Could leafcutter ants hold secret to sustainable biofuel?

Scientists are studying the intricate biological ecosystem that is built around colonies of leafcutter ants to find clues about how we may be able to produce sustainable biofuel from plant materials by mimicking nature.

The researchers, from the University of Wisconsin, the Joint Genome Institute and Emory University, are studying the genomes of 17 different ants, fungi and bacteria that collectively break down 400kg of dry leaves each year. The research marks the first time that a team has attempted to map a community genome, which facilitates a symbiotic relationship between the three different species.

The leafcutter ants bring leaves back from the forest to underground nests, where the fungi secrete enzymes onto the plant matter in order to break down part of the leaves into sugar for the ants. When that is complete, the ants take the remains of the leaves to the surface, where bacteria consume them, effectively getting rid of the ants' waste.

It is hoped that the research, which is likely to map 1.5 billion base pairs across the 17 different organisms that make up the ecosystem, could lead to breakthroughs in biofuel production.

Studying which molecules within the leaves are broken down, and how the genome's work together, could lead to efficiencies or innovations in biofuel production in industry, such as the identification of enzymes that accelerate the release of usable energy from plant material.

The report, entitled Insect Symbiosis - a Case Study of Past, Present, and Future of Fungus-Growing Ant Research, will also discuss future directions in insect-microbe research, with particular focus on applying advances in DNA sequencing technologies, say the academics.