Escape the Zombie Fungus Alive: Ophiocordyceps unilateralis
By Korin Erickson
start
Use Your Skills to Survive
You are Camponotus leonardi, a carpenter ant, who lives in the jungle. You must avoid a terrible foe, if you wish to keep your body that is
The rules of the game are simple. You must use all you can find, and all that you know to answer questions about Ophiocordyceps unilateralis. If you get the questions right, you survive and continue your escape from the ZOMBIE FUNGUS. If you get an answer wrong, then unfortunately, you become one of the many victims of O. unilateralis
Trials of The Forrest
Complete each test to beat the game: there is no other way to escape!
Trial 1: Introduction
Trial 3: Fungal Reproduction
Trial 2: Host Specificity
Final Trial: will you survive?
Trial 4: Host physical manipulation and behavioral changes
Test 1
1/3
Icebreaker question: What Kind of Microorganism is O. unilateralis?
Try hovering for additional information!
A Fungus
A Bacteria
Test 1
Need a hint?
2/3
You're doing great. Next question:O. unilateralis has the nickname "The Zombie Fungus". How might it go about getting nutrients?
Through Photosynthesis and rain
its a parasiteit makes food from chemical elements (chemosynthesis)
it makes food from chemical elements (chemosynthesis)
Test 1
3/3
You're almost there.Where can O. unilateralis be found?
Hot and dry climates like a dessert
Cold northern climates such as Minnesota and Canada
Found in tropical environments like rain forrests
Moderate temperature and rain
Trials of The Forrest
Complete each test to beat the game: there is no other way to escape!
Trial 2: Host Specificity
Trial 1: Introduction
Trial 3: Fungal Reproduction
Trial 4: Host physical manipulation and behavioral changes
Final Trial: Will you Survive?
1/3
Test 2
Watch this video:If O. unilateralis is considered to have a high level of host specificity, you would expect...
Watch from 4:18 to 5:02
O. unilateralis is highly adapted to a specific species
O. unilateralis is evolved to be highly adaptable to multiple species of organisms
O. unilateralis is able to infect a couple of different organims, but not many
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQV2dlB3d3Y)
2/3
Test 2
Now play this video:Based of the last video/qusetion and this video, what is the correct scienario
O. unilateralis species adapted to a specific beetle would NOT infect another organism
O. unilateralis is capable of quickly adapting the organism it can infect, so a species that infects a beetle would be able to infect an ant.
O. unilateralis is able to be adapted to multiple organism at once, including humans
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBQNpyAdmfc)
3/3
Test 2
Challenge Question:Conclusions from scientific literature
While genetic differences where detected, it is within normal range, so all 3 ant species are effected by the same strain of O. unilateralis
A study was done where different species of Camponotus and Polyrhachis ants were found infected with O. unilateralis in Mo Singto, Khao Yai National Park of Thailand. This study aimed to reconstruct the molecular phylogenies of O. unilateralis affecting the infected species of ants to see if there is host specificity and, if so, how this specificity leads to speciation (1). If The results of the study found that three main types of ants, Polyrhachis furcata, Camponotus leonardi, and Camponotus saundersi were identified as the main hosts of O. unilateralis and genetic analysis shows distinct differences in O. unilateral affecting the ants, what can be concluded?
The genetic results suggest that O. unilateralis has some host specificty, and the species should be divided based on if it affects Camponotus or Polyrhachis ants
The data shows a very high level of host specificity, and the species of O. unilateralis should be named to reflect the individual ants they infect (Ex. Ophiocordyceps camponoti-saundersi )
Trials of The Forrest
Complete each test to beat the game: there is no other way to escape!
Trial 3: Fungal Reproduction
Trial 1: Introduction
Trial 2: Host Specificity
Final Trial: Will You Survive?
Trial 4: Host physical manipulation and behavioral changes
Test 3
1/3
Take a good look at this image of fungal reproduction:Fungi reproduce only through asexual means, such as budding or fragmentation
True
False
Test 3
2/3
What is the location of reproduction for O. unilateralis?
The Ant
A tall place (tree)
Both
You only need to watch to 1:50, but the rest of the video is interesting. Note the stroma/ stalk used for transmition of spores. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKjBIBBAL8)
Test 3
Using the host's body as a carbon source for growth, O. unilateralis releases spores from a high point like a tree to spread spores long distances (3). Using this, what kind of organisms are most likely to be infected?
