Improved and easy method for long-term in vitro culture of rumen ciliates Dasytricha ruminantium

Abstract

The rumen ciliates are a diverse group of protozoa residing in the rumen of ruminant animals. They are primarily found in the orders Entodiniomorphida and Vestibuliferida, playing crucial roles in the digestion and breakdown of feed within the host's rumen, closely intertwined with the host's nutrient absorption. In vitro monocultures of representatives of rumen ciliates are important to better study them. So far, Entodinium caudatum and Epidinium caudatum, representatives of the order Entodiniomorphida, have been successfully cultivated as a monoculture in vitro. However, for the order Vestibuliferida, no representative species has been established a stable monoculture in vitro up to date, which hampers to study their physiology and metabolism. Therefore, we have developed a simple method for the in vitro cultivation of Dasytricha ruminantium, a representative rumen ciliate in the order Vestibuliferida. Utilizing an optimized culture medium with easily obtainable components, and the cultivation process is simple. This will facilitate further research in metabolism and other studies requiring large pure live materials.

• 1.

  Filtration and separation for enriching D. ruminantium.

• 2.

  A culture medium (DRM) suitable for the growth of D. ruminantium, with easily obtainable components.

• 3.

  Simple cultivation process, facilitating the obtainment of a large number of monocultured D. ruminantium.