Avoiding
antibiotic resistance for 50 million years -- a
pathogenic fungus, Escovopsis (upper right) attacks the fungal garden
of leafcutter ants. Remarkably some leafcutters carry on their bodies a living
bacterial colony (white patches on ant held in forceps, right) which produces
an antibiotic that controls the growth of the pathogen (research of Cameron
Currie, University of Kansas). An evolutionary "arms race" keeps
the antibiotic effective.
