The Rumen Ecosystem : As a Fountain Sources of Nobel Enzymes - Review -

Lee, S. S.; Shin, K. J.; Kim, W. Y.; Ha, J. K.; Han, In K.

doi:1999.12.6.988

Review paper

Review Paper

Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 1999;12(6): 988-1001.
https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.1999.988 Published online September 1, 1999.

The Rumen Ecosystem : As a Fountain Sources of Nobel Enzymes - Review -

S. S. Lee, K. J. Shin, W. Y. Kim, J. K. Ha, In K. Han

Abstract

The rumen ecosystem is increasingly being recognized as a promising source of superior polysaccharide-degrading enzymes. They contain a wide arry of novel enzymes at the levels of specific activities of 1,181, 1,069, 119, 390 and 949 u mol Reducing sugar release/min/mg protein for endoglucanase, xylanase, polygalactouronase, amylase, glucanase and arabinase, respectively. These enzymes are mainly located in the surface of rumen microbes. However, glycoside-degrading enzymes (e.g. glucosidase, fucosidase, xylosidase and arabinofuranosidase, etc) are mainly located in the rumen fluid, when detected enzyme activities according to the ruminal compartments ( e.g. enzymes in whole rumen contents, feed-associated enzymes, microbial cell-associated enzymes, and enzymes in the rumen fluid). Ruminal fungi are the primary contributors to high production of novel enzymes; the bacteria and protozoa also have important functions, but less central roles. The enzyme activities of bacteria, protozoa and fungi were detected 32.26, 19.21 and 47.60 mol gluvose release/min/mL mediem for cellulose; 42.56, 14.96 and 64.93 mmol xylose release/min/mL medium after 48h incubation, respectively. The polysaccharide-degrading enzyme activity of ruminal anaerobic fungi ( e.g. Neocallimastix patriciarum and Piromyces communis, etc.) was much higher approximately 3-6 times than that of aerobic fungi ( e.g. ecosystem could be a growing source of novel enzymes having a tremendous potential for industrial applications.

Keywords: Rumen Microbes; Plant Cells; Enzymes; Carbohydrate Utilization; Review