Alternative pathways for hydrogen sink originated from the ruminal fermentation of carbohydrates: Which microorganisms are involved in lowering methane emission?
Abstract Agriculture is responsible for a great share of the anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gases that, by warming the earth, threaten its biodiversity. Among greenhouse gas emissions, enteric CH4 from livestock is an important target to slow down climate changes. The CH4 is originated from rum...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2022-01-01
|
| Series: | Animal Microbiome |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-021-00153-w |
| _version_ | 1830206632629370880 |
|---|---|
| author | Ana Margarida Pereira Maria de Lurdes Nunes Enes Dapkevicius Alfredo E. S. Borba |
| author_facet | Ana Margarida Pereira Maria de Lurdes Nunes Enes Dapkevicius Alfredo E. S. Borba |
| author_sort | Ana Margarida Pereira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Agriculture is responsible for a great share of the anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gases that, by warming the earth, threaten its biodiversity. Among greenhouse gas emissions, enteric CH4 from livestock is an important target to slow down climate changes. The CH4 is originated from rumen fermentation and its concentration is affected by several factors, including genetics and nutrition. Ruminants have an extraordinary symbiosis with microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and protozoa) that ferment otherwise indigestible carbohydrates, from which they obtain energy to grow and continue actively producing, among other products, volatile fatty acids, CO2 and H2. Detrimental ruminal accumulation of H2 is avoided by methanogenesis carried out by Archaea methanogens. Importantly, methanogenesis is not the only H2 sink pathway. In fact, other bacteria can reduce substrates using metabolic hydrogen formed during carbohydrate fermentation, namely propionate production and reductive acetogenesis, thus lowering the CH4 produced. Although the complexity of rumen poses challenges to mitigate CH4 production, the emergence of sequencing techniques that allow the study of microbial communities, gene expression, and metabolome are largely contributing to unravel pathways and key players in the rumen. Indeed, it is now recognized that in vivo emissions of CH4 are correlated to microbial communities, and particularly with the abundance of methanogens, several bacterial groups, and their genes. The goal of CH4 mitigation is to work in favor of the natural processes, without compromising rumen function, animal health, and productivity. Notwithstanding, the major challenge continues to be the feasibility and affordability of the proposed solutions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T04:16:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7df1dae0eb884d93af63ab255007badf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2524-4671 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T04:16:57Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animal Microbiome |
| spelling | doaj.art-7df1dae0eb884d93af63ab255007badf2022-12-21T21:21:19ZengBMCAnimal Microbiome2524-46712022-01-014111210.1186/s42523-021-00153-wAlternative pathways for hydrogen sink originated from the ruminal fermentation of carbohydrates: Which microorganisms are involved in lowering methane emission?Ana Margarida Pereira0Maria de Lurdes Nunes Enes Dapkevicius1Alfredo E. S. Borba2Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e do Ambiente, Instituto de Investigação em Tecnologias Agrárias e do Ambiente (IITAA), Universidade dos AçoresFaculdade de Ciências Agrárias e do Ambiente, Instituto de Investigação em Tecnologias Agrárias e do Ambiente (IITAA), Universidade dos AçoresFaculdade de Ciências Agrárias e do Ambiente, Instituto de Investigação em Tecnologias Agrárias e do Ambiente (IITAA), Universidade dos AçoresAbstract Agriculture is responsible for a great share of the anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gases that, by warming the earth, threaten its biodiversity. Among greenhouse gas emissions, enteric CH4 from livestock is an important target to slow down climate changes. The CH4 is originated from rumen fermentation and its concentration is affected by several factors, including genetics and nutrition. Ruminants have an extraordinary symbiosis with microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and protozoa) that ferment otherwise indigestible carbohydrates, from which they obtain energy to grow and continue actively producing, among other products, volatile fatty acids, CO2 and H2. Detrimental ruminal accumulation of H2 is avoided by methanogenesis carried out by Archaea methanogens. Importantly, methanogenesis is not the only H2 sink pathway. In fact, other bacteria can reduce substrates using metabolic hydrogen formed during carbohydrate fermentation, namely propionate production and reductive acetogenesis, thus lowering the CH4 produced. Although the complexity of rumen poses challenges to mitigate CH4 production, the emergence of sequencing techniques that allow the study of microbial communities, gene expression, and metabolome are largely contributing to unravel pathways and key players in the rumen. Indeed, it is now recognized that in vivo emissions of CH4 are correlated to microbial communities, and particularly with the abundance of methanogens, several bacterial groups, and their genes. The goal of CH4 mitigation is to work in favor of the natural processes, without compromising rumen function, animal health, and productivity. Notwithstanding, the major challenge continues to be the feasibility and affordability of the proposed solutions.https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-021-00153-wAcetogenesisH2 sinkMethanogenesisMicroorganismsPropionateRumen fermentation |
| spellingShingle | Ana Margarida Pereira Maria de Lurdes Nunes Enes Dapkevicius Alfredo E. S. Borba Alternative pathways for hydrogen sink originated from the ruminal fermentation of carbohydrates: Which microorganisms are involved in lowering methane emission? Animal Microbiome Acetogenesis H2 sink Methanogenesis Microorganisms Propionate Rumen fermentation |
| title | Alternative pathways for hydrogen sink originated from the ruminal fermentation of carbohydrates: Which microorganisms are involved in lowering methane emission? |
| title_full | Alternative pathways for hydrogen sink originated from the ruminal fermentation of carbohydrates: Which microorganisms are involved in lowering methane emission? |
| title_fullStr | Alternative pathways for hydrogen sink originated from the ruminal fermentation of carbohydrates: Which microorganisms are involved in lowering methane emission? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Alternative pathways for hydrogen sink originated from the ruminal fermentation of carbohydrates: Which microorganisms are involved in lowering methane emission? |
| title_short | Alternative pathways for hydrogen sink originated from the ruminal fermentation of carbohydrates: Which microorganisms are involved in lowering methane emission? |
| title_sort | alternative pathways for hydrogen sink originated from the ruminal fermentation of carbohydrates which microorganisms are involved in lowering methane emission |
| topic | Acetogenesis H2 sink Methanogenesis Microorganisms Propionate Rumen fermentation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-021-00153-w |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT anamargaridapereira alternativepathwaysforhydrogensinkoriginatedfromtheruminalfermentationofcarbohydrateswhichmicroorganismsareinvolvedinloweringmethaneemission AT mariadelurdesnunesenesdapkevicius alternativepathwaysforhydrogensinkoriginatedfromtheruminalfermentationofcarbohydrateswhichmicroorganismsareinvolvedinloweringmethaneemission AT alfredoesborba alternativepathwaysforhydrogensinkoriginatedfromtheruminalfermentationofcarbohydrateswhichmicroorganismsareinvolvedinloweringmethaneemission |