Production of branched-chain volatile fatty acids by certain anaerobic bacteria.
Net production of isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid, and 2-methylbutyric acid by cultures of Bacteroides ruminicola and Megasphaera elsdenii on media that contained Trypticase or casein hydrolysate continued (up to 5 days) after growth had ceased. Only trace quantities of these acids were produced in a medium that contained a mixture of amino acids that did not include the branched-chain amino acids. M. elsdenii produced increased quantities of the branched-chain fatty acids in a medium that contained Trypticase when glucose was reduced or eliminated from the culture medium. However, B. ruminicola produced increased quantities of branched-chain fatty acids and of phenylacetic acid from Trypticase when glucose was supplied at 3 mg/ml rather than at 1 mg/ml. Single strains of Streptococcus bovis, Selenomonas ruminantium, Bacteroides amylophilus, and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens did not produce branched-chain fatty acids.
D000693:Anaerobiosis; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000378:metabolism; D002087:Butyrates / Q000378:metabolism; D003470:Culture Media; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D012417:Rumen / Q000382:microbiology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014631:Valerates / Q000378:metabolism
D002087:Butyrates; D003470:Culture Media; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D014631:Valerates; D005947:Glucose