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Exploration of Multi-Source Lignocellulose-Degrading Microbial Resources and Bioaugmentation Strategies: Implications for Rumen Efficiency
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College of Animal Science, Anhui Science and Technology University, Fengyang 233100, China
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Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutritional Physiology and Metabolic Process, National Engineering Laboratory for Pollution Control and Waste Utilization in Livestock and Poultry Production, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Animals 2025, 15(13), 1920; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15131920
Submission received: 27 May 2025
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Revised: 27 June 2025
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Accepted: 27 June 2025
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Published: 29 June 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Maximizing Fiber Utilization for Sustainable, Efficient Ruminant Production)
Simple Summary
This review explores the diverse world of microbes (bacteria and fungi) capable of breaking down lignocellulose, found in environments from cow rumens to insect guts and forest soils. We cover how researchers identify these microbes and, crucially, the shift towards using advanced multi-omics techniques to pinpoint highly efficient straw-degrading enzymes, alongside genome-editing tools to engineer improved microbes. Our aim is to guide the discovery of new microbial resources and superior enzymes to enhance the utilization of roughage like straw, especially within ruminant feeding systems.
Abstract
Utilizing straw feed is an effective strategy to optimize straw resource utilization by incorporating microbial degradation agents to expedite lignocellulose breakdown and enhance feed efficiency. Lignocellulose-degrading species and microbial communities are present in various Earth ecosystems, including the rumen of ruminants, insect digestive tracts, forest soil, and microbial populations in papermaking processes. The rumen of ruminants harbors a diverse range of microbial species, making it a promising source of lignocellulose-degrading microorganisms. Exploring alternative systems like insect intestines and forest soil is essential for future research. Current studies primarily rely on traditional microbial isolation techniques to identify lignocellulose-degrading strains, underscoring the necessity to transition to utilizing microbial culturomics and genome-editing technologies for discovering and manipulating cellulose-degrading microbes. This review provides an overview of lignocellulose-degrading microbial communities from diverse environments, encompassing bacterial and fungal populations. It also delves into the use of metagenomic, metatranscriptomic, and metaproteomic approaches to pinpoint highly efficient cellulase genes, along with the application of genome-editing tools for engineering lignocellulose-degrading microorganisms. The primary objective of this review is to offer insights for further exploration of potential lignocellulose-degrading microbial resources and high-performance cellulase genes to enhance roughage utilization in ruminant rumen ecosystems.
