Multimedia Gallery - Microbes from three kingdoms live symbiotically in the gut of the eastern subterranean termite.

Photo of the eastern subterranean termite.

September 28, 2011

Microbes from three kingdoms live symbiotically in the gut of the eastern subterranean termite.

Microbes from three kingdoms live symbiotically within the lower termite gut, where they coordinate chemical processes that are beyond the capability of any one organism. The composition and function of the microbial community changes with even tiny variations in the physical and chemical habitat of the termite gut. A team at the University of Connecticut will investigate the changing capabilities of the termite gut community to break down various carbon sources, such as lignocelluloses, and its self-regulation through a complex signaling network. To do so, the researchers will systematically replicate micro-scale physical and chemical features of a lower termite gut using engineered microhabitats. By understanding microorganisms' signaling processes, it may be possible to manipulate microbial communities and harness their capabilities for chemical production on an industrial scale.

Credit: Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org

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