A mutualistic microbiome: How do fungus-growing ants select their antibiotic-producing bacteria?

ABSTRACT

We recently published a paper titled "A mixed community of actinomycetes produce multiple antibiotics for the fungus farming ant Acromyrmex octospinosus" showing that attine ants use multidrug therapy to maintain their fungal cultivars. This paper tested two theories that have been put forward to explain how attine ants establish mutualism with actinomycete symbionts environmental acquisition versus co-evolution. We found good evidence for environmental acquisition, in agreement with other recent studies. We also found evidence that supports (but does not prove) co-evolution. Here we place the environmental acquisition and co-evolution arguments within the framework of general mutualism theory and discuss how this system provides insights into the mechanisms that assemble microbiomes. We conclude by discussing future directions for research into the attine ant-actinomycete mutualism.