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 as a member of the genus Burkholderia. The ant-associated Burkholderia isolates secreted a potent, anti-fungal agent that inhibited germination of conidia of the entomopathogenic fungi B. bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, of the saprophytic Verticillium lecanii, and also of a specialist fungus garden Escovopsis weberi. Growth of the ant's mutualist fungus was unaffected.
Laboratory of Plant Protection, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Av. Alberto Lamego 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ 28013-602, Brazil.
Adão Valmir
AV
Santos
Rod J
RJ
Dillon
Viv M
VM
Dillon
Stuart E
SE
Reynolds
Richard I
RI
Samuels
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001000:Ants / Q000382:microbiology*; D019117:Burkholderia / Q000737:chemistry*; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods; D012988:Soil Microbiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents