The genome sequence of the leaf-cutter ant Atta cephalotes reveals insights into its obligate symbiotic lifestyle.
Leaf-cutter ants are one of the most important herbivorous insects in the Neotropics, harvesting vast quantities of fresh leaf material. The ants use leaves to cultivate a fungus that serves as the colony's primary food source. This obligate ant-fungus mutualism is one of the few occurrences of...
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2011-02-01
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doaj-9936bab179324679ac4f24d5e643f4652020-11-25T01:32:48ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Genetics1553-73901553-74042011-02-0172e100200710.1371/journal.pgen.1002007The genome sequence of the leaf-cutter ant Atta cephalotes reveals insights into its obligate symbiotic lifestyle.Garret SuenClotilde TeilingLewyn LiCarson HoltEhab AbouheifErich Bornberg-BauerPascal BouffardEric J CalderaElizabeth CashAmy CavanaughOlgert DenasEran ElhaikMarie-Julie FavéJürgen GadauJoshua D GibsonDan GraurKirk J GrubbsDarren E HagenTimothy T HarkinsMartin HelmkampfHao HuBrian R JohnsonJay KimSarah E MarshJoseph A MoellerMónica C Muñoz-TorresMarguerite C MurphyMeredith C NaughtonSurabhi NigamRick OversonRajendhran RajakumarJustin T ReeseJarrod J ScottChris R SmithShu TaoNeil D TsutsuiLumi ViljakainenLothar WisslerMark D YandellFabian ZimmerJames TaylorSteven C SlaterSandra W CliftonWesley C WarrenChristine G ElsikChristopher D SmithGeorge M WeinstockNicole M GerardoCameron R CurrieLeaf-cutter ants are one of the most important herbivorous insects in the Neotropics, harvesting vast quantities of fresh leaf material. The ants use leaves to cultivate a fungus that serves as the colony's primary food source. This obligate ant-fungus mutualism is one of the few occurrences of farming by non-humans and likely facilitated the formation of their massive colonies. Mature leaf-cutter ant colonies contain millions of workers ranging in size from small garden tenders to large soldiers, resulting in one of the most complex polymorphic caste systems within ants. To begin uncovering the genomic underpinnings of this system, we sequenced the genome of Atta cephalotes using 454 pyrosequencing. One prediction from this ant's lifestyle is that it has undergone genetic modifications that reflect its obligate dependence on the fungus for nutrients. Analysis of this genome sequence is consistent with this hypothesis, as we find evidence for reductions in genes related to nutrient acquisition. These include extensive reductions in serine proteases (which are likely unnecessary because proteolysis is not a primary mechanism used to process nutrients obtained from the fungus), a loss of genes involved in arginine biosynthesis (suggesting that this amino acid is obtained from the fungus), and the absence of a hexamerin (which sequesters amino acids during larval development in other insects). Following recent reports of genome sequences from other insects that engage in symbioses with beneficial microbes, the A. cephalotes genome provides new insights into the symbiotic lifestyle of this ant and advances our understanding of host-microbe symbioses.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3037820?pdf=render |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Garret Suen Clotilde Teiling Lewyn Li Carson Holt Ehab Abouheif Erich Bornberg-Bauer Pascal Bouffard Eric J Caldera Elizabeth Cash Amy Cavanaugh Olgert Denas Eran Elhaik Marie-Julie Favé Jürgen Gadau Joshua D Gibson Dan Graur Kirk J Grubbs Darren E Hagen Timothy T Harkins Martin Helmkampf Hao Hu Brian R Johnson Jay Kim Sarah E Marsh Joseph A Moeller Mónica C Muñoz-Torres Marguerite C Murphy Meredith C Naughton Surabhi Nigam Rick Overson Rajendhran Rajakumar Justin T Reese Jarrod J Scott Chris R Smith Shu Tao Neil D Tsutsui Lumi Viljakainen Lothar Wissler Mark D Yandell Fabian Zimmer James Taylor Steven C Slater Sandra W Clifton Wesley C Warren Christine G Elsik Christopher D Smith George M Weinstock Nicole M Gerardo Cameron R Currie |
spellingShingle |
