11:15 AM - 11:30 AM
[G-10] Anti-pathogenic defense via antibiotic-producing Streptomyces inhabiting nest materials in the dampwood termite Hodotermopsis sjostedti
Social insect colonies are comprised of numerous closely related individuals, making them vulnerable to shared pathogen infections. To counteract pathogenic threats, termites possess a defense system that involves burying their dead. However, the specific agents responsible for inhibiting the growth of pathogens from buried individuals are not yet understood. In this study, we demonstrate that the nest materials of the dampwood termite Hodotermopsis sjostedti, composed of their feces, is inhabited by Streptomyces actinomycetes which produce antibiotics, thereby preventing the spread of infections from buried corpses. We found that they bury infected corpses and cannibalize non-infected corpses. It was confirmed that burying in the nest material suppresses the growth of mycelia from dead bodies. Genetic analysis of the gut and nest material detected Streptomyces. Then we isolated the Streptomyces from the nest materials and demonstrated its strong ability to inhibit the growth of various pathogenic microorganisms by confrontation culture assays. These results suggests that termites maintain a hygienic environment not only through antimicrobial substances they produce themselves but also through a symbiosis with antibiotic-producing bacteria.