Attine ants are farmers, and they grow fungus as food. <i>Pseudonocardia</i> and <i>Streptomyces</i> bacteria are their farmhands, producing metabolites that protect the crop from pathogens. Surprisingly, these metabolites lack common structural features across bacteria from different geographic locations, even though the ants share a common ancestor. Now, researchers report in <i>ACS Central Science</i> they have identified the first shared ant…
Researchers discover potent antifungal agent from attine ant farms
Attine ants are farmers, and they grow fungus as food. Pseudonocardia and Streptomyces bacteria are their farmhands, producing metabolites that protect the crop from pathogens.
Attine ants are farmers, and they grow fungus as food. Pseudonocardia and Streptomyces bacteria are their farmhands, producing metabolites that protect the crop from pathogens. Surprisingly, these metabolites lack common structural features across bacteria from different geographic locations, even though the ants share a common ancestor. Now, researchers report they have identified the first shared antifungal compound among many of these bacteri…
