Symbiotic digestion of lignocellulose in termite guts

@article{Brune2014SymbioticDO,
  title={Symbiotic digestion of lignocellulose in termite guts},
  author={Andreas Brune},
  journal={Nature Reviews Microbiology},
  year={2014},
  volume={12},
  pages={168-180}
}
  • A. Brune
  • Published 1 March 2014
  • Biology
  • Nature Reviews Microbiology
Their ability to degrade lignocellulose gives termites an important place in the carbon cycle. This ability relies on their partnership with a diverse community of bacterial, archaeal and eukaryotic gut symbionts, which break down the plant fibre and ferment the products to acetate and variable amounts of methane, with hydrogen as a central intermediate. In addition, termites rely on the biosynthetic capacities of their gut microbiota as a nutritional resource. The mineralization of humus… 
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