Ribosomal ITS1 sequence-based diversity analysis of anaerobic rumen fungi in cattle fed on high fiber diet

Abstract

Fiber degradation in the ruminant digestive process is amajor activity accomplished by rumenmicrobes, a process in which the role of fungi is important. Therefore, the present study was conducted to establish the community structure of anaerobic rumen fungi in cattle fed on a high fiber diet using molecular approaches. Total community DNA was extracted, and the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 region was amplified, cloned, and sequenced. The resulting nucleotide sequences were used to construct a phylogenetic tree. A total of 52 clones were analyzed, revealing 31 different ITS1 gene phylotypes. Of these, 12 belonged to the genus Orpinomyces (48 % of clones), followed by uncultured Neocallimastigale clones (29 %), Cyllamyces spp. (9 %) and Anaeromyces spp. (8 %). Our results indicate that genus Orpinomyces dominates the rumen fungal community in Indian crossbred Karan Fries cattle. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg and the University of Milan 2013.