Hannah Muelbaier, Freya Arthen, Gemma Collins, Thomas Hickler, Karin Hohberg, Ricarda Lehmitz, Yannick Pauchet, Markus Pfenninger, Anton Potapov, Juliane Romahn, Ina Schaefer, Stefan Scheu, Clément Schneider, Ingo Ebersberger, Miklós Bálint
Lignocellulose is a major component of vascular plant biomass. Its decomposition is crucial for the terrestrial carbon cycle. Microorganisms are considered primary decomposers, but evidence increases that some invertebrates may also decompose lignocellulose. We investigated the taxonomic distribution and evolutionary origins of GH45 hydrolases, important enzymes for the decomposition of cellulose and hemicellulose, in a collection of soil invertebrate genomes. We found that these genes are common in springtails and oribatid mites...
May 7, 2024: Molecular Ecology