Ants, plants and antibiotics
@article{Schultz1999AntsPA, title={Ants, plants and antibiotics}, author={T. Schultz}, journal={Nature}, year={1999}, volume={398}, pages={747-748} }
Leaf-cutting ants cultivate a mushroom from the fungal tribe Leucocoprini as a source of food. But a new study shows that there is another partner in this mutually beneficial relationship -- a bacterium from the genusStreptomyces, which produces antibiotics to prevent infestation of the ant garden by the fungal parasite Escovopsis.
Figures from this paper
Figures
Paper Mentions
Blog Post
31 Citations
An Overview of Integrated Management of Leaf-Cutting Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Brazilian Forest Plantations
- Biology
- 2014
- 47
- PDF
A community of ants, fungi, and bacteria: a multilateral approach to studying symbiosis.
- Biology, Medicine
- Annual review of microbiology
- 2001
- 117
- PDF
Antimicrobial Activity of Microorganisms Isolated from Ant Nests of Lasius niger
- Biology, Medicine
- Life
- 2020
- PDF
Streptomyces ASSOCIADOS A FORMIGAS DA TRIBO ATTINI E SEUS EFEITOS SOBRE OS FUNGOS Escovopsis weberi E OUTROS MICRORGANISMOS
- Biology
- 2005
- PDF
The ecology and evolution of a quadripartite symbiosis, examining the interactions among Attine ants, fungi, and actinomycetes
- Biology
- 2000
- 5
- PDF
Variable microsatellite loci for the leafcutter ant Acromyrmex echinatior and their applicability to related species
- Biology, Medicine
- Molecular ecology
- 2000
- 28
The importance of leaf- and litter-feeding invertebrates as sources of animal protein for the Amazonian Amerindians
- Biology, Medicine
- Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences
- 2000
- 40
- PDF
References
SHOWING 1-6 OF 6 REFERENCES
Fungus-growing ants use antibiotic-producing bacteria to control garden parasites
- Biology
- Nature
- 1999
- 647
Evolutionary History of the Symbiosis Between Fungus-Growing Ants and Their Fungi
- Biology, Medicine
- Science
- 1994
- 346