Differential gene expression in Acromyrmex leaf-cutting ants after challenges with two fungal pathogens

dc.contributor.authorYek, Sze Huei
dc.contributor.authorBoomsma, Jacobus J.
dc.contributor.authorSchiøtt, Morten
dc.date.accessioned2013-09-25T06:18:17Z
dc.date.available2014-04-30T00:20:06Z
dc.date.issued2013
dc.description.abstractSocial insects in general and leaf-cutting ants in particular have increased selection pressures on their innate immune system due to their social lifestyle and monoclonality of the symbiotic fungal cultivar. As this symbiosis is obligate for both parties, prophylactic behavioural defences against infections are expected to increase either ant survival or fungus-garden survival, but also to possibly trade off when specific infections differ in potential danger. We examined the effectiveness of prophylactic behaviours and modulations of innate immune defences by a combination of inoculation bioassays and genome-wide transcriptomic studies (RNA-Seq), using an ant pathogen (Metarhizium brunneum) and a fungus-garden pathogen (Escovopsis weberi) and administering inoculations both directly and indirectly (via the symbiotic partner). Upon detection of pathogen conidia, ant workers responded by increasing both general activity and the frequency of specific defence behaviours (self-grooming, allo-grooming, garden-grooming) independent of the pathogen encountered. This trend was also evident in the patterns of gene expression change. Both direct and indirect (via fungus garden) inoculations with Metarhizium induced a general up-regulation of gene expression, including a number of well-known immune-related genes. In contrast, direct inoculation of the fungus garden by Escovopsis induced an overall down-regulation of ant gene expression, whereas indirect inoculation (via the ants) did not, suggesting that increased activity of ants to remove this fungus-garden pathogen is costly and involves trade-offs with the activation of other physiological pathways.en_US
dc.description.librarianhb2013en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipDanish National Research Foundation (DNRF57).en_US
dc.description.urihttp://www.wiley.com/bw/journal.asp?ref=0962-1083en_US
dc.identifier.citationYek, SH, Boomsma, JJ & Schiøtt, M 2013, 'Differential gene expression in Acromyrmex leaf-cutting ants after challenges with two fungal pathogens', Molecular Ecology, vol. 22, no. 8, pp. 2173-2187.en_US
dc.identifier.issn0962-1082 (print)
dc.identifier.issn1365-294X (online)
dc.identifier.other10.1111/mec.12255
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/31793
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherWiley-Blackwellen_US
dc.rights© 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. The definite version is available at http://www.wiley.com/bw/journal.asp?ref=0962-1083en_US
dc.subjectEntomopathogenic fungusen_US
dc.subjectFungal crop parasiteen_US
dc.subjectInnate immunityen_US
dc.subjectMutualismen_US
dc.subjectRNA-Seqen_US
dc.titleDifferential gene expression in Acromyrmex leaf-cutting ants after challenges with two fungal pathogensen_US
dc.typePostprint Articleen_US

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