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Production of Lactic Acid and an Iodine Staining Substance by Bovine Rumen Bacteria

Departments of Bacteriology and Dairy Husbandry, University of Maryland, College Park

ABSTRACT

Some years ago, Baker (1) divided the microorganisms of the rumen into iodophilic and aniodophilic forms, depending on the color produced within them upon application of an iodine staining solution. Iodophilic forms stained blue-mauve and many were considered to possess cellulolytic abilities. Earlier, Henneberg (10) observed cocci in enzymatically dissolved zones ("frassbette") in plant fragments from rumen contents. These organisms stained wine-red upon application of an iodine staining solution.

Recently, Oxford (16) and Masson and Oxford (15) found that holotrich ciliates from the rumen of sheep were active in depositing intracellular polysaccharide granules. The polysaccharide stained brownish-purple and was considered a reserve substance, starch-like in nature. This substance was synthesized from glucose, fructose, sucrose, inulin, and bacterial levan and to a lesser extent from cellobiose, but not from maltose. Heald (9) observed rapid increases in stored polysaccharide after feeding, followed by an equally rapid decline. This worker did not agree with Baker's (2) suggestion that polysaccharide synthesis represented a mechanism whereby a source of carbohydrate was available in the intestine, since he believed that most of it was broken down before leavinsr the rumen.