Establishment of cellulolytic bacteria in the digestive tract of conventionally reared young mice: effect of the dietary cellulose content in the adult.
Cellulolytic bacteria became established 12 days after birth in the caecum and colon of conventionally-reared mice fed a diet containing 5 p. 100 crude cellulose (Weende). Their population reached a level between 10(6) and 10(7) bacteria per gram of digestive contents in 25-day-old animals. However, variations between animals were very large; 20 to 50% of the individuals were free of cellulolytic bacteria. A low cellulolytic population was observed in adult mice fed a cellulose-free diet. The amount of cellulose in the diet and its nature (crude or pure cellulose) affected the number of cellulolytic bacteria: the higher the percentage of cellulose in the diet, the higher the number of cellulolytic bacteria, in particular with crude cellulose-containing diet.
Boulahrouf
A
A
Laboratoire de Microbiologie, INRA, Centre de Clermont-Ferrand-Theix, Ceyrat, France.
Fonty
G
G
Gouet
P
P
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D002482:Cellulose / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000382:microbiology*; D051379:Mice
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D002482:Cellulose