RUMEN METAGENOME SEQUENCING TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

Ruminant livestock and their products have a high economic importance in the world. Their rumen is part of a complex digestive system, contains a microbial community of great importance to the host and with functions related to health, productivity, greenhouse gas emissions, and others. Within the microbial community of the rumen, the bacterial population constitutes the highest population biomass; they are the most active and fermentative and contributes with an important nutrient supply to the host. The DNA sequencing technologies in the molecular age, has allowed to identify an unprecedented number of microorganisms through metagenomics, identifying microbial communities from the sequence of molecular markers, integrated in all microorganisms. Metagenomic studies effectively increased knowledge related to ruminal microbial diversity. However, several factors that can influence the inference of population profiles, makes comparison between studies difficult. This review analyzes several factors that can generate variability in the profiles of the microbial population and presents the state of the art of the sequencing technologies applied in metagenomic studies. On the other hand, makes a comparison between several studies and meta-analysis of the rumen microbiome, with a focus on the dominant populations and their functions. Finally, makes a proposal that could be useful in the difficult challenge of effectively manipulating the composition and function of the ruminal microbiome and opening the possibility for sustainable production.