The modification of glucose levels and N source in the Hungateʹs medium to stimulate the production of fibrolytic enzymes of Anaeromyces sp. YQ3 grown on corn stalks

Hungateʹs method is a well-accepted protocol for the isolation or incubation of anaerobes with a roll tube technique. The aim of this study was to stimulate fungal enzyme production by optimizing the components of Hungateʹs medium for the growth of a rumen fungus Anaeromyces sp. YQ3. The organism was grown on corn stalks and incubated for 10 days in defined media with two glucose levels (G+, glucose in the Hungateʹs medium as a glucose control; G−, glucose removed in a modified Hungateʹs medium) and four N sources (N1: yeast extract + tryptone + (NH4)2SO4 in Hungateʹs medium (control); N2: yeast extract + (NH4)2SO4; N3: tryptone + (NH4)2SO4; and N4: tryptone + yeast extract). In the G− media, the recovered activities of feruloyl esterase (FAE) (P<0.0001), acetyl esterase (AE) (P=0.0065) and xylanase (P<0.0001) were decreased, while the G+ media with N1 nitrogen stimulated the production of FAE and xylanase (P<0.0001). The G− medium with N2 nitrogen increased the recovered activities of carboxymethyl cellulase (P=0.0001) and avicelase (P<0.0001), while the N3 and N4 media increased the recovered activity of AE (P=0.0015). The N4 medium was comparable to the N1 medium in stimulating the amount of recovered xylanase activity. The activities of FAE (P<0.0001), AE (P<0.0001), and xylanase (P<0.0001) showed a time-dependent increase and reached their peaks at day 10, while the avicelase activity peaked at day 8 (P=0.0071). The esterase activities (FAE and AE) were positively correlated with the enzyme activities of xylanase and carboxymethyl cellulase (r > 0.48, P<0.05). After a 10-day incubation, the glucose in the Hungateʹs media contributed to an increase in organic matter disappearance (P<0.0001) and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration (P<0.0001), except for molar acetate proportions. The N4 treatment increased organic matter disappearance and total VFA concentration (P=0.0002). The change in N source did not alter molar proportions of acetate, propionate and valerate, while the N2 treatment increased molar butyrate proportion (P<0.0035), and both N2 and N3 increased the molar proportion of branched chain VFAs (P<0.0041). In summary, the glucose in the Hungateʹs medium is beneficial for stimulating the production of esterases and xylanase, thereby promoting fungal growth. Amending the N source in Hungateʹs medium brings about different yields of rumen fungal esterases and polysaccharide hydrolases that have important nutritional impacts on fibre degradation in ruminant animals.