Abstract
Interspecies hydrogen transfer between rumen holotrich ciliate protoza and methanogenic bacteria has been demonstrated. As a result of the metabolic interaction with Methanosarcina barkeri, the metabolite profile of Isotricha spp. was altered and the production of butyrate and lactate was suppressed in the presence of the methanogen. Use of membrane-inlet mass spectrometry confirmed that the presence of rumen holotrich ciliates reduced the apparent sensitivity of methanogenesis to the inhibitory effects of oxygen; a gas phase concentration of 7·4 kPa oxygen was required to inhibit methanogenesis in the presence of protozoa, while in pure cultures of M. barkeri, methanogenesis was inhibited by a gas phase oxygen concentration of 1·0 kPa.
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