Burkholderia from fungus gardens of fungus-growing ants produce antifungals that inhibit the specialized parasite Escovopsis

ABSTRACT Within animal associated microbiomes, the functional roles of specific microbial taxa are often uncharacterized. Here, we use the fungus-growing ant system, a model for microbial symbiosis, to determine the potential defensive roles of key bacterial taxa present in the ants’ fungus gardens. Fungus gardens serve as an external digestive system for the ants, with mutualistic fungi in the genus Leucoagaricus spp. converting plant …