Metagenomic insights into the mechanistic differences of plant polyphenols and nitrocompounds in reducing methane emissions using the rumen simulation technique

Abstract

Methane (CH4) emissions from ruminants contribute significantly to greenhouse gas levels and also result in considerable feed energy losses. Plant polyphenols and nitrocompounds are two typical types of methane inhibitors. The study investigates the mechanistic differences between 2-nitroethanol (NE) and proanthocyanidins (PAC) in reducing methane emissions from ruminant livestock using the rumen simulation technique (RUSITEC) combined with metagenomic analyses.The experiment was performed as a complete randomized block design with 3 runs. Run was used as a blocking factor. The treatments included a control (CON) with no additive, NE at 0.5 g/kg dry matter (DM), and PAC at 20 g/kg DM, all incubated in vitro for 24 h (h) with eight replicates per treatment. The results showed that NE significantly reduced CH4 production by 94.9 % (P < 0.01) and total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) concentration by 11.1 % (P < 0.05) compared to the control. NE also decreased the acetate-to-propionate ratio (A/P) from 1.93 to 1.60 (P < 0.01), indicating a shift towards more efficient fermentation. In contrast, PAC reduced methane production by 11.7 % (P < 0.05) and decreased the A/P (P < 0.05) while maintaining microbial diversity and fermentation stability, with no significant impact on TVFA concentration (P > 0.05). Metagenomic analysis revealed that NE markedly suppressed the abundance of key genera involved in carbohydrate metabolism, including Prevotella and Bacteroides, leading to reduced acetate and butyrate pathways. NE also selectively inhibited methanogenic archaea, particularly Methanobrevibacter spp., which are integral to the hydrogenotrophic pathway (P < 0.01). On the other hand, PAC showed selective inhibition of Methanosphaera spp., targeting the methylotrophic pathway (P < 0.01). These findings provide valuable insights into the distinct microbial and metabolic pathways modulated by NE and PAC, offering potential strategies for developing effective dietary interventions to mitigate methane emissions in ruminant livestock.