Copresent microbiome and short-chain fatty acids profiles of plant biomass utilization in rumen simulation technique system

Abstract

Rumen contents have considerable utility in converting plant biomass to short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) when used as inoculum for in vitro fermentation. To better understand the microbial communities and their functions when in vitro ruminal fermentation, the microbiome and SCFAs production were investigated using rumen simulation technique (RUSITEC) system which was inoculated/co-inoculated with rumen contents from goat and cow. This study reconstructed 1677 microbial metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from metagenomic sequencing. The copresent microbiome containing 298 MAGs were found in metagenomic data of these contents and previous ruminal representative samples. These copresent MAGs were overrepresented in decomposing various substrates, especially pectin and xylan. Additionally, the SCFAs productions in RUSITEC were linked with copresent MAGs. Copresent MAGs obtained from this study shows promise to point out the direction for further research on in vitro ruminal fermentation, and enables a better understanding of rumen microbiotal structures and functions under in vitro condition.