Succinic Acid Turnover and Propionate Production in the Bovine Rumen

Blackburn, T. H.; Hungate, R. E.

doi:10.1128/aem.11.2.132-135.1963

Cited by 39 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Four of the five Gram-negative bacteria used in this study were unaffected by the presence in the media of fatty acid, even at concentrations above the limit of solubility as indicated by the opalescent appearance of media containing 0-05 or 0-10 g/1 oleic acid. Those bacteria which were unaffected by the presence of fatty acids -Anaerovibrio lipolytica, Selenomonas ruminantium, Peptostreptococcus elsdenii and Bacteroides ruminicola -all contribute to propionate production in the rumen either directly or by producing succinate which is rapidly decarboxylated in the rumen to form propionate (Blackburn & Hungate, 1963). That they are not inhibited is consistent with the in vivo observations that fat or fatty acids added to the rumen cause an increase in the ratio of propionate to acetate (Shaw & Ensor, 1959;Demeyere«aZ.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

The effects of fatty acids on pure cultures of rumen bacteria

Henderson¹

1973

J. Agric. Sci.

267

160

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The effects of fatty acids, at low concentrations (0-005-O5 g/1), on the growth of seven species of rumen bacteria were examined. Anaerovibrio lipolytica (strain 5 S), Peptostreptococcus elsdenii (type 2), Bacteroides ruminicola 46/52 and Selenomonas ruminantium (strain 17) were unaffected by addition of oleic acid to the medium. Growth of Butyrivibrio B 835 was stimulated by low concentrations of oleic (< 0-01 g/1), lauric (< 0-1 g/1) or capric (< 0-1 g/1) acids while higher concentrations of these acids were inhibitory. Myristic, palmitic and stearic acids were inhibitory at all concentrations tested. Ruminococcus 4263/1 was inhibited at all concentrations of the six acids. Production of methane by pure cultures of Methanobacterium ruminantium was also inhibited by the additions of long-chain fatty acids. Oleic acid was the most inhibitory of the series of acids. These results are consistent with the reported effects of lipids on rumen function.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

The effects of fatty acids on pure cultures of rumen bacteria

Henderson¹

1973

J. Agric. Sci.

267

160

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“…The Bacteroides, which were the major flora of the unfaunated rumen, produce acetic acid and also a usually greater amount of succinic acid. While any lactic acid produced by the Ruminococci or other bacteria is converted mainly to acetic acid in the rumen (Jayasuriya & Hungate, 1959), succinic acid is rapidly converted preponderantly to propionic acid (Blackburn & Hungate, 1963). The bacteria generally thought to be involved in these secondary rumen fermentations (Megasphaera [Peptoslreptococcus] elsdenii, Selenomonas ruminantium and Veillonella alcalescens) were all detected by the selective medium cultures ( Table 5).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between bacteria and ciliate protozoa in the rumen of sheep fed on a purified diet

1978

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Two sheep, with and without ciliate protozoa, were fed on a wood-pulp cellulose, corn starch, soya-bean protein diet and the microbiological and chemical characteristics of the rumen ingesta of both sheep were studied. The purified diet led to a simplified rumen flora enabling some deductions to be made about the interactions of the principal bacterial species and their interactions with the protozoa in relationship to the biochemical analysis of the rumen. Ammonia concentrations were similarly low in each animal. Total volatile fatty acid concentrations were higher in the faunated sheep though the proportion of propionic acid was highest in the unfaunated sheep. Cellulose digestion in the faunated rumen was about twice that in the unfaunated one. Total bacterial concentrations in the unfaunated rumen were over twice those in the faunated rumen, but the numbers of cellulolytic bacteria were higher in the latter while the numbers of amylolytic bacteria were higher in the unfaunated rumen. The principal species of bacteria differed in the two rumens. INTRODUCTIONThe natural rumen flora contains both bacteria and ciliate protozoa, but the role of the protozoa in rumen function and the relationships between the protozoa and bacteria are not completely understood. Animals can be, by partial isolation, reared without rumen ciliate protozoa, or the organisms can be removed from the rumen population by chemical additives or by change in feed to one producing rather acidic rumen conditions (Eadie, 1962;Abou Akkada et al. 1968;Eadie et al. 1970). Investigations of metabolic activities of the protozoa have shown that they are essentially similar to those of the bacteria so far as the main functions of the rumen are concerned, that is they use carbohydrates as energy sources and form acidic fermentation products and cell material which are utilized by the host animal. Because of this, the fact that on most diets the protozoa perform only a minor part of the total rumen metabolism, and in many cases rumen bacterial concentrations have been found to be higher in unfaunated than faunated animals, unfaunated animals are not

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“…Succinate concentration in the rumen is typically low as it is rapidly converted to propionate (Blackburn and Hungate, 1963;Immig, 1996). It thus seems that succinate concentration exerts little influence on CH 4 production and the VFA profile, although the finding by Kamke et al (2016) of greater abundance of genes involved in the conversion of succinate to butyrate in low CH 4producing sheep prompts for more investigation.…”

Section: Effects Of Electron Carriers Other Than Dihydrogen On the Rumentioning

confidence: 99%

Metabolic Hydrogen Flows in Rumen Fermentation: Principles and Possibilities of Interventions

2020

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Rumen fermentation affects ruminants productivity and the environmental impact of ruminant production. The release to the atmosphere of methane produced in the rumen is a loss of energy and a cause of climate change, and the profile of volatile fatty acids produced in the rumen affects the post-absorptive metabolism of the host animal. Rumen fermentation is shaped by intracellular and intercellular flows of metabolic hydrogen centered on the production, interspecies transfer, and incorporation of dihydrogen into competing pathways. Factors that affect the growth of methanogens and the rate of feed fermentation impact dihydrogen concentration in the rumen, which in turn controls the balance between pathways that produce and incorporate metabolic hydrogen, determining methane production and the profile of volatile fatty acids. A basic kinetic model of competition for dihydrogen is presented, and possibilities for intervention to redirect metabolic hydrogen from methanogenesis toward alternative useful electron sinks are discussed. The flows of metabolic hydrogen toward nutritionally beneficial sinks could be enhanced by adding to the rumen fermentation electron acceptors or direct fed microbials. It is proposed to screen hydrogenotrophs for dihydrogen thresholds and affinities, as well as identifying and studying microorganisms that produce and utilize intercellular electron carriers other than dihydrogen. These approaches can allow identifying potential microbial additives to compete with methanogens for metabolic hydrogen. The combination of adequate microbial additives or electron acceptors with inhibitors of methanogenesis can be effective approaches to decrease methane production and simultaneously redirect metabolic hydrogen toward end products of fermentation with a nutritional value for the host animal. The design of strategies to redirect metabolic hydrogen from methane to other sinks should be based on knowledge of the physicochemical control of rumen fermentation pathways. The application of new -omics techniques together with classical biochemistry methods and mechanistic modeling can lead to exciting developments in the understanding and manipulation of the flows of metabolic hydrogen in rumen fermentation.

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Succinic Acid Turnover and Propionate Production in the Bovine Rumen

Cited by 39 publications

References 4 publications

The effects of fatty acids on pure cultures of rumen bacteria

The effects of fatty acids on pure cultures of rumen bacteria

Relationship between bacteria and ciliate protozoa in the rumen of sheep fed on a purified diet

Metabolic Hydrogen Flows in Rumen Fermentation: Principles and Possibilities of Interventions

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