AVS 55th International Symposium & Exhibition
    Biomaterials Plenary Sunday Sessions
       Session BP-SuA

Invited Paper BP-SuA1
New Insights Into Lignocellulose Conversion by Termite Gut Microbes

Sunday, October 19, 2008, 3:00 pm, Room 202

Session: Bio-inspired Catalysis, Energy Production and Transduction: Opportunities and Challenges
Presenter: J.R. Leadbetter, California Institute of Technology
Correspondent: Click to Email

Termites and their complex hindgut microbiota are able to convert wood lignocellulose into hydrogen and other products used to fuel their metabolisms. Recent gene and genome based analyses on the gut community have revealed novel insights into many bacteria-mediated, important symbiotic functions. The system-wide gene analysis of a microbial community specialized towards plant lignocellulose degradation has both basic and applied implications.