A New Imidazole Alkaloid and Other Constituents from Pilocarpus grandiflorus and their Antifungal Activity

The stems of Pilocarpus grandiflorus have afforded the new imidazole alkaloid 4,6-dehydro- 1,2,4,5-tetrahydro-2,5-dioxopilocarpine in addition to the 17 known compounds germanicol, β - amiryn, ocotillone, stigmast-4-en-3-one, 3β -hydroxy-stigmast-5-en-7-one, 6β -hydroxy-stigmast-4- en-3-one, β -sitosterol, scopoletin, 3-(1’,1’-dimethylallyl)-scopoletin, elisin, dictamine, 4-methoxy-2- quinolone, platydesmine, syringaresinol, syringaldehyde, syringic acid and vanillic acid. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence. The phenolic compounds vanillic acid and syringaldehyde and the furoquinoline alkaloid platydesmine exhibited antifungal activity against Leucoagaricus gongylophorus, the symbiotic fungus of leaf-cutting ants (Atta sexdens rubropilosa).

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Toxicity of sesame extracts to the symbiotic fungus of leaf-cutting ants

Bulletin of Entomological Research ◽

10.1017/s0007485300050550 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 80 (3) ◽

pp. 349-352 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Fernando Carlos Pagnocca ◽

Osvaldo Aulino da Silva ◽

Maria Jose Hebling-Beraldo ◽

Odair Correa Bueno ◽

João Batista Fernandes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sesamum Indicum ◽

Atta Sexdens ◽

Symbiotic Fungus ◽

Atta Sexdens Rubropilosa ◽

Leaf Cutting ◽

Leucocoprinus Gongylophorus

AbstractExtracts of different sesame plant (Sesamum indicum) Linnaeus organs inhibited the in vitro growth of the fungus Leucocoprinus gongylophorus (Möller) (=Rozites gongylophora Möller), which is cultivated by the leaf-cutting ants of the species Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The presence of the factor responsible for this inhibition was detected in methanol or chloroform extracts and is constant in the plant.

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DETERMINAÇÃO DO CONSUMO DE FOLHAS DE Eucalyptus grandis POR FORMIGUEIROS DE Atta sexdens rubropilosa

FLORESTA ◽

10.5380/rf.v43i4.26488 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 43 (4) ◽

pp. 593

Author(s):

Daniele Ukan ◽

Nilton José Sousa ◽

Claudiane Belinovski

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Conversion Rate ◽

Plant Material ◽

Conversion Factor ◽

Eucalyptus Grandis ◽

Atta Sexdens ◽

Symbiotic Fungus ◽

Atta Sexdens Rubropilosa ◽

Leaf Cutting

Pelo fato de cortarem material vegetal e o transportarem para o interior de suas colônias, as saúvas tornam-se importantes agentes de acumulação de matéria orgânica no solo, por meio de suas câmaras de descarte (lixo). Esse material acumulado é oriundo do processamento do fungo simbionte e se torna uma fonte de nutrientes. Diante desse contexto, o objetivo do trabalho foi determinar a conversão de folhas de Eucalyptus grandis em resíduos, por colônias de Atta sexdens rubropilosa monitoradas em laboratório. Foram selecionadas 8 colônias de Atta sexdens rubropilosa, sendo 4 coletadas em 2007 (denominados adultos) e 4 coletadas em 2010 (denominadas jovens). Durante 72 dias, elas foram supridas com folhas de mudas de Eucalyptus grandis. A média do fator de conversão entre os formigueiros adultos e jovens monitorados em laboratório foi de 1,49. Observou-se que 63,65% do material fornecido aos formigueiros converteram-se em resíduos.Palavras-chave: Resíduos; formigas-cortadeiras; taxa de conversão. AbstractDetermination of consumption of Eucalyptus grandis by nests of Atta sexdens rubropilosa. Because ants cut and carry plant material inside their colonies, they become important agents for the accumulation of organic matter in the soil through their disposal chambers. This accumulated material comes from symbiotic fungus processing and can become a source of nutrients. In the context, the objective of this study was to determine the conversion of leaves of Eucalyptus grandis into waste by colonies of Atta sexdens rubropilosa monitored in laboratory. We selected eight colonies of Atta sexdens rubropilosa, 4 collected in 2007 (called adults), and 4 in 2010 (referred to as young). During 72 days, they were supplied with leaves of Eucalyptus grandis. The average conversion factor between the young and adult colonies monitored in the laboratory was 1.49. We observed that 63.65% of the material supplied to the colonies converted to waste.Keywords: Waste; leaf-cutting ants; conversion rate.

