Addressing Global Ruminant Agricultural Challenges Through Understanding the Rumen Microbiome: Past, Present, and Future
Date
2018-09-25
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Publisher
Frontiers Media
Abstract
The rumen is a complex ecosystem composed of anaerobic bacteria, protozoa, fungi,
methanogenic archaea and phages. These microbes interact closely to breakdown
plant material that cannot be digested by humans, whilst providing metabolic energy
to the host and, in the case of archaea, producing methane. Consequently, ruminants
produce meat and milk, which are rich in high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals,
and therefore contribute to food security. As the world population is predicted to reach approximately 9.7 billion by 2050, an increase in ruminant production to satisfy
global protein demand is necessary, despite limited land availability, and whilst ensuring
environmental impact is minimized. Although challenging, these goals can be met,
but depend on our understanding of the rumen microbiome. Attempts to manipulate
the rumen microbiome to benefit global agricultural challenges have been ongoing for
decades with limited success, mostly due to the lack of a detailed understanding of this
microbiome and our limited ability to culture most of these microbes outside the rumen.
The potential to manipulate the rumen microbiome and meet global livestock challenges
through animal breeding and introduction of dietary interventions during early life have
recently emerged as promising new technologies. Our inability to phenotype ruminants
in a high-throughput manner has also hampered progress, although the recent increase
in “omic” data may allow further development of mathematical models and rumen
microbial gene biomarkers as proxies. Advances in computational tools, high-throughput
sequencing technologies and cultivation-independent “omics” approaches continue to
revolutionize our understanding of the rumen microbiome. This will ultimately provide the
knowledge framework needed to solve current and future ruminant livestock challenges.
Description
Publication history: Accepted - 23 August 2018; Published - 25 September 2018.
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Keywords
rumen, microbiome, host, diet, production, methane, omics
Citation
Huws, S. A., Creevey, C. J., Oyama, L. B., Mizrahi, I., Denman, S. E., Popova, M., Muñoz-Tamayo, R., Forano, E., Waters, S. M., Hess, M., Tapio, I., Smidt, H., Krizsan, S. J., Yáñez-Ruiz, D. R., Belanche, A., Guan, L., Gruninger, R. J., McAllister, T. A., Newbold, C. J., Roehe, R., Dewhurst, R. J., Snelling, T. J., Watson, M., Suen, G., Hart, E. H., Kingston-Smith, A. H., Scollan, N. D., do Prado, R. M., Pilau, E. J., Mantovani, H. C., Attwood, G. T., Edwards, J. E., McEwan, N. R., Morrisson, S., Mayorga, O. L., Elliott, C. and Morgavi, D. P. (2018) ‘Addressing Global Ruminant Agricultural Challenges Through Understanding the Rumen Microbiome: Past, Present, and Future’, Frontiers in Microbiology, 9. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02161.