Garret Suen Clotilde Teiling Lewyn Li Carson Holt Ehab Abouheif Erich Bornberg-Bauer Pascal Bouffard Eric J Caldera Elizabeth Cash Amy Cavanaugh Olgert Denas Eran Elhaik Marie-Julie Favé Jürgen Gadau Joshua D Gibson Dan Graur Kirk J Grubbs Darren E Hagen Timothy T Harkins Martin Helmkampf Hao Hu Brian R Johnson Jay Kim Sarah E Marsh Joseph A Moeller Mónica C Muñoz-Torres Marguerite C Murphy Meredith C Naughton Surabhi Nigam Rick Overson Rajendhran Rajakumar Justin T Reese Jarrod J Scott Chris R Smith Shu Tao Neil D Tsutsui Lumi Viljakainen Lothar Wissler Mark D Yandell Fabian Zimmer James Taylor Steven C Slater Sandra W Clifton Wesley C Warren Christine G Elsik Christopher D Smith George M Weinstock Nicole M Gerardo Cameron R Currie The genome sequence of the leaf-cutter ant Atta cephalotes reveals insights into its obligate symbiotic lifestyle. PLoS Genetics |
author_facet |
Garret Suen Clotilde Teiling Lewyn Li Carson Holt Ehab Abouheif Erich Bornberg-Bauer Pascal Bouffard Eric J Caldera Elizabeth Cash Amy Cavanaugh Olgert Denas Eran Elhaik Marie-Julie Favé Jürgen Gadau Joshua D Gibson Dan Graur Kirk J Grubbs Darren E Hagen Timothy T Harkins Martin Helmkampf Hao Hu Brian R Johnson Jay Kim Sarah E Marsh Joseph A Moeller Mónica C Muñoz-Torres Marguerite C Murphy Meredith C Naughton Surabhi Nigam Rick Overson Rajendhran Rajakumar Justin T Reese Jarrod J Scott Chris R Smith Shu Tao Neil D Tsutsui Lumi Viljakainen Lothar Wissler Mark D Yandell Fabian Zimmer James Taylor Steven C Slater Sandra W Clifton Wesley C Warren Christine G Elsik Christopher D Smith George M Weinstock Nicole M Gerardo Cameron R Currie |
author_sort |
Garret Suen |
title |
The genome sequence of the leaf-cutter ant Atta cephalotes reveals insights into its obligate symbiotic lifestyle. |
title_short |
The genome sequence of the leaf-cutter ant Atta cephalotes reveals insights into its obligate symbiotic lifestyle. |
title_full |
The genome sequence of the leaf-cutter ant Atta cephalotes reveals insights into its obligate symbiotic lifestyle. |
title_fullStr |
The genome sequence of the leaf-cutter ant Atta cephalotes reveals insights into its obligate symbiotic lifestyle. |
title_full_unstemmed |
The genome sequence of the leaf-cutter ant Atta cephalotes reveals insights into its obligate symbiotic lifestyle. |
title_sort |
genome sequence of the leaf-cutter ant atta cephalotes reveals insights into its obligate symbiotic lifestyle. |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
series |
PLoS Genetics |
issn |
1553-7390 1553-7404 |
publishDate |
2011-02-01 |
description |
Leaf-cutter ants are one of the most important herbivorous insects in the Neotropics, harvesting vast quantities of fresh leaf material. The ants use leaves to cultivate a fungus that serves as the colony's primary food source. This obligate ant-fungus mutualism is one of the few occurrences of farming by non-humans and likely facilitated the formation of their massive colonies. Mature leaf-cutter ant colonies contain millions of workers ranging in size from small garden tenders to large soldiers, resulting in one of the most complex polymorphic caste systems within ants. To begin uncovering the genomic underpinnings of this system, we sequenced the genome of Atta cephalotes using 454 pyrosequencing. One prediction from this ant's lifestyle is that it has undergone genetic modifications that reflect its obligate dependence on the fungus for nutrients. Analysis of this genome sequence is consistent with this hypothesis, as we find evidence for reductions in genes related to nutrient acquisition. These include extensive reductions in serine proteases (which are likely unnecessary because proteolysis is not a primary mechanism used to process nutrients obtained from the fungus), a loss of genes involved in arginine biosynthesis (suggesting that this amino acid is obtained from the fungus), and the absence of a hexamerin (which sequesters amino acids during larval development in other insects). Following recent reports of genome sequences from other insects that engage in symbioses with beneficial microbes, the A. cephalotes genome provides new insights into the symbiotic lifestyle of this ant and advances our understanding of host-microbe symbioses. |
url |
http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3037820?pdf=render |
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