Saturday 7 May 2016

biochemistry - Human Digestion of Cellulose?


Most animals can digest the cellulose in grass because of the anaerobic bacteria called Fibrobacter succinogenes living in their rumen (gut). The bacteria produces the enzyme cellulase and is therefore able to break down the β-Glucans(1,4) glycosidic bond in the cellulose. Animals like cows and giraffes grow up to be very large simply on a diet of grass!


Is there a way for humans to ingest the Fibrobacter succinogenes bacteria and be able to digest cellulose?




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