UF Researchers Report New Termite Digestion Findings

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — As scientists search for alternatives to fossil fuel, producing chemical energy from wood fiber has become something of a Holy Grail — but termites have been working this alchemy for millions of years.

A University of Florida study published last month in the journal Gene sheds new light on the mysterious and complex process that enables the insects to eat cellulose, the main structural component of plant cells. For people and most animals, cellulose is indigestible, but termites break it down into glucose, a form of sugar most organisms need.

The study identifies four genes that produce enzymes responsible for taking cellulose molecules apart, insight that could lead to breakthroughs in energy production and pest control, said Michael Scharf, an assistant research scientist with UF’s entomology department and a co-author of the paper.

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