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Metabolism of Plant Polysaccharides byLeucoagaricus gongylophorus, the Symbiotic Fungus of the Leaf-Cutting Ant Atta sexdens L

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.64.12.4820-4822.1998 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 64 (12) ◽

pp. 4820-4822 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Célia Gomes De Siqueira ◽

Maurício Bacci ◽

Fernando Carlos Pagnocca ◽

Odair Correa Bueno ◽

Maria JoséAparecida Hebling

Keyword(s):

Fungal Growth ◽

Atta Sexdens ◽

Plant Polysaccharides ◽

Symbiotic Fungus ◽

Metabolic Integration ◽

Leaf Cutting ◽

Leucoagaricus Gongylophorus ◽

Cut Leaves ◽

Ant Fungus

ABSTRACT Atta sexdens L. ants feed on the fungus they cultivate on cut leaves inside their nests. The fungus, Leucoagaricus gongylophorus, metabolizes plant polysaccharides, such as xylan, starch, pectin, and cellulose, mediating assimilation of these compounds by the ants. This metabolic integration may be an important part of the ant-fungus symbiosis, and it involves primarily xylan and starch, both of which support rapid fungal growth. Cellulose seems to be less important for symbiont nutrition, since it is poorly degraded and assimilated by the fungus. Pectin is rapidly degraded but slowly assimilated by L. gongylophorus, and its degradation may occur so that the fungus can more easily access other polysaccharides in the leaves.

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Toxicity of Substances Isolated from Helietta puberula RE Fr. (Rutaceae) to the Leaf-cutting Ant Atta sexdens L. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the Symbiotic Fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus (Singer) Möller

BioAssay ◽

10.14295/ba.v2.0.53 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 2 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Roberta Almeida ◽

Maria Peñaflor ◽

Simone Simote ◽

Odair Bueno ◽

Maria Hebling ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atta Sexdens ◽

Symbiotic Fungus ◽

Leaf Cutting ◽

Leucoagaricus Gongylophorus

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INSECTICIDAL AND FUNGICIDAL ACTIVITY OF A MAGNESIUM COMPOUND CONTAINING ISOVANILLIC ACID AGAINST LEAF-CUTTING ANT AND ITS SYMBIOTIC FUNGUS

Química Nova ◽

10.21577/0100-4042.20170693 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Eldevan Silva ◽

Rafael Marchi ◽

Carla Matos ◽

Maria Silva ◽

João Fernandes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cost Effective ◽

Male Rats ◽

World Population ◽

Atta Sexdens ◽

Sunlight Irradiation ◽

Symbiotic Fungus ◽

Action Mode ◽

Leaf Cutting ◽

Magnesium Compound ◽

Leucoagaricus Gongylophorus

Pesticides offer a simple, cost-effective solution to ensure food supplies for a growing world population. However, their environmental performance needs improvement if pesticides are to continue contributing importantly. This study explores the insecticidal potential of a magnesium (II) metal complex containing 1,10-phenanthroline and isovanillic acid (MgPhenIso) against leaf-cutting ant (Atta sexdens rubropilosa) and its symbiotic fungus (Leucoagaricus gongylophorus). The MgPhenIso complex is easy-to-prepare, stable in solid state and in aqueous solution, and resistant to sunlight irradiation. The insecticidal activity of MgPhenIso-containing bait against A. sexdens rubropilosa and L. gongylophorus showed a delayed action mode at 2 mg g-1 (100% kill, 6th day, S50=2b) and suppressed fungus development and growth. These results, together with earlier investigations on MgPhenIso regarding its absence of toxicity to Zebrafish and Wistar male rats, emphasize the potential of this complex as an environmentally friendly insecticide candidate.

