DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Sex, Conflict and Symbiont Escape: Phylogenetic Perspectives from the Attine Ant-fungal Symbiosis

在很大程度上，生命的历史是一部共生相互作用的历史，有机体共同存在，要么竞争，要么合作。自私或合作行为在共生中占主导地位的程度取决于相互作用伙伴的基因是否代代相传。如果不发生严格的共同继承，就会出现作弊和其他形式的恶意行为。本研究利用已被充分研究的蚂蚁蚂蚁与栽培真菌密切共生的共生关系，从互利和对抗进化理论的角度探讨蚂蚁与栽培真菌之间的冲突与合作。特别是，这项研究将重点关注古代品种通过结果逃逸的冲突的结果。结果将广泛适用于其他共生关系，例如疾病毒力的进化。此外，由于真菌园艺蚂蚁（切叶蚁）是新热带地区最重要的植物害虫，该研究的经济后果允许与巴西研究小组合作。此次合作将促进国际学术交流，建立实地研究和实验室访问的框架。来自美国和巴西的学生将参与该项目，接受培训和进行独立研究的机会。这些国际活动得到了国际科学与工程办公室的资金支持。

To a large extent, the history of life is a history of symbiotic interactions, where organisms exist together, either competing or collaborating. The extent to which selfish or cooperative behavior dominates a symbiosis depends on whether the interacting partners' genes are co-transmitted from generation to generation. If strict co-inheritance does not occur, cheating and other forms of virulent behavior can evolve. Using the well-studied intimately co-evolved attine ant-fungal cultivar symbiosis, this study will examine conflict and cooperation between the ants and the cultivar fungi from the perspective of mutualistic and antagonistic evolution theory. In particular, this study will focus on the outcome of the ancient conflict over cultivar escape through fruiting.Results will be broadly applicable to other symbioses, such as evolution of disease virulence. Additionally, as fungus-gardening ants (the leaf-cutters) are the most important plant pests of the Neotropics, the economic consequences of the research permit collaboration with a Brazilian research group. This collaboration will foster international academic exchange, building a framework for field research and lab visits. Students from both the US and Brazil will participate in the project, receiving training and opportunities for conducting independent research. These international activities are supported by funds from the Office of International Science and Engineering.