The diversity of ant-associated black yeasts: insights into a newly discovered world of symbiotic interactions

Based on pure culture studies and DNA phylogenetic analyses, black yeasts ( Chaetothyriales, Ascomycota) are shown to be widely distributed and important components of numerous plant–ant–fungus networks, independently acquired by several ant lineages in the Old and New World. Data from ITS and LSU n...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Fungal biology 2011-10, Vol.115 (10), p.1077-1091
Main Authors: Voglmayr, Hermann, Mayer, Veronika, Maschwitz, Ulrich, Moog, Joachim, Djieto-Lordon, Champlain, Blatrix, Rumsaïs
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Ant carton nests
Ant domatia
ant nests
Ants - classification
Ants - microbiology
Ants - physiology
Ascomycota
Ascomycota - classification
Ascomycota - genetics
Ascomycota - isolation & purification
Ascomycota - physiology
Biodiversity
Biological diversity
Black yeasts
Capnodiales
Chaetothyriales
conidiation
Data processing
DNA
Domatia
Formicidae
Fungi
Galleries
Host plants
Host specificity
Hyphae
Imperfect state
internal transcribed spacers
Light effects
Molecular Sequence Data
Nests
Phylogeny
Plants - microbiology
Pure culture
ribosomal DNA
Sooty molds
Symbiosis
Yeasts
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Summary:Based on pure culture studies and DNA phylogenetic analyses, black yeasts ( Chaetothyriales, Ascomycota) are shown to be widely distributed and important components of numerous plant–ant–fungus networks, independently acquired by several ant lineages in the Old and New World. Data from ITS and LSU nu rDNA demonstrate that a high biodiversity of fungal species is involved. There are two common ant–fungus symbioses involving black yeasts: (1) on the carton walls of ant nests and galleries, and (2) the fungal mats growing within non-pathogenic naturally hollow structures (so-called domatia) provided by myrmecophytic plants as nesting space for ants (ant–plant symbiosis). Most carton- and domatia-inhabiting fungi stem from different phylogenetic lineages within Chaetothyriales, and almost all of the fungi isolated are still undescribed. Despite being closely related, carton and domatia fungi are shown to differ markedly in their morphology and ecology, indicating that they play different roles in these associations. The carton fungi appear to improve the stability of the carton, and several species are commonly observed to co-occur on the same carton. Carton fungi commonly have dark-walled monilioid hyphae, colouring the carton blackish and apparently preventing other fungi from invading the carton. Despite the simultaneous presence of usually several species of fungi, forming complex associations on the carton, little overlap is observed between carton fungi from different ant species, even those that co-occur in nature, indicating at least some host specificity of fungi. Most fungi present on carton belong to Chaetothyriales, but in a few samples, Capnodiales are also an important component. Carton fungi are difficult to assign to anamorph genera, as most lack conidiation. The domatia fungi are more specific. In domatia, usually only one or two fungal species co-occur, producing a dense layer on living host plant tissue in domatia. They have hyaline or light brown thin-walled hyphae, and are commonly sporulating. In both carton and domatia, the fungal species seem to be specific to each ant–plant symbiosis. Representative examples of carton and domatia ant–fungus symbioses are illustrated. We discuss hypotheses on the ecological significance of the Chaetothyriales associated with ants.
ISSN:1878-6146
1878-6162
DOI:10.1016/j.funbio.2010.11.006