Sympodiorosea whole-genome sequencing
Sympodiorosea is an antagonistic fungus associated with fungus-growing ants from the genera Cyphomyrmex, Mycetophylax, and Myrmicocrypta. Separate from the fungus these ants cultivate, Sympodiorosea exhibits specialization in the form of chemotaxis towards its preferred host fungus. This project seeks to identify cryptic species that have likely emerged in response to the ants acquiring new fungi to cultivate as well as understanding the genomic consequences of specialization. Further, we seek to understand the mechanisms that drive specialization in this dynamic host-parasite system.