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Termites shape their collective behavioural response based on stage of infection
- Social insects employ a range of behaviours to protect their colonies against disease, but little is known about how such collective behaviours are orchestrated. This is especially true for the social Blattodea (termites). We developed an experimental approach that allowed us to explore how the social response to disease is co-ordinated by multistep host-pathogen interactions. We infected the eastern subterranean termite Reticulitermes flavipes with the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, and then, at different stages of infection, reintroduced them to healthy nestmates and recorded behavioural responses. As expected, termites groomed pathogen-exposed individuals significantly more than controls; however, grooming was significantly elevated after fungal germination than before, demonstrating the importance of fungal status to hygienic behaviour. Significantly, we found that cannibalism became prevalent only after exposed termites became visibly ill, highlighting theSocial insects employ a range of behaviours to protect their colonies against disease, but little is known about how such collective behaviours are orchestrated. This is especially true for the social Blattodea (termites). We developed an experimental approach that allowed us to explore how the social response to disease is co-ordinated by multistep host-pathogen interactions. We infected the eastern subterranean termite Reticulitermes flavipes with the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, and then, at different stages of infection, reintroduced them to healthy nestmates and recorded behavioural responses. As expected, termites groomed pathogen-exposed individuals significantly more than controls; however, grooming was significantly elevated after fungal germination than before, demonstrating the importance of fungal status to hygienic behaviour. Significantly, we found that cannibalism became prevalent only after exposed termites became visibly ill, highlighting the importance of host condition as a cue for social hygienic behaviour. Our study reveals the presence of a coordinated social response to disease that depends on stage of infection. Specifically, we show how the host may play a key role in triggering its own sacrifice. Sacrificial self-flagging has been observed in other social insects: our results demonstrate that termites have independently evolved to both recognize and destructively respond to sickness.…
Autor*innen: | Hannah Davis, Stefania Meconcelli, R. Radek, Dino Peter McMahon |
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Dokumenttyp: | Zeitschriftenartikel |
Veröffentlichungsform: | Verlagsliteratur |
Sprache: | Englisch |
Titel des übergeordneten Werkes (Englisch): | Scientific reports |
Jahr der Erstveröffentlichung: | 2018 |
Organisationseinheit der BAM: | 4 Material und Umwelt |
4 Material und Umwelt / 4.0 Abteilungsleitung und andere | |
Veröffentlichende Institution: | Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) |
Verlag: | Nature |
Verlagsort: | London |
Jahrgang/Band: | 8 |
Erste Seite: | 14433, 1 |
Letzte Seite: | 10 |
DDC-Klassifikation: | Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / Ingenieurwissenschaften / Sanitär- und Kommunaltechnik; Umwelttechnik |
Freie Schlagwörter: | Cannibalism; Entomopathogen; Immunity Social |
Themenfelder/Aktivitätsfelder der BAM: | Umwelt |
DOI: | 10.1038/s41598-018-32721-7 |
URN: | urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-463239 |
ISSN: | 2045-2322 |
Verfügbarkeit des Dokuments: | Datei für die Öffentlichkeit verfügbar ("Open Access") |
Lizenz (Deutsch): | Creative Commons - CC BY - Namensnennung 4.0 International |
Datum der Freischaltung: | 19.10.2018 |
Referierte Publikation: | Ja |
Datum der Eintragung als referierte Publikation: | 19.10.2018 |
Schriftenreihen ohne Nummerierung: | Wissenschaftliche Artikel der BAM |