Researchers Study Surgeonfish Gut Bacteria for Algae Digestion

David Kamanda Ngugi from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia led a team of scientists from various research institutions to study the significance of symbionts in surgeonfishes and their roles in the digestive processes of their hosts. Herbivorous surgeonfishes are a group of reef fish that feed on marine algae.

Analysis revealed the wide diversity of microbiota involved in the degradation of algal biomass in these fishes. The microbiota was found to be simple relative to the complex microbiota of terrestrial herbivores. Analysis also found that over 90% of the enzymes for deconstructing algal polysaccharides come from members of "Candidatus epulopiscium" and other related giant bacteria.

These findings show that the metabolically distinct symbionts in hosts are key to digesting algae biomass and polysaccharides and could be pave the way for the advancement of algal biofuels.