UTILIZATION OF CELLULOSE, STARCH, XYLAN, AND OTHER HEMICELLULOSES FOR GROWTH BY THE RUMEN PHYCOMYCETE NEOCALLIMASTIX-FRONTALIS

The rumen phycomycete Neocallimastix frontalis was found to utilize for growth a wide range of plant polysaccharides, including cellulose, starch, and xylan. The ability to utilize polysaccharides was absent after prolonged culture in vitro on glucose, but present after subculture on grass particles. Grass-grown organisms were capable of growing at the expense of cellobiose, maltose, and xylose, capacities absent before exposure to grass particles. N. frontalis cultures digested at least 41% of the dry weight of water-insoluble grass tissue, and up to 75% of the dry weight of filter paper. © 1979, Springer-Verlag New York Inc.. All rights reserved.