TRANSPORT AND INTRACELLULAR METABOLISM OF MAJOR FEED COMPOUNDS BY RUMINAL BACTERIA - THE POTENTIAL FOR METABOLIC MANIPULATION

Current knowledge of the uptake and metabolism of the major energy yie lding and nitrogenous nutrients that are naturally available to rumina l bacteria is reviewed. The potential use of metabolic engineering to manipulate these metabolic pathways and improve nutrient utilization i n ruminant animals is briefly discussed. Metabolic engineering is the use of recombinant DNA techniques to enhance microbial function by man ipulating enzymatic, transport and regulatory functions of the cell. E xamples of the use of metabolic engineering in industrial fermentation are also given.