Gaye Mapenda, Zinai Amira Zhor Rim, Armstrong Nicholas, Herbette Gaetan, Monnier Valérie, Bassene Hubert, Diatta Georges, Sambou Masse, Sokhna Cheikh, Raoult Didier, Fenollar Florence, Mediannikov Oleg
IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.
Aix-Marseille Univ, AP-HM, MEPHI, Marseille, France.
AMB Express. 2025 Aug 13;15(1):117. doi: 10.1186/s13568-025-01917-2.
Fungus-farming termites (Macrotermitinae), predominantly found in Africa, are eusocial insects with significant ecological roles. Historically, they have been valued in traditional medicine, human diets, and livestock feed. These termites share a long-standing symbiotic relationship with Termitomyces fungi, which has evolved over millions of years and is critical to their survival and ecological impact. This mutualism promotes a unique monoculture of Termitomyces in the fungus comb while suppressing fungal and bacterial antagonists, likely due to the comb's structural or chemical properties, sparking interest among researchers. In this study, we conducted an extensive examination of 11 fungus combs associated with five termite species collected in Senegal. Our analysis revealed significant antibacterial properties in the crude extracts of the combs, notably against multidrug-resistant strains. Chemical analyses led to the identification of dicrotalic acid (Meglutol) in the active fractions of two combs from agricultural areas. This compound, likely of plant origin, suggests a link between termite feeding habits and the antimicrobial potential of the combs. Although the exact bioactive compounds responsible for the antimicrobial activity have not yet been fully identified, the presence of various metabolites may explain the maintenance of Termitomyces monocultures and the suppression of pathogens. This also illustrates the complex ecological relationship between Termitomyces and termites, which may work together to produce natural bioactive compounds that suppress pathogens.
培菌白蚁（大白蚁亚科）主要分布在非洲，是具有重要生态作用的群居昆虫。从历史上看，它们在传统医学、人类饮食和牲畜饲料中都受到重视。这些白蚁与蚁巢伞属真菌有着长期的共生关系，这种关系已经进化了数百万年，对它们的生存和生态影响至关重要。这种共生关系促进了蚁巢伞在菌圃中形成独特的单一栽培模式，同时抑制了真菌和细菌的拮抗物，这可能是由于菌圃的结构或化学性质所致，引发了研究人员的兴趣。在本研究中，我们对在塞内加尔采集的与五种白蚁物种相关的11个菌圃进行了广泛检测。我们的分析表明，菌圃的粗提物具有显著的抗菌特性，尤其是对多重耐药菌株。化学分析在来自农业地区的两个菌圃的活性部分中鉴定出了二巴豆油酸（美格鲁托）。这种化合物可能源自植物，表明白蚁的取食习性与菌圃的抗菌潜力之间存在联系。虽然尚未完全确定负责抗菌活性的确切生物活性化合物，但各种代谢物的存在可能解释了蚁巢伞单一栽培模式的维持和病原体的抑制。这也说明了蚁巢伞与白蚁之间复杂的生态关系，它们可能共同作用产生抑制病原体的天然生物活性化合物。
