New recombinant fibrolytic enzymes for improved in vitro ruminal fiber degradability of barley straw

Abstract

This study used a high-throughput in vitro microassay, in vitro batch culture, and the Rumen Simulation Technique (RUSITEC) to screen recombinant fibrolytic enzymes for their ability to increase the ruminal fiber degradability of barley straw. Eleven different recombinant enzymes in combination with a crude mixture of rumen enzymes (50% recombinant enzyme:50% crude mixture of rumen enzymes) were compared with the crude mixture of rumen enzymes alone. In the microassay, all treatments were applied at 15 mg of protein load per gram barley straw glucan. Based on the microassay results, 1 recombinant endoglucanase [EGL7A, from the glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 7], 2 recombinant xylanases (XYL10A and XYL10C, from GH10), and a recombinant enzyme mixture were selected and compared with a crude mixture of fibrolytic enzymes from Aspergillus aculeatus for their ability to hydrolyze barley straw. For batch culture, enzymes were applied to barley straw at 2 dosages (100 and 500 μg of protein/g of substrate DM). All enzymes increased (P < 0.05) DM disappearance and total VFA production, but the mixture of recombinant enzymes was not superior to the use of a single recombinant enzyme. Based on positive results (P < 0.05) for total DM disappearance and VFA production in batch culture, 3 enzymes (EGL7A, XYL10A, and XYL10C) were selected and applied to barley straw at 500 μg of protein per gram for further assessment in RUSITECs fed a concentrate:barley straw diet (300:700 g/kg DM). In RUSITECs, the recombinant enzyme XYL10A increased (P < 0.05) barley straw DM, NDF, and ADF disappearance, whereas EGL7A and XYL10C had no effect. The enzymes selected based on the high-throughput in vitro microassay consistently increased barley straw degradation in ruminal batch culture, but not in the semicontinuous culture RUSITEC system.