1b:I[76749,["/_next/static/chunks/bf18fea59be6d5b1.js","/_next/static/chunks/1ba21a8e081e29d1.js","/_next/static/chunks/0383663887945ae7.js","/_next/static/chunks/2060b26370dc6c0a.js","/_next/static/chunks/c89b4435b8c37fcf.js","/_next/static/chunks/8ddf2550f38c2f2a.js","/_next/static/chunks/5bf36002c846d2d8.js"],"default"] 1c:I[3486,["/_next/static/chunks/bf18fea59be6d5b1.js","/_next/static/chunks/1ba21a8e081e29d1.js","/_next/static/chunks/0383663887945ae7.js","/_next/static/chunks/2060b26370dc6c0a.js","/_next/static/chunks/c89b4435b8c37fcf.js","/_next/static/chunks/8ddf2550f38c2f2a.js","/_next/static/chunks/5bf36002c846d2d8.js"],"default"] 1d:I[17707,["/_next/static/chunks/bf18fea59be6d5b1.js","/_next/static/chunks/1ba21a8e081e29d1.js","/_next/static/chunks/0383663887945ae7.js","/_next/static/chunks/2060b26370dc6c0a.js","/_next/static/chunks/c89b4435b8c37fcf.js","/_next/static/chunks/8ddf2550f38c2f2a.js","/_next/static/chunks/5bf36002c846d2d8.js"],"default"] 1e:I[66528,["/_next/static/chunks/bf18fea59be6d5b1.js","/_next/static/chunks/1ba21a8e081e29d1.js","/_next/static/chunks/0383663887945ae7.js","/_next/static/chunks/2060b26370dc6c0a.js","/_next/static/chunks/c89b4435b8c37fcf.js","/_next/static/chunks/8ddf2550f38c2f2a.js","/_next/static/chunks/5bf36002c846d2d8.js"],"default"] 1f:I[63176,["/_next/static/chunks/bf18fea59be6d5b1.js","/_next/static/chunks/1ba21a8e081e29d1.js","/_next/static/chunks/0383663887945ae7.js","/_next/static/chunks/2060b26370dc6c0a.js","/_next/static/chunks/c89b4435b8c37fcf.js","/_next/static/chunks/8ddf2550f38c2f2a.js","/_next/static/chunks/5bf36002c846d2d8.js"],"default"] 20:I[87099,["/_next/static/chunks/bf18fea59be6d5b1.js","/_next/static/chunks/1ba21a8e081e29d1.js","/_next/static/chunks/0383663887945ae7.js","/_next/static/chunks/2060b26370dc6c0a.js","/_next/static/chunks/c89b4435b8c37fcf.js","/_next/static/chunks/8ddf2550f38c2f2a.js","/_next/static/chunks/5bf36002c846d2d8.js"],"default"] 21:I[26200,["/_next/static/chunks/bf18fea59be6d5b1.js","/_next/static/chunks/1ba21a8e081e29d1.js","/_next/static/chunks/0383663887945ae7.js","/_next/static/chunks/2060b26370dc6c0a.js","/_next/static/chunks/c89b4435b8c37fcf.js","/_next/static/chunks/8ddf2550f38c2f2a.js","/_next/static/chunks/5bf36002c846d2d8.js"],"Group"] 22:I[23365,["/_next/static/chunks/bf18fea59be6d5b1.js","/_next/static/chunks/1ba21a8e081e29d1.js","/_next/static/chunks/0383663887945ae7.js","/_next/static/chunks/2060b26370dc6c0a.js","/_next/static/chunks/c89b4435b8c37fcf.js","/_next/static/chunks/8ddf2550f38c2f2a.js","/_next/static/chunks/5bf36002c846d2d8.js"],"default"] 23:T42a,Termites host a gut microbiota of diverse and essential symbionts that enable specialization on dead plant material; an abundant, but nutritionally imbalanced food source. To supplement the severe shortage of dietary nitrogen (N), some termite species make use of diazotrophic bacteria to fix atmospheric nitrogen (N₂). Fungus-growing termites (subfamily Macrotermitinae) host a fungal exosymbiont (genus Termitomyces) that provides digestive services and the main food source for the termites. This has been thought to obviate the need for N₂-fixation by bacterial symbionts. Here, we challenge this notion by performing acetylene reduction assays of live colony material to show that N₂ fixation is present in two major genera (Macrotermes and Odontotermes) of fungus-growing termites. We compare and discuss fixation rates in relation to those obtained from other termites, and suggest avenues of research that may lead to a better understanding of N₂ fixation in fungus-growing and other termites.

Jane de Verges

Publications