3/3
Ants in the nest
Foraging ants near the base
A moth on the tree
Trials of The Forrest
Complete each test to beat the game: there is no other way to escape!
Trial 1: Introduction
Trial 2: Host Specificity
Trial 3: Fungal Reproduction
Trial 4: Host physical manipulation and behavioral changes
Final Trail: Will You Survive?
Time to learn: Listen to the Wise Ant
1/2
Test 4
Putting it together : create a sequential order of O. unilateralis's lifecycle
A. Ants (generally foraging) become infected with spores
B. The host is under control and climbs up a tall object (tree)
C. Fungal growth continues on and in hosts body, and a stroma grows as spores mature, eventually bursting open
D. O. unilateralis growth and develops within the host
E. Nearing the end of the host's life, the ant bites down hard and locks itself to the surface
continue
Solución
Solution
2/2
Read Here
Test 4
Read about the effects O. unilateralis has on the hosts body then answer the question
Not Expected in a Infected Ant
Expected in an Infected Ant
1. Strong muscle fibers
2. Unhealthy brain
3. Swollen muscle fibers
4. Natural movement
5. Large mass of fungal tissue
6. In-tact muscle neurons
continuE
Solución
SOLUTION
Trials of The Forrest
Complete each test to beat the game: there is no other way to escape!
Trial 1: Introduction
Trial 2 :Host Specificity
Trial 3: Fungal Reproduction
Final Trial: Will You Survive?
Trial 4: Host physical manipulation and behavioral changes
Trials of The Forrest
Complete each test to beat the game: there is no other way to escape!
Trial 1: Introduction
Trial 2 :Host Specificity
Trial 3: Fungal Reproduction
Final Trial: Will You Survive?
Trial 4: Host physical manipulation and behavioral changes
This is the Final Test
O. unilateralis has found you and it has decided it wants to zombify you. In order to avoid it, you must use all that you have learned to escape it clutches
You will be asked a series of questions. Answer them all correctly to escape from O. unilateralis finally. If not, you join the numerous other ants who have fallen to it.
ESCAPE!!!
As you are escaping, you notice an ant above in the trees with a large, seemingly about-to-burst spore bulb. What do you do?
Keep running under
run around and avoid the tree
Escape is in sight, but you are caught between an ant and a moth who are both infected with a species of O. unilateralis. What path do you take?
Freedom!
Ant
Moth
You have Escape O. unilateralis and made it back to the nest. In the distance you notice a suspicious ant who cant seem to walk well...
Kinda looks like Gary, must have just hurt himself
I'm not taking any chances, stay awau and alert the guards
You Survived
Congratulations, You Have Successfully Avoided infection from Ophiocordyceps unilateralis
Start over?
Oh oh!
YOU DIED!!!
Try again, and hopefully you wont be zombified
back
Camponotus leonardi
Camponotous leonardi are also know as carpenter ants.C. leonardi live in many parts of the world, in tropical forest areas. They make their nests in the high canopy and forage bellow
*Yawn* Listen up kiddos... you need to be able to avoid suspicous looking ants if you want to avoid infection and protect the Colony. If you see any ant who is moving abnormally, as if they are hurt, be wary, especially so if they start to climb up a tree. O. unilateralis can damage muscle fibers and impact movement significantly while still allowing its hosts to move and climb (5). If you see an ant biting down on a leaf with what we call a "death grip", run away and alert the colony. This means that the ant is infected and nearing the time when O. unilateralis spores will develop
Next
1 - D
1- A
3 - E
4 - B
5 - C
1 - A
1- D
3 - B
4 - E
5 - C
Group A lorem ipsum
1 2 4
Group B lorem ipsum
3 5 6
Effects on host body
1. Ants infected with O. unilateralis have fungal cells growing throught the hosts muscle fibers. Using the host as an energy source, the fungus grows to infect 40% of the ants biomass.2. Even though O. unilateralis degrades the host's muscle fibers, it preserves the hosts brain tissue, motor neurons, and neuromuscular junctions so that the host still has the ability to move.
