The microbial populations of the rumens of seaweed-fed and pasture-fed Orkney sheep were examined. The populations in the pasture-fed sheep were similar to those of other domestic ruminants fed on land plants, but those of the seaweed-fed animals showed major differences in the dominant species. Total ciliate populations were quantitatively similar, but in the seaweed-fed animals Dasytricha ruminantium was one of the most dominant species. No phycomycete fungi or cellulolytic bacteria were found in the seaweed-fed animals, and the bacterial population was dominated by Streptococcus bovis, Selenomonas ruminantium, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens and lactate-utilizing species. Electron microscopy revealed that spirochaetes and an unidentified filamentous bacterium were probably of major significance in seaweed digestion. The ability of bacterial strains from both groups of animals to metabolize plant and algal constituents was examined.

The structure of the free zoospores of Neocallimastix frontalis has been examined by electron microscopy of thin-sectioned and negatively stained preparations. There are up to 15 flagella arranged in two rows. The free end of each flagellum is narrow and its tip does not contain microtubules. The flagella and the cell body are coated with distinct surface layers composed of regular arrays of particles and fibrils, respectively. The cell body contains a variety of inclusions. Near to the flagellar pole there are numerous membrane-bound electron-dense globules about 0.2 to 0.7 mum in diameter, between which are microtubules, particles and small vesicles. In the region of the centrally placed nucleus are arrays of helices of ribosome-like particles. These particles also occur in the form of globular aggregates, each partially enclosed within a membrane. The remainder of the cytoplasm is filled with material resembling glycogen. The zoospores stain positively for glycogen and contain ribonuclease-sensitive particulate material which is stained by toluidine blue. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the zoospores attach to the substrate by the flagellar pole.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract