Presence of novel, potentially homoacetogenic bacteria in the rumen as determined by analysis of formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase sequences from ruminants.

ABSTRACT: Homoacetogens produce acetate from H(2) and CO(2) via the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway. Some homoacetogens have been isolated from the rumen, but these organisms are expected to be only part of the full diversity present. To survey the presence of rumen homoacetogens, we analyzed sequences of formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase (FTHFS), a key enzyme of the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway. A total of 275 partial sequences of genes encoding FTHFS were PCR amplified from rumen contents of a cow, two sheep, and a deer. Phylogenetic trees were constructed using these FTHFS gene sequences and the translated amino acid sequences, together with other sequences from public databases and from novel nonhomoacetogenic bacteria isolated from the rumen. Over 90% of the FTHFS sequences fell into 34 clusters defined with

SUBMITTER: Henderson G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2849231 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature