Dynamics of the sheep (Ovis aries) rumen microbiome and its relationship with biomass degradation

• Grant number: 12/24588-4
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2013
• Effective date (End): February 29, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy
• Principal researcher: Rodrigo Mendes
• Grantee: Emiliana Manesco Romagnoli
• Home Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 12/03848-8 - Rumen microbiome metagenomics and metatranscriptomics for biomass degrading genes discovery, AP.BIOEN.JP
• Associated scholarship(s): 14/00448-4 - Sheep rumen metagenome: searching for biomass-degrading bacteria and genes, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Currently, the biggest challenge for the industrial production of second-generation biofuels from plant fiber, such as the sugar cane bagasse, is the inefficient degradation of vegetal fiber due to the low activity of hydrolytic enzymes currently available. The discovery of enzymes from microbial communities evolved naturally in biomass degradation, such as from the animal rumen, offers a promising strategy for identification of new lignocellulosic enzymes with better activity. In this context, metagenomics becomes a powerful tool for the discovery of new genomes and active genes involved in biomass degradation. The sheep rumen is a biological system where the biomass degrading microorganisms are naturally enriched which facilitates the directed bioprospection towards to the discovery of new genes and enzymes associated with hydrolysis of vegetal material. Therefore, this project aims to study the microbiome from sheep rumen to discovery new enzymes for biofuel production. To do so, the microbial communities from sheep rumen (Santa Inês breed) will be accessed. These animals will be fed on a basal diet (control) and on a formulated diet for the enrichment of the sugar cane bagasse degrading microorganisms. Two approaches will be used; 1) Sequencing of 16S rDNA gene, aiming the understanding of the bacterial communities structure associated with animals under different diets e for identification groups enriched during biomass degradation; and 2) Sequencing of total DNA, aiming the assessment of the metabolic potential of the rumen microbiome and identification of potential biomass degrading genes. Thus, the ruminal fluid will be sampled over the period of 60 days, and according to the animal performance samples will be selected for library construction (16S rDNA and total DNA) for sequencing. After collecting the ruminal fluid, and followed by DNA isolation and preparation of libraries, it will be used the second-generation sequencer Ion Torrent PGM for generating sequences. The information obtained in this project will open new horizons towards a full understanding of the genomic diversity, functional genes, and metabolic capabilities of the biomass degrading microorganisms, with great prospects to obtain new molecules that may be applied in the biofuel industry.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LOPES, LUCAS DANTAS; DE SOUZA LIMA, ANDRE OLIVEIRA; TAKETANI, RODRIGO GOUVEA; DARIAS, PHILLIP; FE DA SILVA, LILIA RAQUEL; ROMAGNOLI, EMILIANA MANESCO; LOUVANDINI, HELDER; ABDALLA, ADIBE LUIZ; MENDES, RODRIGO. Exploring the sheep rumen microbiome for carbohydrate-active enzymes. ANTONIE VAN LEEUWENHOEK INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GENERAL AND MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, v. 108, n. 1, p. 15-30, JUL 2015. Web of Science Citations: 12.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

ROMAGNOLI, Emiliana Manesco. Dynamics of the sheep (Ovis aries) rumen microbiome and its relationship with the degradation of biomass. 2016. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz Piracicaba.