What Can the Bacterial Community of <i>Atta sexdens </i>(Linnaeus, 1758) Tell Us about the Habitats in Which This Ant Species Evolves?

Studies of bacterial communities can reveal the evolutionary significance of symbiotic interactions between hosts and their associated bacteria, as well as identify environmental factors that may influence host biology. <i>Atta sexdens</i> is an ant species native to Brazil that can act...

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Main Authors: Manuela de Oliveira Ramalho, Cintia Martins, Maria Santina Castro Morini, Odair Correa Bueno
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-05-01
Series:Insects
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/6/332
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spelling doaj-2d573a85231a46ebb290f4f7349219e72020-11-25T03:25:14ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502020-05-011133233210.3390/insects11060332What Can the Bacterial Community of <i>Atta sexdens </i>(Linnaeus, 1758) Tell Us about the Habitats in Which This Ant Species Evolves?Manuela de Oliveira Ramalho0Cintia Martins1Maria Santina Castro Morini2Odair Correa Bueno3Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais—CEIS, Instituto de Biociências, Campus Rio Claro, Avenida 24A, 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, SP 13506-900, BrazilUniversidade Federal do Piauí - Campus Ministro Reis Velloso, Av. São Sebastião, 2819, Parnaíba 64.202-020, Piauí, BrazilUniversidade de Mogi das Cruzes, Núcleo de Ciências Ambientais, Av. Dr. Cândido Xavier de Almeida e Souza, 200, Centro Cívico, Mogi das Cruzes, SP 08780-911, BrazilUniversidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais—CEIS, Instituto de Biociências, Campus Rio Claro, Avenida 24A, 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, SP 13506-900, BrazilStudies of bacterial communities can reveal the evolutionary significance of symbiotic interactions between hosts and their associated bacteria, as well as identify environmental factors that may influence host biology. <i>Atta sexdens</i> is an ant species native to Brazil that can act as an agricultural pest due to its intense behavior of cutting plants. Despite being extensively studied, certain aspects of the general biology of this species remain unclear, such as the evolutionary implications of the symbiotic relationships it forms with bacteria. Using high-throughput amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA genes, we compared for the first time the bacterial community of <i>A. sexdens</i> (whole ant workers) populations according to the habitat (natural versus agricultural) and geographical location. Our results revealed that the bacterial community associated with <i>A. sexdens</i> is mainly influenced by the geographical location, and secondarily by the differences in habitat. Also, the bacterial community associated with citrus<i> </i>differed significantly from the other communities due to the presence of <i>Tsukamurella</i>. In conclusion, our study suggests that environmental shifts may influence the bacterial diversity found in <i>A. sexdens</i>.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/6/332environmentextensive cultivationbacterial diversitysustainable developmentconservation
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Manuela de Oliveira Ramalho
Cintia Martins
Maria Santina Castro Morini
Odair Correa Bueno
spellingShingle Manuela de Oliveira Ramalho
Cintia Martins
Maria Santina Castro Morini
Odair Correa Bueno
What Can the Bacterial Community of <i>Atta sexdens </i>(Linnaeus, 1758) Tell Us about the Habitats in Which This Ant Species Evolves?
Insects
environment
extensive cultivation
bacterial diversity
sustainable development
conservation
author_facet Manuela de Oliveira Ramalho
Cintia Martins
Maria Santina Castro Morini
Odair Correa Bueno
author_sort Manuela de Oliveira Ramalho
title What Can the Bacterial Community of <i>Atta sexdens </i>(Linnaeus, 1758) Tell Us about the Habitats in Which This Ant Species Evolves?
title_short What Can the Bacterial Community of <i>Atta sexdens </i>(Linnaeus, 1758) Tell Us about the Habitats in Which This Ant Species Evolves?
title_full What Can the Bacterial Community of <i>Atta sexdens </i>(Linnaeus, 1758) Tell Us about the Habitats in Which This Ant Species Evolves?
title_fullStr What Can the Bacterial Community of <i>Atta sexdens </i>(Linnaeus, 1758) Tell Us about the Habitats in Which This Ant Species Evolves?
title_full_unstemmed What Can the Bacterial Community of <i>Atta sexdens </i>(Linnaeus, 1758) Tell Us about the Habitats in Which This Ant Species Evolves?
title_sort what can the bacterial community of <i>atta sexdens </i>(linnaeus, 1758) tell us about the habitats in which this ant species evolves?
publisher MDPI AG
series Insects
issn 2075-4450
publishDate 2020-05-01
description Studies of bacterial communities can reveal the evolutionary significance of symbiotic interactions between hosts and their associated bacteria, as well as identify environmental factors that may influence host biology. <i>Atta sexdens</i> is an ant species native to Brazil that can act as an agricultural pest due to its intense behavior of cutting plants. Despite being extensively studied, certain aspects of the general biology of this species remain unclear, such as the evolutionary implications of the symbiotic relationships it forms with bacteria. Using high-throughput amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA genes, we compared for the first time the bacterial community of <i>A. sexdens</i> (whole ant workers) populations according to the habitat (natural versus agricultural) and geographical location. Our results revealed that the bacterial community associated with <i>A. sexdens</i> is mainly influenced by the geographical location, and secondarily by the differences in habitat. Also, the bacterial community associated with citrus<i> </i>differed significantly from the other communities due to the presence of <i>Tsukamurella</i>. In conclusion, our study suggests that environmental shifts may influence the bacterial diversity found in <i>A. sexdens</i>.
topic environment
extensive cultivation
bacterial diversity
sustainable development
conservation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/6/332
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