with spiky tips to penetrate the host hyphae. They found that the strains able to produce such structures were the most damaging to the host.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nature of the interactions between hypocrealean fungi and the mutualistic fungus of leaf-cutter ants

Varanda-Haifig

Albarici

Nunes

et al. 2016

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

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Leaf-cutter ants cultivate and feed on the mutualistic fungus, Leucoagaricus gongylophorus, which is threatened by parasitic fungi of the genus Escovopsis. The mechanism of Escovopsis parasitism is poorly understood. Here, we assessed the nature of the antagonism of different Escovopsis species against its host. We also evaluated the potential antagonism of Escovopsioides, a recently described fungal genus from the attine ant environment whose role in the colonies of these insects is unknown. We performed dual-culture assays to assess the interactions between L. gongylophorus and both fungi. We also evaluated the antifungal activity of compounds secreted by the latter on L. gongylophorus growth using crude extracts of Escovopsis spp. and Escovopsioides nivea obtained either in (1) absence or (2) presence of the mutualistic fungus. The physical interaction between these fungi and the mutualistic fungus was examined under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Escovopsis spp. and E. nivea negatively affected the growth of L. gongylophorus, which was also significantly inhibited by both types of crude extract. These results indicate that Escovopsis spp. and E. nivea produce antifungal metabolites against the mutualistic fungus. SEM showed that Escovopsis spp. and E. nivea maintained physical contact with the mutualistic fungus, though no specialised structures related to mycoparasitism were observed. These results showed that Escovopsis is a destructive mycoparasite that needs physical contact for the death of the mutualistic fungus to occur. Also, our findings suggest that E. nivea is an antagonist of the ant fungal cultivar.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The studies by Reynolds and Currie (2004) and Marfetán et al (2015) advanced our understanding on the role played by Escovopsis in the fungus gardens.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nature of the interactions between hypocrealean fungi and the mutualistic fungus of leaf-cutter ants

Varanda-Haifig

Albarici

Nunes

et al. 2016

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

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“…Contrary to antagonism and agonism (Chenthamara and Druzhinina, 2016), mycoparasitism should involve a prolonged contact stage between hyphae. Some fungi are obligate parasites and have specialized structures that allow them to invade the host (Goh and Vujanovic, 2010a;Marfetan et al, 2015). However, more fungi are facultative mycoparasites (Jeffries and Young, 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Guttation capsules containing hydrogen peroxide: an evolutionarily conserved NADPH oxidase gains a role in wars between related fungi

Zhang

Miao

Rahimi

et al. 2019

Environmental Microbiology

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SummaryWhen resources are limited, the hypocrealean fungus Trichoderma guizhouense can overgrow another hypocrealean fungus Fusarium oxysporum, cause sporadic cell death and arrest growth. A transcriptomic analysis of this interaction shows that T. guizhouense undergoes a succession of metabolic stresses while F. oxysporum responded relatively neutrally but used the constitutive expression of several toxin‐encoding genes as a protective strategy. Because of these toxins, T. guizhouense cannot approach it is potential host on the substrate surface and attacks F. oxysporum from above. The success of T. guizhouense is secured by the excessive production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which is stored in microscopic bag‐like guttation droplets hanging on the contacting hyphae. The deletion of NADPH oxidase nox1 and its regulator, nor1 in T. guizhouense led to a substantial decrease in H2O2 formation with concomitant loss of antagonistic activity. We envision the role of NOX proteins in the antagonism of T. guizhouense as an example of metabolic exaptation evolved in this fungus because the primary function of these ancient proteins was probably not linked to interfungal relationships. In support of this, F. oxysporum showed almost no transcriptional response to T. guizhouense Δnox1 strain indicating the role of NOX/H2O2 in signalling and fungal communication.

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“…Another group of potentially good biocontrol agents against pest leafcutter ants are the fungi (Ortiz & Orduz, ; Lopez & Orduz, ; Marfetán et al, ; Goffre & Folgarait, ; Goffre et al, ). Fungi can be used to target the ants themselves and/or their food, the mutualistic fungi.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phorid species from Acromyrmex’s hosts and effect on their survival of two fungi proposed for the control of leafcutter ants

Goffré

Folgarait

2019

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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Phorid flies (Diptera: Phoridae, Metopinini) are natural enemies of leafcutter ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae, Attini), which are among the most important pests in the Neotropical region. These parasitoids lay their eggs inside worker ants, causing the death of the parasitized ants, and the oviposition attacks on foraging workers interfere with the collection of vegetal material used in fungal gardens, thereby affecting the whole colony. However, because of the large number of ants per colony, more than one type of biological control agent is needed to have a significant impact. We collected parasitized leafcutter ants Acromyrmex lundii (Guérin‐Méneville), Acromyrmex heyeri (Forel), and Acromyrmex ambiguus (Emery) from various places in Argentina and reared their parasitoids. We recorded developmental times, host and phorid sizes, and other aspects of the biology of the phorids Apocephalus neivai Borgmeier, Apocephalus noetingerorum Brown & Disney, Myrmosicarius gracilipes Borgmeier, Myrmosicarius catharinensis Borgmeier, Myrmosicarius crudelis Borgmeier, and Myrmosicarius cristobalensis Disney et al. This is the first record of A. ambiguus, an important pest of pine plantations, being a host of phorids. We found the first cases of gregarious parasitoidism of a parasitoid with no‐free pupae: M. catharinensis on A. lundii ants. We also evaluated the effect on pupal survival of two cosmopolitan fungi, Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuill. and Trichoderma lentiforme (Rehm) Chaverri et al., which are also considered as potential biological control agents of leafcutter ants. Suspensions of conidia were tested on Myrmosicarius and Apocephalus parasitoid pupae of different ages. No negative effect on pupal survival was found under either fungal treatment. Therefore, the use of both natural enemies separately but simultaneously, or the introduction of fungi‐inoculated pupae in the pest habitats, seems to be a promising strategy for the multiple biological control of leafcutter ants.

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Pathogenic interaction between Escovopsis weberi and Leucoagaricus sp.: mechanisms involved and virulence levels

Cited by 32 publications

References 48 publications

Nature of the interactions between hypocrealean fungi and the mutualistic fungus of leaf-cutter ants

Nature of the interactions between hypocrealean fungi and the mutualistic fungus of leaf-cutter ants

Guttation capsules containing hydrogen peroxide: an evolutionarily conserved NADPH oxidase gains a role in wars between related fungi

Phorid species from Acromyrmex’s hosts and effect on their survival of two fungi proposed for the control of leafcutter ants

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