The Rumen Archaea

Description

Methane (CH4) is produced in the rumen by a group of microorganisms called methanogenic Archaea In this chapter, the types of Archaea found in the rumen will be reviewed through a summary of the rumen cultivation studies and molecular surveys of rumen archaeal community composition. The chapter will also assess methanogen function via assessment of genes encoded in the genomic information retrieved from pure cultures of methanogens, as well as from re-assemblies of genomes derived from metagenome data sets from mixed enrichment cultures and directly from rumen samples.

Table of contents

1 Introduction 2 Archaea in the rumen 3 Cultivation of methanogenic Archaea from the rumen 4 The use of molecular techniques to identify and quantify rumen methanogens 5 Hydrogenotrophic methanogens: Methanobrevibacter ruminantium M1 6 Other hydrogenotrophic methanogens 7 Methylotrophic methanogens 8 Acetoclastic methanogens: Methanosarcina sp. CM1 9 Conclusions 10 References