16s rRNA sequencing of fungus-gardening ant associated microbiomes
16s rRNA gene sequences were obtained from the microbiomes of worker ants, their fungal symbionts, and chamber soil from colonies of the fungus-gardening ant Trachymyrmex smithi. This microbiome data was compared to similar microbiome data from other fungus-gardening ants Trachymyrmex arizonensis, Trachymyrmex pomonae, Trachymyrmex septentrionalis, and Mycetomoellerius turrifex to evaluate similarity within and between microbiomes of the different species and sample types (ants, fungus, soil). The microbiome data for these five species was included along with genetic data (SNPs, nuclear gene data) from the hosts (ants/fungus) in a set of phylosymbiosis analyses to measure concordance between the phylogenetic structure of the microbial communities and the phylogenetic structure of the hosts.