cellulose breakdown
Plant matter degradation
Cellulose breakdown is the decomposition of cellulose, the tough structural carbohydrate that forms plant cell walls.
This process occurs through enzymatic action, primarily by cellulase enzymes produced by certain bacteria, fungi, and protozoa.
Ruminant animals like cows depend on gut microorganisms to break down cellulose from grass and hay into digestible sugars.
Termites can digest wood because of cellulose breakdown by bacteria in their guts.
The process is also central to composting and biofuel production.
- bioethanolFuel from fermented plants
- biogasFuel from anaerobic decomposition
- delignificationRemoving woody binding substance
- rumenFirst stomach of ruminants
- termitesWood-eating social insects
bacteria · composting · fermentation · beta-glucosidase · paper recycling · pretreatment · fungi · wood rot · hydrolysis · sawdust · oxidation · glucose · digestive · paper · rot · mulch · straw · biofuel
- decompositiondecomposition, rot, rotting, autolysis, putrefaction
- bioconversionbiotransformation, starch conversion, biorefining
- microbial processesfermentation, decomposition, nitrogen fixation, sporulation, conjugation
- wood rotbrown rot, soft rot, wet rot, wood rot, mycelium
- decayrot, decay rate, wilt, crumble, decomposition
- biochemistryenzymes, proteins, biochemistry, protein, enzyme