Seaweed’s โImpact on Cow Gut Microbes:โข A Pathway to Reduced Methane Emissions
A recentโ study published โขin Microbiome details how red seaweed (Asparagopsis) impacts the microbial community within a cow’s rumen, offering insights into a potentialโ long-term solution for reducing methane emissions from cattle. researchers from UC Davis and the Innovative Genomics Institute โ(IGI), comprised of microbiologists, animal and computer scientists, are investigating ways to directly engineer gut microbes toโฃ lower โmethane production, moving beyond reliance on seaweed feed additives.
Previous research โคdemonstrated that Asparagopsis โ inhibits a key enzyme in methane-producing microbes. This new study reveals that the seaweed doesn’t just block the enzyme, but actively alters gene โexpression within the rumen microbial community. Specifically,the seaweed caused certain microbial โขgenes to switch on and off,indicating their crucial role inโฃ the process of methane reduction. This gene activity resulted in โa significant, temporary increase in hydrogen production withinโค the rumen.
Crucially,โข the research team identifiedโฃ a bacterium from the genus Duodenibacillus capable of utilizing this excess โhydrogen. Project leader โขMatthias Hess, a microbiologist at UC Davis, explained the importance of this finding: “Too much โคhydrogen can lead to acidosis in the rumen, which can harmโ the animal. Instead, this organism uses the โขhydrogen and converts it to succinate,โฃ a compound the animal can eventually use to make protein.”
Principal investigator spencer Diamond of the โขIGI highlighted the potential for leveraging this โknowledge. “Hydrogen is a โขkey energy source in the rumen, โขspecifically for methane-producing microbes. This study helps us better understand how other microbes that naturally occur in the rumen can divert โthis hydrogen away from methanogens and towards bacteria that may โฃmake animals โmore efficient.”
The study involved analyzing rumen fluid from eight cows – four on a standard diet and โfour supplemented with seaweed for 14 days. Cows receiving the seaweed additive experienced a 60% reduction in methane emissions, a 367% increase in hydrogen production, and improved feedโ efficiency by up toโข 74%.
Researchers successfully reconstructed the genome โคof Duodenibacillus, a bacterium not yet cultivated in a laboratory setting. Analyzing its genetic code provides understanding of its hydrogen consumption mechanisms, its competitive interactions with other microbes, and its overall โfunction within the rumen environment.Current efforts are focused on isolating this Duodenibacillus species for further inquiry.
The research was โคsupported by funding from lyda Hill philanthropies, Acton Family Giving, the valhalla Foundation, Hastings/Quillin Fund, the CH Foundation, laura and Gary Lauder and Family,โ the Sea Grape Foundation, the Emerson Collective, Mike Schroepfer and Erin Hoffman family Fund, theโค Anne Wojcicki Foundation through The Audacious Project,โ the Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation, and the U.S. department of Energy’s โoffice ofโฃ Science.
