Kp13 showed two copies of blaSHV genes: blaSHV-12 (found in the plasmid pKP13f) encoding an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL); and a chromosomally-encoded blaSHV-110 gene coding for an enzyme whose spectrum of activity has not been characterized yet (Table 3).
The enzymes substrate spectrum, optimum temperature, pH and other conditions are expected to be varied as well.
However, field measurements have high reproducibility and are suitable for larger-scale comparisons of enzyme activity spectra with natural, rather than laboratory, substrates [ 37].
Haplotype A cultivated by S. amabilis generally had lower enzyme activity spectra compared to the haplotypes of the Trachymyrmex species except for endo-β-1,4-Mannanase.
Fungal enzyme activity spectra were significantly affected by both cultivar species and farming ant species, and more so for certain ant-cultivar combinations than others.
To demonstrate which of these redox intermediates are involved in the turnover and inactivation of the enzyme, absorption spectra were recorded at different molar ratios of hydrogen peroxide to MPO.
At ratios of 7 1 and 11 1 (inhibitor:enzyme), the spectra for MSAD samples incubated with (R)- or (S)- 6 for a 10 day period show only signals at 14107 ± 2 Da (data not shown).
However, the interaction terms suggested that fungal haplotype is the most fundamental factor because: 1. Enzyme activity spectra were additionally affected by the combination of ant species and fungal species, and 2. Activity of certain enzymes varied more than activity of others depending on fungal species, but not ant species.
It thus seems reasonable to assume that all colonies that we collected represented well-functioning entities of ant forage-provisioning and induced garden enzyme-activity, consistent with ANOVAs showing that both ant-species and fungal species had significant overall effects on garden enzyme activity spectra.
Ant cultivar symbiont-specificity varied from almost full symbiont sharing to one-to-one specialization, suggesting that trade-offs between enzyme activity spectra and life-history traits such as desiccation tolerance, disease susceptibility and temperature sensitivity may apply in some combinations but not in others.
