Termite Gut Microbes

Termite Gut Microbes

	Termite Gut Microbes The evolution of different feeding habits in termites is paralleled by differences in the activity of their gut microbiota. All known termites have a dense and diverse hindgut microbial community which aids in digestion. Termites are divided into two groups lower and higher termites. The lower termites harbour a dense and diverse population of bacteria and cellulose digesting flagellate protozoa in their alimentary tract. The protozoa belonging to the gut of lower termites represent unique genera and species found nowhere in nature. Higher termites also harbour a dense and diverse array of gut bacteria but they lack protozoa.
The bulk of the intestinal micro biota is found in the hindgut (paunch). The termites feed on wood or other vegetation and the bacteria and protozoa degrade this to simple compounds which the termite can use thus enabling it to exploit desert habitats which not many other herbivores can live in. Studies of gut microflora of Odontotermus obesus reveals morphologically diverse bacteria, coccoid and rod-shaped, along with spirochaetes, pseudomonads and actinomycetes.
Flagellated protozoans are totally absent. The lower termites (pterotermes occidentis) have a suitable habitat for some microbes in their hindgut or paunch where they set right the problem of digesting cellulose. Some of the main organisms are obligately anaerobic protozoa (flagellates) such as Trichonympha ampla in Pterotermes and Mixotricha paradoxa in some Australian termites.
The flagellated protozoans seem to have cilia but close observations show them to be exosymbiotic spirochaetes (long filamentous bacteria) which are attached to special organelles on the surface of the protozoan and which beat synchronously. There are also other ectosymbiotic bacteria and usually endosymbionts as well. These protozoa use anaerobic bacteria for respiration. Apart from these, there are many other free-living bacteria in the hindgut. There may be up to 1010 per ml, either free swimming, attached to the gut wall or to other bacteria or inside other bacteria. Some of these fix atmospheric nitrogen. Hence there are bacteria symbiotic on or in bacteria which are themselves symbiotic on or in the protozoa upon which the termite is dependent.

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