2013-09-30, 16:40
New gut bacterium discovered in termite's digestion of wood
When termites munch on wood, the small bits feed a community of microbes living in their guts. In a process called acetogenesis, some of these microbes turn the hard, fibrous material into a nutritious meal for the termite host. Researchers have now discovered a previously unidentified bacterium -- living on the surface of a larger microorganism in the gut -- that may be responsible for most gut acetogenesis.
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/science...143242.htm
When termites munch on wood, the small bits feed a community of microbes living in their guts. In a process called acetogenesis, some of these microbes turn the hard, fibrous material into a nutritious meal for the termite host. Researchers have now discovered a previously unidentified bacterium -- living on the surface of a larger microorganism in the gut -- that may be responsible for most gut acetogenesis.
http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/science...143242.htm