Differences in the methanogen population exist in sika deer (Cervus nippon) fed different diets in China.
Understanding the methanogen structure from sika deer (Cervus nippon) in China may be beneficial to methane mitigation. In the present preliminary study, we investigated the methanogen community in the rumen of domesticated sika deer fed either tannin-rich plants (oak leaf, OL group) or corn stalk (CS group) using 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. Overall, we obtained 197 clone sequences, revealing 146 unique phylotypes, which were assigned to 36 operational taxonomic units at the species level (98 % identity). Methanogens related to the genus Methanobrevibacter were the predominant phylotypes representing 83.9 % (OL library) and 85.9 % (CS library) of the clones. Methanobrevibacter millerae was the most abundant species in both libraries, but the proportion of M. millerae-related clones in the CS library was higher than in the OL library (69.5 and 51.4 %, respectively). Moreover, Methanobrevibacter wolinii-related clones (32.5 %) were predominant in the OL library. Methanobrevibacter smithii-related clones and Methanobrevibacter ruminantium-related clones accounted for 6.5 and 6.6 % in the CS library, respectively. However, these clones were absent from the OL library. The concentrations of butyrate and total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were significantly higher in the OL group, but the concentrations of acetate, propionate, and valerate and the acetate to propionate ratio in the OL group were not significantly different between the two groups. Tannin-rich plants may have affected the distribution of genus Methanobrevibacter phylotypes at the species level and the concentration and composition of SCFAs.
Department of Economical Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Institute of Special Animal and Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jilin, China.
Zhi Peng
ZP
Li
Han Lu
HL
Liu
Chun Ai
CA
Jin
Xue Zhe
XZ
Cui
Yi
Y
Jing
Fu He
FH
Yang
Guang Yu
GY
Li
André-Denis G
AD
Wright
D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002681:China; D003670:Deer / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012417:Rumen / Q000382:microbiology*
D008697:Methane