An international group of scientists from the University of Massachusetts in the US, the University of Plymouth in the UK and other scientific institutions has uncovered the 2,000-year-old mystery of marine worms, or teredenids, which are wood-eating bivalve molluscs. The study was published in the scientific journal International Biodegradation and Biodegradation (IBB).

According to historical evidence, the Teredenids caused trouble for the ancient Greek fleet, contributed to the sinking of Christopher Columbus in 1492, sank ships of the Spanish Armada, and occasionally overthrew piers in San Francisco Bay.

Until recently, scientists did not understand how these worm-like molluscs could cause so much damage to wooden structures. To assimilate wood, the body must be able to digest lignin, the strong fibers that surround the nutritious cellulose. Some creatures, such as termites, do this with the help of symbiotic bacteria in their guts. But the digestive system of shipworms was long thought to be virtually sterile.

In a new study, experts examined the worm’s gut in detail and discovered a tiny organ called a “tiflozole” that appeared to be inhabited by symbiotic microbes. Previously, biologists believed that typhsolol also performed other functions and did not pay attention to it.

As the analysis shows, typhosol releases enzymes that effectively erode lignin. According to scientists, this discovery not only solves the long-standing mystery of Teredenids, but may also find application in the field of biotechnology in the processing of the hardest part of wood. Source