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Synthetic amides toxic to the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens rubropilosa L. and its symbiotic fungus

Agricultural and Forest Entomology ◽

10.1111/j.1461-9555.2006.00278.x ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 17-23 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

F. C. Pagnocca ◽

S. R. Victor ◽

F. C. Bueno ◽

F. R. Crisostomo ◽

T. C. Castral ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atta Sexdens ◽

Symbiotic Fungus ◽

Atta Sexdens Rubropilosa ◽

Leaf Cutting

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Activity of sesame leaf extracts against the symbiotic fungus of Atta sexdens L.

Anais da Sociedade Entomológica do Brasil ◽

10.1590/s0301-80591998000300010 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 421-426 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Stelamaris B. Ribeiro ◽

Fernando C. Pagnocca ◽

Sandra R. Victor ◽

Odair C. Bueno ◽

Maria J. Hebling ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Leaf Tissue ◽

Inhibitory Effect ◽

Sesamum Indicum ◽

Atta Sexdens ◽

Leaf Extracts ◽

Symbiotic Fungus ◽

Single Substance ◽

Total Inhibition ◽

Leaf Cutting ◽

Leucoagaricus Gongylophorus

The symbiotic fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus (Möller) Singer (syn. Rozites gongylophora Möller) cultivated by the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens L. had its development strongly inhibited by crude extracts obtained from leaves of sesame, Sesamum indicum L. (Pedaliaceae). With most of the fractions from these extracts total inhibition was observed at 2.5 mg/ml, whereas inhibition of 50% was observed with some fractions at 1.25 mg/ml. Chromatographic analysis of the hexane extract showed that it was composed by a mixture of fatty acids, of which tetradecanoic, hexadecanoic, octadecanoic, icosanoic, docosanoic and 9,12,15 octadecatrienoic acids were the major components. The separation of these compounds during the different steps of purification resulted in no or lower inhibitory effect for most of these fractions, indicating that the inhibitory activity observed could be due to the joint action of these compounds present in the leaf tissue, rather than to the action of a single substance.

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Nest Digging by Leaf-Cutting Ants: Effect of Group Size and Functional Structures

Psyche A Journal of Entomology ◽

10.1155/2012/426719 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2012 ◽

pp. 1-4 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Roberto da Silva Camargo ◽

Ricardo Toshio Fujihara ◽

Luiz Carlos Forti

Keyword(s):

Group Size ◽

Functional Structure ◽

Group Effect ◽

Atta Sexdens ◽

Symbiotic Fungus ◽

Atta Sexdens Rubropilosa ◽

Nest Digging ◽

Leaf Cutting

Leaf-cutting ant workers dig underground chambers, for housing their symbiotic fungus, interconnected by a vast quantity of tunnels whose function is to permit the entrance of food (leaves), gaseous exchanges, and movement of workers, offspring, and the queen. Digging is a task executed by a group of workers, but little is known about the group effect and group-constructed functional structures. Thus, we analyzed the structures formed by worker groups (5, 10, 20, and 40 individuals) of the leaf-cutting ant,Atta sexdens rubropilosa, for 2 days of excavation. The digging arena was the same for the 4 groups, with each group corresponding to a different density. Our results verified a pattern of tunneling by the workers, but no chamber was constructed. The group effect is well known, since the 40-worker group dug significantly more than the groups of 5, 10, and 20. These groups did not differ statistically from each other. Analysis of load/worker verified that workers of the smallest group carried the greatest load. Our paper demonstrates the group effect on the digging of nests, namely, that excavation is proportional to group size, but without emergence of a functional structure such as a chamber.

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