生物
巢穴(蛋白质结构基序)
生态学
微生物种群生物学
放线菌门
微生物群
互惠主义(生物学)
真菌
微生物生态学
栖息地
细菌
植物
生物信息学
生物化学
遗传学
16S核糖体RNA
作者
Hongjie Li,Chris Greening
出处
期刊:Fems Microbiology Reviews
[Oxford University Press]
日期:2022-07-05
卷期号:46 (6)
被引量:5
标识
DOI:10.1093/femsre/fuac034
摘要
Termites are a prototypical example of the 'extended phenotype' given their ability to shape their environments by constructing complex nesting structures and cultivating fungus gardens. Such engineered structures provide termites with stable, protected habitats, and nutritious food sources, respectively. Recent studies have suggested that these termite-engineered structures harbour Actinobacteria-dominated microbial communities. In this review, we describe the composition, activities, and consequences of microbial communities associated with termite mounds, other nests, and fungus gardens. Culture-dependent and culture-independent studies indicate that these structures each harbour specialized microbial communities distinct from those in termite guts and surrounding soils. Termites select microbial communities in these structures through various means: opportunistic recruitment from surrounding soils; controlling physicochemical properties of nesting structures; excreting hydrogen, methane, and other gases as bacterial energy sources; and pretreating lignocellulose to facilitate fungal cultivation in gardens. These engineered communities potentially benefit termites by producing antimicrobial compounds, facilitating lignocellulose digestion, and enhancing energetic efficiency of the termite 'metaorganism'. Moreover, mound-associated communities have been shown to be globally significant in controlling emissions of methane and enhancing agricultural fertility. Altogether, these considerations suggest that the microbiomes selected by some animals extend much beyond their bodies, providing a new dimension to the 'extended phenotype'.
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