What would a fungus do not to starve? A lot, if you like it Arthrobotrys oligospora asks. When the need is great, the organism transforms into a merciless predator.
A. oligospora is in most cases a saprophage, meaning the fungus feeds on decaying organic matter such as dead leaves. But in one study published in November 2023, researchers describe how the fungus transforms into a carnivore when there is a lack of nutrients that preys on unsuspecting roundworms. And because the fungus can’t chase its prey the way predators do, the species has developed cunning tactics for hunting.
Fungi lure prey into a trap
Roundworms produce small molecules called ascarosides that determine their behavior and development. It seems that fungi like A. oligospora ‘eavesdropping’ on the signals of these molecules. Setting the trap is probably an energy-consuming process, so the fungus only starts this when prey is nearby.
If A. oligospora When it senses the presence of a roundworm, the fungus lures its prey with pheromones to the mycelium, an underground network of microscopic fungal threads. According to researcher Ping Hsueh of Taiwan’s Institute of Molecular Biology, the fungus has likely developed a way to fool the olfactory nerve of its prey. The worms are enticed with signals that usually indicate the presence of food or a fertile mate. Instead, they end up in the sticky trap of A. oligospora.
‘First we’ll see A. oligospora in attack mode, an increase in proteins and DNA,” Hsueh explains. ‘Then the proteins are secreted, leading to a sticky trap. In the final stage, enzymes in the fungus ensure that the captured roundworm can be digested.’
Can the roundworm fight back?
Yet the worms are not completely powerless. For example, the research shows that prey increase their chances of survival by changing their behavior. Think of camouflage, evasion, imitation and stiffening. Predators in turn adapt by refining hunting strategies.
According to Hsueh, the fungi and roundworms are thus involved in an evolutionary arms race. She hopes to better understand these dynamics through further research.
2023-12-18 08:49:49
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