BacterioFiles 309 - Fungus Foils Phytophagy

Leafcutting ants
By Bandwagonman,
CC BY-SA 3.0

This episode: Fungi living in plants could protect them from ants that cut up their leaves to feed their own fungal gardens!

Download Episode (7.5 MB, 8.2 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Escherichia virus RB3

Journal Paper:
Rocha SL, Evans HC, Jorge VL, Cardoso LAO, Pereira FST, Rocha FB, Barreto RW, Hart AG, Elliot SL. 2017. Recognition of endophytic Trichoderma species by leaf-cutting ants and their potential in a Trojan-horse management strategy. R Soc Open Sci 4:160628.

Other interesting stories:

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Microbes could help reduce levels of most toxic mercury form

Plant bacteria can protect plants against cadmium toxicity (paper)

Rotifer transposons can protect them against aging

Bacteria help protect against Listeria infection

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