“Microbes have evolved over millions of years to efficiently degrade recalcitrant biomass,” said Eddy Rubin, Director of the JGI and a lead on this study. “Communities of these organisms can be found in diverse ecosystems, such as in the rumen of cows, the guts of termites, in compost piles, as well as covering the forest floor. Microbes have solved this challenge, overcoming the plant’s protective armor to secure nutrients, the rich energy source that enables them and the cow to thrive.”
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