Targeted treatment of injured nestmates with antimicrobial compounds in an ant society

Erik. T. Frank (), Lucie Kesner, Joanito Liberti, Quentin Helleu, Adria C. LeBoeuf, Andrei Dascalu, Douglas B. Sponsler, Fumika Azuma, Evan P. Economo, Patrice Waridel, Philipp Engel, Thomas Schmitt and Laurent Keller ()
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Erik. T. Frank: University of Lausanne
Lucie Kesner: University of Lausanne
Joanito Liberti: University of Lausanne
Quentin Helleu: University of Lausanne
Adria C. LeBoeuf: University of Fribourg
Andrei Dascalu: University of Lausanne
Douglas B. Sponsler: University of Würzburg
Fumika Azuma: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University
Evan P. Economo: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University
Patrice Waridel: University of Lausanne
Philipp Engel: University of Lausanne
Thomas Schmitt: University of Würzburg
Laurent Keller: University of Lausanne

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Infected wounds pose a major mortality risk in animals. Injuries are common in the ant Megaponera analis, which raids pugnacious prey. Here we show that M. analis can determine when wounds are infected and treat them accordingly. By applying a variety of antimicrobial compounds and proteins secreted from the metapleural gland to infected wounds, workers reduce the mortality of infected individuals by 90%. Chemical analyses showed that wound infection is associated with specific changes in the cuticular hydrocarbon profile, thereby likely allowing nestmates to diagnose the infection state of injured individuals and apply the appropriate antimicrobial treatment. This study demonstrates that M. analis ant societies use antimicrobial compounds produced in the metapleural glands to treat infected wounds and reduce nestmate mortality.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43885-w

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