# Algae and cellulose



## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

The research findings have been released on November 20 in the online journal Nature Communications.

Until now, it was believed that only worms, bacteria, and fungi could digest vegetable cellulose and use it as a source of carbon for their growth and survival. Plants, in contrast, engage in the photosynthesis of carbon dioxide, water, and light. In a series of experiments, Professor Dr. Olaf Kruse and his team cultivated the microscopically small green alga species Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in a low carbon dioxide environment and observed that when faced with such a shortage, these single-cell plants can draw energy from neighbouring vegetable cellulose instead.

The alga secretes enzymes (so-called cellulose enzymes) that 'digest' the cellulose, breaking it down into smaller sugar components. These are then transported into the cells and transformed into a source of energy: the alga can continue to grow.

'This is the first time that such a behaviour has been confirmed in a vegetable organism', says Professor Kruse. 'That algae can digest cellulose contradicts every previous textbook. To a certain extent, what we are seeing is plants eating plants'. Currently, the scientists are studying whether this mechanism can also be found in other types of alga. Preliminary findings indicate that this is the case.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121120121913.htm


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## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

Thanks for sharing! I think anyone following the organics thread likes this info as well.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Wow. That is interesting.

Do all species do it or just some algae?

I wonder if that is why plant leaves are damaged when algae grows on them (like BBA)?


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