Want to learn more about this topic? Read this article for more information: https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.200683 (5)
MB 352: Th!nk Project-Korin Erickson
korin erickson
Created on February 18, 2024
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Transcript
Escape the Zombie Fungus Alive: Ophiocordyceps unilateralis
By Korin Erickson
start
Use Your Skills to Survive
You are Camponotus leonardi, a carpenter ant, who lives in the jungle. You must avoid a terrible foe, if you wish to keep your body that is
The rules of the game are simple. You must use all you can find, and all that you know to answer questions about Ophiocordyceps unilateralis. If you get the questions right, you survive and continue your escape from the ZOMBIE FUNGUS. If you get an answer wrong, then unfortunately, you become one of the many victims of O. unilateralis
Trials of The Forrest
Complete each test to beat the game: there is no other way to escape!
Trial 1: Introduction
Trial 3: Fungal Reproduction
Trial 2: Host Specificity
Final Trial: will you survive?
Trial 4: Host physical manipulation and behavioral changes
Test 1
1/3
Icebreaker question: What Kind of Microorganism is O. unilateralis?
Try hovering for additional information!
A Fungus
A Bacteria
Test 1
Need a hint?
2/3
You're doing great. Next question:O. unilateralis has the nickname "The Zombie Fungus". How might it go about getting nutrients?
Through Photosynthesis and rain
its a parasiteit makes food from chemical elements (chemosynthesis)
it makes food from chemical elements (chemosynthesis)
Test 1
3/3
You're almost there.Where can O. unilateralis be found?
Hot and dry climates like a dessert
Cold northern climates such as Minnesota and Canada
Found in tropical environments like rain forrests
Moderate temperature and rain
Trials of The Forrest
Complete each test to beat the game: there is no other way to escape!
Trial 2: Host Specificity
Trial 1: Introduction
Trial 3: Fungal Reproduction
Trial 4: Host physical manipulation and behavioral changes
Final Trial: Will you Survive?
1/3
Test 2
Watch this video:If O. unilateralis is considered to have a high level of host specificity, you would expect...
Watch from 4:18 to 5:02
O. unilateralis is highly adapted to a specific species
O. unilateralis is evolved to be highly adaptable to multiple species of organisms
O. unilateralis is able to infect a couple of different organims, but not many
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQV2dlB3d3Y)
2/3
Test 2
Now play this video:Based of the last video/qusetion and this video, what is the correct scienario
O. unilateralis species adapted to a specific beetle would NOT infect another organism
O. unilateralis is capable of quickly adapting the organism it can infect, so a species that infects a beetle would be able to infect an ant.
O. unilateralis is able to be adapted to multiple organism at once, including humans
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBQNpyAdmfc)
3/3
Test 2
Challenge Question:Conclusions from scientific literature
While genetic differences where detected, it is within normal range, so all 3 ant species are effected by the same strain of O. unilateralis
A study was done where different species of Camponotus and Polyrhachis ants were found infected with O. unilateralis in Mo Singto, Khao Yai National Park of Thailand. This study aimed to reconstruct the molecular phylogenies of O. unilateralis affecting the infected species of ants to see if there is host specificity and, if so, how this specificity leads to speciation (1). If The results of the study found that three main types of ants, Polyrhachis furcata, Camponotus leonardi, and Camponotus saundersi were identified as the main hosts of O. unilateralis and genetic analysis shows distinct differences in O. unilateral affecting the ants, what can be concluded?
The genetic results suggest that O. unilateralis has some host specificty, and the species should be divided based on if it affects Camponotus or Polyrhachis ants
The data shows a very high level of host specificity, and the species of O. unilateralis should be named to reflect the individual ants they infect (Ex. Ophiocordyceps camponoti-saundersi )
Trials of The Forrest
Complete each test to beat the game: there is no other way to escape!
Trial 3: Fungal Reproduction
Trial 1: Introduction
Trial 2: Host Specificity
Final Trial: Will You Survive?
Trial 4: Host physical manipulation and behavioral changes
Test 3
1/3
Take a good look at this image of fungal reproduction:Fungi reproduce only through asexual means, such as budding or fragmentation
True
False
Test 3
2/3
What is the location of reproduction for O. unilateralis?
The Ant
A tall place (tree)
Both
You only need to watch to 1:50, but the rest of the video is interesting. Note the stroma/ stalk used for transmition of spores. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKjBIBBAL8)
Test 3
Using the host's body as a carbon source for growth, O. unilateralis releases spores from a high point like a tree to spread spores long distances (3). Using this, what kind of organisms are most likely to be infected?
