Antimicrobial defences in the evolution of sociality

社会性进化中的抗菌防御

• 批准号: DP0344732
• 负责人: Prof Andrew Beattie
• 金额: $ 4.1万
• 依托单位: Macquarie University
• 依托单位国家: 澳大利亚
• 项目类别: Discovery Projects
• 财政年份: 2003
• 资助国家: 澳大利亚
• 起止时间: 2003-01-01 至 2004-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://dataportal.arc.gov.au/RGS/Web/Grants/DP0344732
• 关键词: Antimicrobial; defences; evolution; sociality

Disease microorganisms were probably important selective agents during the evolution of most species. Social insects, the ants, bees, wasps and termites, may have been especially vulnerable because their colonies contain large numbers of closely related individuals living in close proximity; ideal conditions for contagious diseases. We will explore the evolution of antimicrobial defences in social insects and related groups. Social insects are important ecologically and economically and understanding their relationships with microbial diseases will facilitate their conservation and control. Knowledge of these interactions may also prove useful to human societies becoming increasingly vulnerable to disease.

病原微生物可能是大多数物种进化过程中重要的选择因子。社会性昆虫，如蚂蚁、蜜蜂、黄蜂和白蚁，可能特别容易受到伤害，因为它们的群落中有大量生活在一起的近亲个体;这是传染病的理想条件。 我们将探讨社会昆虫和相关群体的抗菌防御的演变。 社会性昆虫在生态和经济上都很重要，了解它们与微生物疾病的关系将有助于它们的保护和控制。 对这些相互作用的了解也可能证明对人类社会越来越容易受到疾病的影响是有用的。