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Xylose utilization and short-chain fatty acid production by selected components of the intestinal microflora of a rodent pollinator (Aethomys namaquensis)

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Abstract

Namaqua rock mice (Aethomys namaquensis) consume nectar xylose when visiting Protea flowers. Whole-animal metabolism studies suggest that the gastrointestinal microflora plays an important role in xylose metabolism in A. namaquensis. We collected caecal contents under anaerobic conditions, cultured caecal microflora both aerobically and anaerobically, and assessed caecal microbial xylose utilization using a 14C-xylose incubation assay. All four mice sampled hosted culturable caecal micro-organisms that tested positive for xylose utilization. These were classified by 16S rRNA based taxonomy as: Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus licheniformis, Shigella boydii, Arthrobacter sp. and members of the fungal genera Aspergillus and Penicillium. Cultures of these isolates were then analyzed by gas chromatography to determine the types and quantities of short-chain fatty acids produced by xylose fermentation. These results are discussed in the context of other studies of gut microflora in vertebrates.

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Abbreviations

CFU:

Colony forming units

SCFA:

Short-chain fatty acids

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Acknowledgements

Elanna Bester and Jeanette Cilliers (Microbiology Department), Bettine Jansen van Vuuren (Molecular Genomics Laboratory, Botany and Zoology Department), Ulrike Damm (Plant Pathology Department), Candice Ockert (Institute for Wine Biotechnology) and Gunnar Sigge and Armelle Ntsame-Affane (Food Science Department), all at the University of Stellenbosch, helped generously with laboratory work. HPLC analyses for the faecal microflora study were carried out at the Institute for Plant Biotechnology, University of Stellenbosch. This work was supported by NRF Grant GUN 2053621 to S.W. Nicolson, NRF GUN 2039528 to S. Jackson and by a grant from SubCommittee B of the Research Committee of the University of Stellenbosch to S. Jackson. The experiments described herein comply with the current laws of South Africa.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa

    S. A. Johnson & S. W. Nicolson

  2. SPACE Group, Department of Botany and Zoolgy, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602, South Africa

    S. Jackson

  3. Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa

    V. R. Abratt

  4. Department of Microbiology, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602, South Africa

    G. M. Wolfaardt

  5. Institute for Wine Biotechnology, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602, South Africa

    R. Cordero-Otero

Authors
  1. S. A. Johnson
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  2. S. Jackson
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  3. V. R. Abratt
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  4. G. M. Wolfaardt
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  5. R. Cordero-Otero
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  6. S. W. Nicolson
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Correspondence to S. Jackson.

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Communicated by I.D. Hume

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Johnson, S.A., Jackson, S., Abratt, V.R. et al. Xylose utilization and short-chain fatty acid production by selected components of the intestinal microflora of a rodent pollinator (Aethomys namaquensis). J Comp Physiol B 176, 631–641 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-006-0086-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-006-0086-7

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