Fungus-growing termites (subfamily Macrotermitinae, Isoptera) make up a distinct subfamily that has evolved an obligate mutualistic ectosymbiotic relationship with fungi of the genus Termitomyces (Basidiomycotina, Agaricales, Tricholomataceae). The fungi are cultivated in a special medium, the fungus comb, inside their colonies. These fungus gardens are continuously provided with plant substrates from wood, leaf or grass, whereas older parts that have been well decomposed by the fungus are consumed by the termites. They provide nitrogen-rich food through this relationship and the termites provide a suitable microclimate for fungus growth. Termites and their fungi have a great impact on the decomposition of dead plant material and carbon recycling in the tropical ecosystems. Together with other intestinal microorganisms e.g. bacteria and protozoan, they help in digesting complex cellulose and lignin which is otherwise the main problem of metabolism in termites.

Macrotermes jeanneli mound at Marigat, Kenya.

Mushrooms and fungus combs

Termitomyces are known only to occur in association with Macrotermitinae and none has been known to be free of termite activity. This mutualism is believed to have a long co-evolution. However, molecular basis of this evolution together with the mechanisms of maintaining evolutionary stability are not well understood. As part of a larger project, here I focus on molecular phylogenetic analysis of Termitomyces collected from Kenya , across termite genera, species, populations and different colonies of the same species. Sequence analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rDNA will be done. Inference will be drawn on the occurrence of phenotypic differences within and between colonies belonging to the same species and between colonies of different species. Furthermore, we want to test for geographical patterns in the sequence data. This work is done at research group of Prof. Roland Brandl (Animal Ecology, University of Marburg-Germany) and forms part of my PhD studies at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Nairobi-Kenya. The work is funded by DAAD.

Macrotermes michaelseni mound at Kajiado, Kenya.

Me @ field work.

Macrotermes subhyalinus mound at Kajiado , Kenya.

Termites and fungi.

Cooperations & links:

http://www.icipe.org/

http://www.jkuat.ac.ke/

http://www.daad.de/en/index.html