3/3
Ants in the nest
Foraging ants near the base
A moth on the tree
Trials of The Forrest
Complete each test to beat the game: there is no other way to escape!
Trial 1: Introduction
Trial 2: Host Specificity
Trial 3: Fungal Reproduction
Trial 4: Host physical manipulation and behavioral changes
Final Trail: Will You Survive?
Time to learn: Listen to the Wise Ant
1/2
Test 4
Putting it together : create a sequential order of O. unilateralis's lifecycle
A. Ants (generally foraging) become infected with spores
B. The host is under control and climbs up a tall object (tree)
C. Fungal growth continues on and in hosts body, and a stroma grows as spores mature, eventually bursting open
D. O. unilateralis growth and develops within the host
E. Nearing the end of the host's life, the ant bites down hard and locks itself to the surface
continue
Solución
Solution
2/2
Read Here
Test 4
Read about the effects O. unilateralis has on the hosts body then answer the question
Not Expected in a Infected Ant
Expected in an Infected Ant
1. Strong muscle fibers
2. Unhealthy brain
3. Swollen muscle fibers
4. Natural movement
5. Large mass of fungal tissue
6. In-tact muscle neurons
continuE
Solución
SOLUTION
Trials of The Forrest
Complete each test to beat the game: there is no other way to escape!
Trial 1: Introduction
Trial 2 :Host Specificity
Trial 3: Fungal Reproduction
Final Trial: Will You Survive?
Trial 4: Host physical manipulation and behavioral changes
Trials of The Forrest
Complete each test to beat the game: there is no other way to escape!
Trial 1: Introduction
Trial 2 :Host Specificity
Trial 3: Fungal Reproduction
Final Trial: Will You Survive?
Trial 4: Host physical manipulation and behavioral changes
This is the Final Test
O. unilateralis has found you and it has decided it wants to zombify you. In order to avoid it, you must use all that you have learned to escape it clutches
You will be asked a series of questions. Answer them all correctly to escape from O. unilateralis finally. If not, you join the numerous other ants who have fallen to it.
ESCAPE!!!
As you are escaping, you notice an ant above in the trees with a large, seemingly about-to-burst spore bulb. What do you do?
Keep running under
run around and avoid the tree
Escape is in sight, but you are caught between an ant and a moth who are both infected with a species of O. unilateralis. What path do you take?
Freedom!
Ant
Moth
You have Escape O. unilateralis and made it back to the nest. In the distance you notice a suspicious ant who cant seem to walk well...
Kinda looks like Gary, must have just hurt himself
I'm not taking any chances, stay awau and alert the guards
You Survived
Congratulations, You Have Successfully Avoided infection from Ophiocordyceps unilateralis
Start over?
Oh oh!
YOU DIED!!!
Try again, and hopefully you wont be zombified
back
Camponotus leonardi
Camponotous leonardi are also know as carpenter ants.C. leonardi live in many parts of the world, in tropical forest areas. They make their nests in the high canopy and forage bellow
*Yawn* Listen up kiddos... you need to be able to avoid suspicous looking ants if you want to avoid infection and protect the Colony. If you see any ant who is moving abnormally, as if they are hurt, be wary, especially so if they start to climb up a tree. O. unilateralis can damage muscle fibers and impact movement significantly while still allowing its hosts to move and climb (5). If you see an ant biting down on a leaf with what we call a "death grip", run away and alert the colony. This means that the ant is infected and nearing the time when O. unilateralis spores will develop
Next
1 - D
1- A
3 - E
4 - B
5 - C
1 - A
1- D
3 - B
4 - E
5 - C
Group A lorem ipsum
1 2 4
Group B lorem ipsum
3 5 6
Effects on host body
1. Ants infected with O. unilateralis have fungal cells growing throught the hosts muscle fibers. Using the host as an energy source, the fungus grows to infect 40% of the ants biomass.2. Even though O. unilateralis degrades the host's muscle fibers, it preserves the hosts brain tissue, motor neurons, and neuromuscular junctions so that the host still has the ability to move.
Want to learn more about this topic? Read this article for more information: https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.200683 (5)