Experimental evidence of a tripartite mutualism: bacteria protect ant fungus gardens from specialized parasites

By C. Currie, A. N. M. Bot, J. Boomsma. 2003

197 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Subfields: Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Genetics, Insect Science

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/7e7f7b22575973f8bc29d899c3051f5c8f989bb8

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

1. A. Farji-Brener
2. M. Blackwell
3. F. Vega
4. Seán G. Brady
5. T. Schultz
6. D. Aanen
7. H. Feldhaar
8. I. Armbrecht

In Genetics

1. A. Farji-Brener
2. M. Blackwell
3. F. Vega
4. Seán G. Brady
5. T. Schultz
6. D. Aanen
7. H. Feldhaar
8. I. Armbrecht

In Insect Science

1. M. Blackwell
2. F. Vega
3. D. Aanen
4. H. Feldhaar
5. I. Armbrecht

Citations in the corpus

• The Evolution of Agriculture in Insects (2005, background): “These bacteria are known to inhibit Escovopsis growth (Currie et al. 1999b), and experimental reduction of actinomycetes in colonies increases Escovopsis infection (Currie et al. 2003a).”
• Major evolutionary transitions in ant agriculture (2008, background): “It remains unknown whether Escovopsis infects cultivars while they are in the free-living phase.”
• Leaf-cutting ants revisited: Towards rational management and control (2012, background): “They are permanent inhabitants of the colony and appear to protect ants but also the fungus garden against pathogen attacks (Fisher et al. 1996; Carreiro et al. 1997; Currie 2001; Currie et al. 2003; Pagnocca et al. 2008; Haeder et al. 2009; Giraldo-Echeverri 2009; Armitage et al. 2011).”
• Insect-Fungal Associations: Ecology and Evolution (2005, background): “phylogenetic analyses indicate that Escovopsis was an early participant in the attine ant–microbe symbiosis and that it shares a long history of coevolution with the ants and their fungal domesticates (both leucocoprineaceous and pterulaceous; Currie et al. 2003a).”
• Bacterial symbionts as mediators of ecologically important traits of insect hosts (2011, background): “…(Currie et al., 2003a,b; Oliver et al., 2003, 2009, 2010; Kaltenpoth et al., 2005; Hedges et al., 2008; Teixeira et al., 2008; Brownlie & Johnson, 2009; Kaltenpoth, 2009) or may aid in prey preservation and nest hygiene (Currie et al., 1999, 2003a; Kaltenpoth et al., 2005; Kaltenpoth, 2009).”
• Variable sensitivity of fungi and bacteria to compounds produced by the metapleural glands of leaf-cutting ants (2002, unknown): “…the metapleural gland secretion to be effective, because they maintain a separate defence mechanism against Escovopsis in the form of Actinomycete bacteria that grow on their cuticle and produce specific antibiotic substances that reduce the growth of Escovopsis hyphae (Currie et al., 1999b; 2002).”