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small genome of the fungus escovopsis weberi, a specialized disease agent of ant agriculture.many microorganisms with specialized lifestyles have reduced genomes. this is best understood in beneficial bacterial symbioses, where partner fidelity facilitates loss of genes necessary for living independently. specialized microbial pathogens may also exhibit gene loss relative to generalists. here, we demonstrate that escovopsis weberi, a fungal parasite of the crops of fungus-growing ants, has a reduced genome in terms of both size and gene content relative to closely related but less speci ...201626976598
differential gene expression in acromyrmex leaf-cutting ants after challenges with two fungal pathogens.social 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 p ...201323480581
escovopsis trichodermoides sp. nov., isolated from a nest of the lower attine ant mycocepurus goeldii.currently, five species are formally described in escovopsis, a specialized mycoparasitic genus of fungus gardens of attine ants (hymenoptera: formicidae: tribe attini). four species were isolated from leaf-cutting ants in brazil, including escovopsis moelleri and escovopsis microspora from nests of acromyrmex subterraneus molestans, escovopsis weberi from a nest of atta sp. and escovopsis lentecrescens from a nest of acromyrmex subterraneus subterraneus. the fifth species, escovopsis aspergillo ...201525576160
necrotrophic mycoparasites and their genomes.mycoparasitism is a lifestyle where one fungus establishes parasitic interactions with other fungi. species of the genus trichoderma together with clonostachys rosea are among the most studied fungal mycoparasites. they have wide host ranges comprising several plant pathogens and are used for biological control of plant diseases. trichoderma as well as c. rosea mycoparasites efficiently overgrow and kill their fungal prey by using infection structures and by applying lytic enzymes and toxic meta ...201728281442
chemical basis of the synergism and antagonism in microbial communities in the nests of leaf-cutting ants.leaf-cutting ants cultivate the fungus leucoagaricus gongylophorus, which serves as a major food source. this symbiosis is threatened by microbial pathogens that can severely infect l. gongylophorus. microbial symbionts of leaf-cutting ants, mainly pseudonocardia and streptomyces, support the ants in defending their fungus gardens against infections by supplying antimicrobial and antifungal compounds. the ecological role of microorganisms in the nests of leaf-cutting ants can only be addressed i ...201121245311
pathogenicity of escovopsis weberi: the parasite of the attine ant-microbe symbiosis directly consumes the ant-cultivated fungus.fungi in the genus escovopsis are known only from the fungus gardens of attine ants. previous work has established that these anamorphic fungi, allied with the hypocreales, are specialized and potentially virulent parasites of the ancient mutualism between attine ants and their fungal cultivars. it is unclear whether the primary nutrient source for the pathogen is the mutualist fungal cultivar or the vegetative substrate placed on the gardens by the ants. here, we determine whether escovopsis we ...200421148916
susceptibility of the ant-cultivated fungus leucoagaricus gongylophorus (agaricales: basidiomycota) towards microfungi.the aim of this study was to select virulent strains of microfungi against leucoagaricus gongylophorus, a symbiotic fungus cultivated by leaf-cutting ants. the results from in vitro assays showed that microfungal strains had a variable and significant impact on the colony development of l. gongylophorus. specifically, trichoderma harzianum, escovopsis weberi cbs 810.71 and e. weberi a088 were more effective, inhibiting the l. gongylophorus colonies by 75, 68 and 67%, respectively (p < 0.05) afte ...200616897590
variability of non-mutualistic filamentous fungi associated with atta sexdens rubropilosa nests.a survey of the filamentous fungi other than the symbiotic one found in association with atta sexdens rubropilosa colonies was carried out. different fungal species (27 taxa) were isolated a few days after treating the workers with toxic baits (sulfluramid; mirex-s), from 40 laboratory and 20 field nests. syncephalastrum racemosum (54%) and escovopsis weberi (21%), trichoderma harzianum (38%) and fusarium oxysporum (23%) were the prevalent species in laboratory and field nests, respectively. acr ...200516475502
ocurrence of the antibiotic producing bacterium burkholderia sp. in colonies of the leaf-cutting ant atta sexdens rubropilosa.fungus garden material from recently established atta sexdens rubropilosa colonies (6-12 months old) was sampled to detect antibiotic producing microorganisms that inhibited the growth of pathogens of insects and of the fungus gardens but did not affect their mutualistic fungus. a bacterium with activity against the entomopathogenic fungus beauveria bassiana was isolated from 56% of the gardens tested (n=57) and identified from its biochemical profile and from 16s and 23s ribosomal dna sequences ...200415476982
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