fiber-degradation
Fiber degradation refers to the enzymatic and microbial breakdown of plant cell wall polysaccharides—such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin—into simpler sugars and compounds. In plant science, understanding this process is crucial for fields ranging from bioenergy production to agricultural composting, as it determines how efficiently plant biomass can be converted into usable resources. Research into fiber degradation also sheds light on plant-pathogen interactions and the natural recycling of organic matter in ecosystems.
PubMed · 2026-04-02
Researchers mapped the gut bacteria of wild boars across four countries and found that diet and lifestyle — not species — determine the makeup of the pig gut microbiome. They also discovered 538 previously unknown microbial species capable of breaking down plant fibers, offering potential tools to improve fiber digestion in farmed pigs.
Researchers assembled 3,288 high-quality microbial genomes representing 968 distinct species, of which 538 (55%) were previously unknown to science.
Gut microbiome composition was determined by diet and lifestyle rather than host species, splitting into two community types: C1 (81% wild/foraging animals) and C2 (93% captive/fed domestic pigs).
Wild boars (C1) showed lower microbial diversity despite their varied plant-rich diet, suggesting that unpredictable food availability favors fewer highly adaptable bacterial species over a rich community.