Antimicrobial alarm pheromones
- Pronunciation
- /an-tee-my-KROH-bee-uhl uh-LARM FER-uh-mohnz/
- Category
- Chemical Ecology
Definition
that possess intrinsic antimicrobial activity, providing simultaneous chemical communication and defense in social insects. These compounds are released during attack or disturbance and function to alert nestmates while also inhibiting bacterial or fungal growth in the vicinity of the signal source. The dual role reflects evolutionary integration of social with defensive signaling.
Etymology
From Greek anti- (against), mikros (small), bios (life), and (a chemical signal eliciting defensive or escape )
Example
In the Lasius neglectus, the component iridomyrmecin exhibits potent antibacterial properties against Gram-positive bacteria, reducing transmission during aggressive encounters that damage the and expose .
Synonyms
- antimicrobial alarm signals
- defensive antimicrobial pheromones
Related Terms
- alarm pheromone
- social immunity
- cuticular hydrocarbons
- nestmate recognition
- pathogen transmission
- chemical defense
- iridoids
- formic acid
- mandibular gland secretions
Usage Notes
Distinguished from purely communicative by demonstrated bioactivity against microbes; the antimicrobial function may be primary (ancestrally defensive) or secondary (exapted from signaling compounds). Most documented in () and (), with iridoids and formic acid being well-studied examples. Not all alarm pheromones are antimicrobial, and not all antimicrobial glandular secretions function as alarm signals—context of release and receiver response determines classification.