Rumen Microbes – Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens

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Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens is a non-spore-forming, anaerobic, curved rod-shaped bacterium. It has a high capacity to produce butyrate, which plays an important role in the physiology and metabolism of the intestine and its tissues.

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This month’s feature created by: Brooke Clemmons

A herd of cattle in the field
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cannulated cattle

​Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens is one of the most commonly-found bacteria in the rumen. Photo courtesy of EPA

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microscopic image of bacteria breaking down plant structural carbohydrates

​B. fibrisolvens can break down plant structural carbohydrates (hemicellulose and pectin), starches, and proteins​. Photo courtesy of Lydia Joubert; USDA publication

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electron micrograph showing "knobs" on the cells surface of Butryribivrio fibrisolvens

​B. fibrisolvens have “knobs” on their cell walls that allow them to adhere to other cells, including other bacteria and plant cell walls. Photo adapted from Cheng and Costerton (1977)

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chemical structures of linoleic acid, conjugated linoleic acid, vaccenic acid, and stearic acid

​B. fibrisolvens produces conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is important for human heart, brain, and visual health. Photo courtesy of C.E. Fernie, in Encyclopedia of Food Sciences and Nutrition (Second Edition), 2003

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