Mutualistic fungi control crop diversity in fungus-growing ants

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Standard

Mutualistic fungi control crop diversity in fungus-growing ants. / Poulsen, Michael; Boomsma, Jacobus J.

In: Science, Vol. 307, No. 5710, 2005, p. 741-744.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Poulsen, M & Boomsma, JJ 2005, 'Mutualistic fungi control crop diversity in fungus-growing ants', Science, vol. 307, no. 5710, pp. 741-744. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1106688

APA

Poulsen, M., & Boomsma, J. J. (2005). Mutualistic fungi control crop diversity in fungus-growing ants. Science, 307(5710), 741-744. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1106688

Vancouver

Poulsen M, Boomsma JJ. Mutualistic fungi control crop diversity in fungus-growing ants. Science. 2005;307(5710):741-744. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1106688

Author

Poulsen, Michael ; Boomsma, Jacobus J. / Mutualistic fungi control crop diversity in fungus-growing ants. In: Science. 2005 ; Vol. 307, No. 5710. pp. 741-744.

Bibtex

@article{12fcbe4074c311dbbee902004c4f4f50,
title = "Mutualistic fungi control crop diversity in fungus-growing ants",
abstract = "Leaf-cutting ants rear clonal fungi for food and transmit the fungi from mother to daughter colonies so that symbiont mixing and conflict, which result from competition between genetically different clones, are avoided. Here we show that despite millions of years of predominantly vertical transmission, the domesticated fungi actively reject mycelial fragments from neighboring colonies, and that the strength of these reactions are in proportion to the overall genetic difference between these symbionts. Fungal incompatibility compounds remain intact during ant digestion, so that fecal droplets, which are used for manuring newly grown fungus, elicit similar hostile reactions when applied to symbionts from other colonies. Symbiont control over new mycelial growth by manurial imprinting prevents the rearing of multiple crops in fungus gardens belonging to the same colony.",
keywords = "Animals, Ants, Feces, Fungi, Mycelium, Symbiosis",
author = "Michael Poulsen and Boomsma, {Jacobus J}",
year = "2005",
doi = "10.1126/science.1106688",
language = "English",
volume = "307",
pages = "741--744",
journal = "Science",
issn = "0036-8075",
publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",
number = "5710",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mutualistic fungi control crop diversity in fungus-growing ants

AU - Poulsen, Michael

AU - Boomsma, Jacobus J

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - Leaf-cutting ants rear clonal fungi for food and transmit the fungi from mother to daughter colonies so that symbiont mixing and conflict, which result from competition between genetically different clones, are avoided. Here we show that despite millions of years of predominantly vertical transmission, the domesticated fungi actively reject mycelial fragments from neighboring colonies, and that the strength of these reactions are in proportion to the overall genetic difference between these symbionts. Fungal incompatibility compounds remain intact during ant digestion, so that fecal droplets, which are used for manuring newly grown fungus, elicit similar hostile reactions when applied to symbionts from other colonies. Symbiont control over new mycelial growth by manurial imprinting prevents the rearing of multiple crops in fungus gardens belonging to the same colony.

AB - Leaf-cutting ants rear clonal fungi for food and transmit the fungi from mother to daughter colonies so that symbiont mixing and conflict, which result from competition between genetically different clones, are avoided. Here we show that despite millions of years of predominantly vertical transmission, the domesticated fungi actively reject mycelial fragments from neighboring colonies, and that the strength of these reactions are in proportion to the overall genetic difference between these symbionts. Fungal incompatibility compounds remain intact during ant digestion, so that fecal droplets, which are used for manuring newly grown fungus, elicit similar hostile reactions when applied to symbionts from other colonies. Symbiont control over new mycelial growth by manurial imprinting prevents the rearing of multiple crops in fungus gardens belonging to the same colony.

KW - Animals

KW - Ants

KW - Feces

KW - Fungi

KW - Mycelium

KW - Symbiosis

U2 - 10.1126/science.1106688

DO - 10.1126/science.1106688

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 15692054

VL - 307

SP - 741

EP - 744

JO - Science

JF - Science

SN - 0036-8075

IS - 5710

ER -

ID: 86373