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Termitomyces
About: Termitomyces is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 259 publications have been published within this topic receiving 5447 citations.
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TL;DR: This study shows that the symbiosis has a single African origin and that secondary domestication of other fungi or reversal of mutualistic fungi to a free-living state has not occurred, and identifies common characteristics of fungus-farming evolution in termites and ants, which apply despite the major differences between these two insect agricultural systems.
Abstract: We have estimated phylogenies of fungus-growing termites and their associated mutualistic fungi of the genus Termitomyces using Bayesian analyses of DNA sequences. Our study shows that the symbiosis has a single African origin and that secondary domestication of other fungi or reversal of mutualistic fungi to a free-living state has not occurred. Host switching has been frequent, especially at the lower taxonomic levels, and nests of single termite species can have different symbionts. Data are consistent with horizontal transmission of fungal symbionts in both the ancestral state of the mutualism and most of the extant taxa. Clonal vertical transmission of fungi, previously shown to be common in the genus Microtermes (via females) and in the species Macrotermes bellicosus (via males) [Johnson, R. A., Thomas, R. J., Wood, T. G. & Swift, M. J. (1981) J. Nat. Hist. 15, 751-756], is derived with two independent origins. Despite repeated host switching, statistical tests taking phylogenetic uncertainty into account show a significant congruence between the termite and fungal phylogenies, because mutualistic interactions at higher taxonomic levels show considerable specificity. We identify common characteristics of fungus-farming evolution in termites and ants, which apply despite the major differences between these two insect agricultural systems. We hypothesize that biparental colony founding may have constrained the evolution of vertical symbiont transmission in termites but not in ants where males die after mating.
378 citations
TL;DR: It is found that plant biomass conversion is mostly a multistage complementary cooperation between Termitomyces and gut bacteria, with termite farmers primarily providing the gut compartments, foraging, and nest building, and a mature queen had highly reduced gut microbial diversity for decomposition enzymes.
Abstract: Termites normally rely on gut symbionts to decompose organic matter but the Macrotermitinae domesticated Termitomyces fungi to produce their own food. This transition was accompanied by a shift in the composition of the gut microbiota, but the complementary roles of these bacteria in the symbiosis have remained enigmatic. We obtained high-quality annotated draft genomes of the termite Macrotermes natalensis, its Termitomyces symbiont, and gut metagenomes from workers, soldiers, and a queen. We show that members from 111 of the 128 known glycoside hydrolase families are represented in the symbiosis, that Termitomyces has the genomic capacity to handle complex carbohydrates, and that worker gut microbes primarily contribute enzymes for final digestion of oligosaccharides. This apparent division of labor is consistent with the Macrotermes gut microbes being most important during the second passage of comb material through the termite gut, after a first gut passage where the crude plant substrate is inoculated with Termitomyces asexual spores so that initial fungal growth and polysaccharide decomposition can proceed with high efficiency. Complex conversion of biomass in termite mounds thus appears to be mainly accomplished by complementary cooperation between a domesticated fungal monoculture and a specialized bacterial community. In sharp contrast, the gut microbiota of the queen had highly reduced plant decomposition potential, suggesting that mature reproductives digest fungal material provided by workers rather than plant substrate.
211 citations
01 Jan 1989
170 citations
TL;DR: The data available support the argument that termites contribute significantly to atmospheric fluxes of CO 2 and CH 4 and suggest a coupling of regional soil forming processes and the global C budget.
Abstract: Termites, particularly the mound building, fungus growing Macrotermitinae, reach densities of up to 400 termites m−2 in soils of dry tropical Africa. The influence of Macrotermi tinae in increasing certain soil nutrients in mounds compared to adjacent soils has been documented, but the links between litter harvesting by termites, soil fertility, and global C cycling have not been explored. This study reviews the evidence from soil science, ecology and atmos pheric chemistry and generates hypotheses to explain the role of termites in dry tropical eco systems. It is suggested that termite activity exhaustively partitions litterfall among adjacent com peting colonies, where it is so thoroughly decomposed that little or no organic C is incorporated into the soils. Associated N, P, and cations build up in the mounds, but C apparently is emitted as CO2 and CH4 from the mounds. While not adequate to calculate nutrient fluxes through termites, the data available support the argument that termites contribute significantly to atmospheric fluxes of CO2 and CH4. Moreover, they suggest a coupling of regional soil forming processes and the global C budget.
157 citations
TL;DR: This work reconstructs the ancestral habitat and geographical origin of fungus-growing termites and provides strong evidence that termite agriculture originated in African rain forest and that the main radiation leading to the extant genera occurred there.
147 citations