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

在很大程度上，生命的历史就是共生相互作用的历史，生物体要么竞争，要么合作，共同存在。自私或合作行为在共生关系中占主导地位的程度取决于相互作用的伙伴的基因是否共同代代相传。如果没有严格的共同继承，欺骗和其他形式的恶性行为就会进化。本研究将从互惠和拮抗进化理论的角度，利用蚁群与拮抗真菌共生关系这一已被广泛研究的共生机制，探讨蚁群与拮抗真菌共生关系的冲突与合作。特别是，本研究将集中在古代冲突的结果通过结果逃避栽培。结果将广泛适用于其他共生，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，这项研究的经济后果允许与巴西的一个研究小组合作。这项合作将促进国际学术交流，为实地研究和实验室访问建立框架。来自美国和巴西的学生将参与该项目，接受培训并有机会进行独立研究。这些国际活动由国际科学与工程办公室提供资金支持。

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.