COMPARISON OF METABOLIC-ACTIVITIES BETWEEN PIROMYCES-CITRONII, AND EQUINE FUNGAL SPECIES, AND PIROMYCES-COMMUNIS, A RUMINAL SPECIES

Four strains of Piromyces isolated from the rumen of fistulated sheep and cattle and from the caecum of fistulated donkeys and ponies were c ompared for their ability to grow on glucose and cellobiose, to digest cellulose and for the end-products of their fermentation. Two main di fferences appeared between the ruminal and caecal fungi. The equine st rains grew more rapidly than the ruminal strains on glucose and cellob iose and did not produce lactate. The four strains had a typical mixed -acid fermentation. The ruminal strains mainly produced formate, aceta te, lactate, ethanol and the equine strain produced only formate, acet ate and ethanol. Small amounts of malate and succinate and traces of f umarate were also detected. The donkey strains degraded cellulose more rapidly and to a greater extent than the other strains. (C) 1998 Else vier Science B.V.