DEGRADATION AND FERMENTATION OF CELLULOSE BY THE RUMEN ANAEROBIC FUNGI IN AXENIC CULTURES OR IN ASSOCIATION WITH CELLULOLYTIC BACTERIA

Three rumen anaerobic fungi-Neocallinastix frontalis MCH3, Piromyces (Piromonas) communis FL, and Caecomyces (Sphaeromonas) communis FG10-were cultured on cellulose filter paper alone or in association with one of two rumen cellulolytic bacteria, Ruminococcus flavefaciens 007 and Fibrobacter succinogenes S85. Cocultures of N. frontalis or P. communis and R. flavefaciens were markedly less effective than the fungal monocultures in degrading cellulose but more effective than the bacterial monocultures. R. flavefaciens had an antagonistic effect against both of the fungal species. In contrast, no interaction was observed between the two fungal species and F. succinogenes. Cellulose was more effectively degraded by the coculture C. communis-R. flavefaciens than by the corresponding fungal and bacterial monocultures. The effectiveness of degradation of the coculture C. communis-F. succinogenes was comparable to that of the bacterial strains but greater than that of the fungi; no interaction was observed between these two microorganisms.