Abstract
Microorganisms play an important role in animal nutrition, as they can be used as a source of food or feed. The aim of the study was to determine the nutritional elements and fatty acids contained in the biomass of methanotrophic bacteria. Four bacterial consortia composed of Methylocystis and Methylosinus originating from Sphagnum flexuosum (Sp1), S. magellanicum (Sp2), S. fallax II (Sp3), S. magellanicum IV (Sp4), and one composed of Methylocaldum, Methylosinus, and Methylocystis that originated from coalbed rock (Sk108) were studied. Nutritional elements were determined using the flame atomic absorption spectroscopy technique after a biomass mineralization stage, whereas the fatty acid content was analyzed with the GC technique. Additionally, the growth of biomass and dynamics of methane consumption were monitored. It was found that the methanotrophic biomass contained high concentrations of K, Mg, and Fe, i.e., approx. 9.6–19.1, 2.2–7.6, and 2.4–6.6 g kg−1, respectively. Consequently, the biomass can be viewed as an appropriate feed and/or feed additive for supplementation with macroelements and certain microelements. Moreover, all consortia demonstrated higher content of unsaturated acids than saturated ones. Thus, methanotrophic bacteria seem to be a good solution, in natural supplementation of animal diets.
Highlights
Aerobic methanotrophs are a unique group of gram-negative bacteria capable of utilization of methane as a sole carbon and energy source [1]
We have presented the possibility of use of methanotrophic bacterial biomass as potential mineral feed ingredients dedicated to different animals
It was shown that all biomass obtained from the studied consortium had higher contents of unsaturated acids than saturated acids
Summary
Aerobic methanotrophs are a unique group of gram-negative bacteria capable of utilization of methane as a sole carbon and energy source [1]. Methanotrophs are present in a wide variety of environments and play an important role in the oxidation of methane in the natural world [2]. For more than 30 years, bacteria oxidizing methane have attracted the attention of many researchers and aroused great interest in their industrial applications due to their unique microbiological and metabolic features [2]. Milestones in the study of obligate methanotrophs led to the discovery of their significant potential for applied microbiology, biotechnology, and biochemical engineering, including bioremediation of pollutants (e.g., halogenated hydrocarbons) via co-metabolism by the monooxygenase system (MMOs), biotransformation of diverse organic substrates (e.g., propylene to epoxypropane, production of chiral alcohols), assimilation of methane to mitigate greenhouse effects, and production of commercially relevant compounds, e.g., single cell protein, poly-hydroxybutyrate, Int. J. Public Health 2019, 16, 2674; doi:10.3390/ijerph16152674 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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