476: Bamboo Breakdown Benefits Beetle Babies

<p>This episode: Beetles inoculate bamboo with a fungus that consumes the bamboo sugars to feed the beetle larvae!</p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href= "http://traffic.libsyn.com/bacteriofiles/BF476.mp3">Download Episode</a></span> (7.7 MB, 11.2 minutes)<br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Show notes:</span><br /> Microbe of the episode: <em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</em> virus L-BC (La)</p> <p><a href= "https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/12/211210103152.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">News item</a></p> <p>Video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiMBKwbiCLw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lizard beetle laying its egg</a></p> <div><strong>Takeaways</strong></div> <div> <div> <div> <div>The structural polymers that make up plants, such as cellulose, can be difficult for many organisms to digest. Some kinds of bacteria and fungi can do it, and some animals (cows, pandas, termites) partner with these microbes to be able to eat otherwise indigestible...