Cellulose Digestion by Organisms from the Termite Gut

Abstract

The termite thrives in an environment which is most unusual and which requires specialized adaptation for survival. Its galleries are largely cellulose as also is its diet. Relatively little combined nitrogen is found in its food other than that derived from consumption of fecal materials of its fellows. That sector of the nitrogen cycle which includes the metabolism of the termite is as yet unexplored.It is probable that the energ)-requirements of the termite are derived from the destruction of cellulose. In addition to the energy required by the animal for its ordinary life processes an additional large amount must be available should it develop that there is any fixation of nitrogen connected with its metabolism. The question of cellulose splitting within the gut of the termite thus is of fundamental importance.Cellulose digestion is not unknown among the invertebrates. Miller and Boynton' have demonstrated the appearance of glucose within the gut of Bankia, the Northwest shipworm. Werner2 has shown that the digestion of cellulose within the intestine of Potosia cwp-ea, the rose chafer, is bacterial in character. Cleveland," however, believes that the enormous numbers of bacteria found within the gut of the termite have no function as cellulose splitters within the intestinal canal of ReticuIoterines fravipes, and his series is reported to have included at least 100 individuals.Inasmuch as opportunity presented itself, through the courtesy of Dr. S. F. Light, to obtain termites from a variety of sources and of a number of different genera, we decided to make a further attempt to demonstrate the splitting of cellulose by bacteria derived from termite gut content. The technique was that usually followed in soil bacteriology. Flasks were prepared containing medium of the following formula : K,HPO,-1 gm. ; MgS0,-1 gm. ; Na,COa -1 gm.; (NH,),SO,-Z gm.: CaC0,--2 gm.; tap water 1OOOcc. A 2-inch 'circle of filter paper was added to each flask and the material then was autoclaved.

Lignocellulose degradation by microorganisms from termite hills and termite guts: A survey on the present state of art

“…Cellulose digestion is also found in other insect groups such as the Thysanura, Orthoptera, Coleoptera and Hymenoptera. [3,4,23,[87][88][89][90][91][92]). The extent of cellulose digestion in wood was found to be between 59% and 99% [84][85][86], resulting in the production of lower fatty acids, mainly acetic acid, and CO 2 and H 2 [39,82].…”

“…Already since the 1920s several authors demonstrated the breakdown of cellulose by termites (e.g. [3,4,23,[87][88][89][90][91][92]).…”

Facultative Wood-digesting Bacteria from the Hind-gut of the Termite Reticulitermes hesperus

“…Dickman (1931) found many different cellulose digesting organisms in the nest walls but not in the intestinal contents of Reticulitermesflavipes. Beckwith & Rose (1929) reported cellulose digestion by bacteria isolated from Reticulitermes hesperus and several other species. These workers incubated their cultures aerobically as was done in this study.…”

Role of Microorganisms in the Metabolism of Termites

“…In most cases where positive results were obtained the bacteria were not identified and no attempt was made to count them. The digestion of cellu10s~ by the isolated bacteria was a slow process requiring days or even months to be achieved (Beckwith and Rose 1929;Hungate 1946b;Mannesmann 1972;Krelinova et al 1977b) and in the case of the isolates obtained by Beckwith and Rose (1929) and Mannesmann (1?72), growth of the organisms on cellulose was better under aerobic than under anaerobic conditions. The removal of the gut bacteria from Nasutitermes exitiosus and Coptotermes lacteus by feeding tetracycline, had little effect on the cellulase activity of whole termites, indicating that bacteria play little part in cellulose digestion in these termites (O'Brien et al 1979).…”