Cellulolytic Streptomyces Strains Associated with Herbivorous Insects Share a Phylogenetically Linked Capacity To Degrade Lignocellulose

Actinobacteria in the genus Streptomyces are critical players in microbial communities that decompose complex carbohydrates in the soil, and these bacteria have recently been implicated in the deconstruction of plant polysaccharides for some herbivorous insects. Despite the importance of Streptomyces to carbon cycling, the extent of their plant biomass-degrading ability remains largely unknown. In this study, we compared four strains of …