Gut microbiome of wood-feeding termites
Termites represent a unique and highly efficient system for lignocellulose bioconversion. The highly efficient lignocellulolytic systems are achieved through contributions from gut bacterial symbionts. The termite's gut system comprises distinct microenvironments with unique physiologies to harbor a militia of microbial symbionts with diverse functionalities. To this end, this project reveals the diversity of bacterial symbionts in the gut systems of some representative wood-feeding termites. The project elaborates our knowledge about termite biology and host-bacteria interactions for lignocellulose bioconversion which could be helpful to design a future biorefinery. Further, the metagenomic analyses of the bacterial symbionts and their functions within the termite gut systems decode the bio-catalytic networks involved in biomass conversion.