Scientists have come up with a new way of investigating microbial ecology. They have discovered a new and efficient way of revealing guild-species relationships in complex microbial communities.
With this approach, they can discover connections between bacterial cells from natural samples and the gene-encoded activities. This finding also reveals significant understanding of the relationship between termites and key gut microbes - spirochetes — that aid them in the wood-digesting process.
California Institute of Technology associate professor of environmental microbiology Jared Leadbetter said,
I think these results involve two pinnacles of novelty... What we’re showing are key results relevant to the symbiosis that occurs between termites and the bacteria involved in the conversion of wood fiber into a form of energy that can be used by the insect. But we’re also revealing an approach that can lead to a better understanding of the many microbial processes that underlie the environments in which we all live.
