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In vitro evaluation of methanogenesis in the dog
Author(s) -
Middelbos Ingmar S.,
Bauer Laura L.,
Fahey George C.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.444.5
Subject(s) - methanogenesis , fermentation , food science , archaea , short chain fatty acid , beet pulp , methane , chemistry , biology , cellulose , butyrate , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , biochemistry , ecology , genetics
Gut microbiota are becoming increasingly recognized as a factor affecting host phenotype. Microbial energy harvest in the intestinal tract by fermentation has been implicated as contributing to obesity, and methanogenic Archaea are believed to increase efficiency of energy harvest by eliminating hydrogen to form methane. Methanogenesis and methanogens have been described in many species, but not the dog. We evaluated methanogenesis of dog intestinal microbiota using an in vitro fermentation system. Selected substrates were subjected to 12‐h fermentation in gas‐tight tubes after inoculation with fecal slurry derived from three canine donors. Short‐chain fatty acids and gas production (methane, hydrogen) were measured. Short‐chain fatty acid production was higher (P < 0.05) for pectin and β‐fructan substrates compared with beet pulp and yeast cell wall. Significant methane production was detected for all substrates (305 – 6135 μg/g substrate) except wood cellulose. Beet pulp generated more (P < 0.05) methane than any other substrate and was moderately fermentable. These data suggest that the dog intestinal tract harbors methanogenic Archaea that have yet to be identified.