Estimating Microbial Protein Synthesis in the Rumen—Can ‘Omics’ Methods Provide New Insights into a Long-Standing Question?
Rumen microbial protein synthesis (MPS) provides at least half of the amino acids for the synthesis of milk and meat protein in ruminants. As such, it is fundamental to global food protein security. Estimating microbial protein is central to diet formulation, maximising nitrogen (N)-use efficiency a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Veterinary Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/10/12/679 |
| _version_ | 1827573342021877760 |
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| author | Joana Lima Winfred Ingabire Rainer Roehe Richard James Dewhurst |
| author_facet | Joana Lima Winfred Ingabire Rainer Roehe Richard James Dewhurst |
| author_sort | Joana Lima |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Rumen microbial protein synthesis (MPS) provides at least half of the amino acids for the synthesis of milk and meat protein in ruminants. As such, it is fundamental to global food protein security. Estimating microbial protein is central to diet formulation, maximising nitrogen (N)-use efficiency and reducing N losses to the environment. Whilst factors influencing MPS are well established in vitro, techniques for in vivo estimates, including older techniques with cannulated animals and the more recent technique based on urinary purine derivative (UPD) excretion, are subject to large experimental errors. Consequently, models of MPS used in protein rationing are imprecise, resulting in wasted feed protein and unnecessary N losses to the environment. Newer ‘omics’ techniques are used to characterise microbial communities, their genes and resultant proteins and metabolites. An analysis of microbial communities and genes has recently been used successfully to model complex rumen-related traits, including feed conversion efficiency and methane emissions. Since microbial proteins are more directly related to microbial genes, we expect a strong relationship between rumen metataxonomics/metagenomics and MPS. The main aims of this review are to gauge the understanding of factors affecting MPS, including the use of the UPD technique, and explore whether omics-focused studies could improve the predictability of MPS, with a focus on beef cattle. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:17:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4241d9438dcc4c18b933a01ad71061e8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2306-7381 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:17:59Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Veterinary Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-4241d9438dcc4c18b933a01ad71061e82023-12-22T14:48:17ZengMDPI AGVeterinary Sciences2306-73812023-11-01101267910.3390/vetsci10120679Estimating Microbial Protein Synthesis in the Rumen—Can ‘Omics’ Methods Provide New Insights into a Long-Standing Question?Joana Lima0Winfred Ingabire1Rainer Roehe2Richard James Dewhurst3SRUC Dairy Research and Innovation Centre, Barony Campus, Dumfries DG1 3NE, UKSRUC Dairy Research and Innovation Centre, Barony Campus, Dumfries DG1 3NE, UKSRUC, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UKSRUC Dairy Research and Innovation Centre, Barony Campus, Dumfries DG1 3NE, UKRumen microbial protein synthesis (MPS) provides at least half of the amino acids for the synthesis of milk and meat protein in ruminants. As such, it is fundamental to global food protein security. Estimating microbial protein is central to diet formulation, maximising nitrogen (N)-use efficiency and reducing N losses to the environment. Whilst factors influencing MPS are well established in vitro, techniques for in vivo estimates, including older techniques with cannulated animals and the more recent technique based on urinary purine derivative (UPD) excretion, are subject to large experimental errors. Consequently, models of MPS used in protein rationing are imprecise, resulting in wasted feed protein and unnecessary N losses to the environment. Newer ‘omics’ techniques are used to characterise microbial communities, their genes and resultant proteins and metabolites. An analysis of microbial communities and genes has recently been used successfully to model complex rumen-related traits, including feed conversion efficiency and methane emissions. Since microbial proteins are more directly related to microbial genes, we expect a strong relationship between rumen metataxonomics/metagenomics and MPS. The main aims of this review are to gauge the understanding of factors affecting MPS, including the use of the UPD technique, and explore whether omics-focused studies could improve the predictability of MPS, with a focus on beef cattle.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/10/12/679microbial protein synthesisrumenmicrobiotamicrobiomeurinary purine derivatives |
| spellingShingle | Joana Lima Winfred Ingabire Rainer Roehe Richard James Dewhurst Estimating Microbial Protein Synthesis in the Rumen—Can ‘Omics’ Methods Provide New Insights into a Long-Standing Question? Veterinary Sciences microbial protein synthesis rumen microbiota microbiome urinary purine derivatives |
| title | Estimating Microbial Protein Synthesis in the Rumen—Can ‘Omics’ Methods Provide New Insights into a Long-Standing Question? |
| title_full | Estimating Microbial Protein Synthesis in the Rumen—Can ‘Omics’ Methods Provide New Insights into a Long-Standing Question? |
| title_fullStr | Estimating Microbial Protein Synthesis in the Rumen—Can ‘Omics’ Methods Provide New Insights into a Long-Standing Question? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Estimating Microbial Protein Synthesis in the Rumen—Can ‘Omics’ Methods Provide New Insights into a Long-Standing Question? |
| title_short | Estimating Microbial Protein Synthesis in the Rumen—Can ‘Omics’ Methods Provide New Insights into a Long-Standing Question? |
| title_sort | estimating microbial protein synthesis in the rumen can omics methods provide new insights into a long standing question |
| topic | microbial protein synthesis rumen microbiota microbiome urinary purine derivatives |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/10/12/679 |
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