Asian beetle fungus may hold keys to converting hardwoods to sugars

Researchers have identified a fungus residing in Asian longhorned beetles as a source for the chemicals that permit insects to break down hard woods in their stomachs. “Lignin is nature’s plastic and any organism that wants to get to the sugars in a plant has to be able to get past this protective barrier,” professor Ming Tien of Penn State told gantdaily.com.

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