Dissertation Research: Exploring Newly Discovered Exploitation of an Ancient Ant-Bacterial Mutualism

共生是两个或两个以上不同物种之间永久或持久的亲密关系。相互作用的范围从对抗（寄生），其中一个生物体利用另一个，到合作（互利共生），其中所有合作伙伴都受益。在整个生命历史中，共生体的形成导致了生物体的复杂性和多样性的增加。真菌-农业蚂蚁-微生物共生至少是一个四方联合体。蚂蚁和它们的真菌品种之间的专性互利共生被一种叫做Escovopsis的霉菌寄生。 为了抵御感染，蚂蚁与产生抗生素的细菌合作，抗生素抑制Escovopsis。这项研究探讨了一种新发现的微生物在这种共生，黑酵母，似乎利用蚂蚁细菌互惠。该研究旨在描述黑酵母在系统中的作用，并确定它是否是真菌-农业蚂蚁-微生物共生体的第五个成员。 通过结合各种微生物学，化学，生态学和系统发育技术，与创造性的实验设计，如“真菌选择”和“潜在的健身指标”实验，这项研究将揭示这个复杂的蚂蚁-微生物群落之间的合作和冲突。 共生和微生物生态学是生物科学中的新兴领域，探索自然系统中新的相互作用和过程的研究对于进一步发展这些领域非常重要。 研究结果将用于教育学生在K-12，本科和研究生水平，并通过澳门皇冠体育作为一个科学的推广工具。国际合作以及在拉丁美洲博物馆存放标本将进一步促进科学知识的传播。

Symbiosis is an intimate association between two or more different species that is permanent or long lasting. Interactions range from antagonistic (parasitism), where one organism exploits another, to cooperative (mutualism) in which all partners benefit. Throughout the history of life the formation of symbiotic associations has led to increased complexity and diversity in organisms. The fungus-farming ant-microbe symbiosis is, minimally, a quadripartite association. The obligate mutualism between ants and their fungal cultivar is parasitized by a mold called Escovopsis. To defend against infection, the ants cooperate with bacteria that produce antibiotics, which inhibit Escovopsis. This study explores a newly discovered microbe in this symbiosis, a black yeast, that appears to exploit the ant-bacterial mutualism. The research aims to characterize the role of the black yeast within the system, and to determine whether it is a fifth member of the fungus-farming ant-microbe symbiosis. By combining a variety of microbiological, chemical, ecological and phylogenetic techniques, with creative experimental designs such as "fungal choice" and "potential fitness indicator" experiments, this research will shed light on cooperation and conflict among this complex ant-microbe community. Symbiosis and microbial ecology are emerging fields in the biological sciences, and studies exploring novel interactions and processes in natural systems are important to further develop the fields. Research results will be used to educate students at the K-12, undergraduate, and graduate levels, and as a scientific outreach tool through UW-Madison. International collaborations, and deposition of specimens at museums in Latin America, will further increase the dissemination of scientific knowledge.