host species affects the microbial community in the goat rumen

• Published in: Letters in applied microbiology Vol. 46; no. 1; pp. 132 - 135
• Main Authors: Shi, P.J, Meng, K, Zhou, Z.G, Wang, Y.R, Diao, Q.Y, Yao, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford, UK : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2008; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Blackwell Science
• Subjects: Animals; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Biological and medical sciences; China; Cluster Analysis; denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis; DNA Fingerprinting - methods; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel - methods; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; goat rumen microbes; Goats - microbiology; host species; Male; microbial community structure; Microbiology; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; Rumen - microbiology; Species Specificity; China; Applied microbiology; host species; Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis; Rumen; microbial community structure; Vertebrata; Mammalia; goat rumen microbes; Goat; Artiodactyla; Microorganism; Structure; Ungulata; Microbial community
• ISSN: 0266-8254; 1472-765X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-765X.2007.02274.x

This study was carried out to determine whether bacterial and ciliate populations in goat rumen vary significantly between different goat species living in the same environment. Bacterial and ciliate communities in the rumen of three goat species were analysed at the molecular level using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. The microbial community varied considerably among goats living in the same environment. Interspecies variation in the bacterial population was noticeably greater than intraspecies variation. In contrast, there was considerable variation in the ciliate population among goats within the same species, and intraspecies similarities were no greater than those observed across species. Because environmental factors and diets were identical for all goats, differences in bacterial populations reflect species-specific differences in rumen microbes. Factors related to the host species have an important effect on determining the bacterial composition in the goat rumen.