Volatile Organic Compounds in the Azteca/Cecropia Ant-Plant Symbiosis and the Role of Black Fungi

Journal of Fungi

Sybren de Hoog¹  Simona M. Cristescu²  Veronika E. Mayer³  Luciano Vera⁴  Francesc X. Prenafeta-Boldú⁵ 

[1] Center of Expertise in Mycology of Radboud University Medical Center/Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Geert Grooteplein 10 Zuid, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands;Department of Analytical Chemistry and Chemometrics, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands;Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, A-1030 Vienna, Austria;Olfasense GmbH, Schauenburgerstr 116, 24118 Kiel, Germany;Program of Sustainability in Biosystems, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), Torre Marimon, E-08140 Caldes de Montbui, Spain;

关键词: ant-associated fungi;    Chaetothyriales;    volatile organic compounds;    VOCs;    Cecropia-Azteca;    domatia;   

DOI  :  10.3390/jof7100836

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Black fungi of the order Chaetothyriales are grown by many tropical plant-mutualistic ants as small so-called “patches” in their nests, which are located inside hollow structures provided by the host plant (“domatia”). These fungi are introduced and fostered by the ants, indicating that they are important for the colony. As several species of Chaetothyriales tolerate, adsorb, and metabolize toxic volatiles, we investigated the composition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of selected domatia in the Azteca/Cecropia ant-plant mutualism. Concentrations of VOCs in ant-inhabited domatia, empty domatia, and background air were compared. In total, 211 compounds belonging to 19 chemical families were identified. Ant-inhabited domatia were dominated by ketones with 2-heptanone, a well-known ant alarm semiochemical, as the most abundant volatile. Empty domatia were characterized by relatively high concentrations of the monoterpenes d-limonene, p-cymene and β-phellandrene, as well as the heterocyclic sulphur-containing compound, benzothiazole. These compounds have biocidal properties and are primarily biosynthesized by plants as a defense mechanism. Interestingly, most of the latter compounds were present at lower concentrations in ant inhabited domatia than in non-colonized ones. We suggest that Chaetothyriales may play a role in reducing the VOCs, underlining that the mutualistic nature of these fungi as VOCs accumulation might be detrimental for the ants, especially the larvae.

【 授权许可】

Unknown