Reliable identification of Prevotella and Butyrivibrio spp. from rumen by fatty acid methyl ester profiles.

Data for bacterial identification were provided by culturing anaerobic bacteria under standardized conditions followed by extraction and methylation of cellular long-chain fatty acids and gas chromatographic analysis. The databases of fatty acid methyl ester (FAMEs) profiles for two predominant ruminal genera, Prevotella and Butyrivibrio, were created. Major long-chain cellular fatty acids found in the 23 analyzed Prevotella strains were 15:0 (anteiso), 15:0, 15:0 (iso) and 16:0. The strains of Prevotella could be well identified on species level by the characteristic ratios among major fatty acids and by acids unique fatty for each species. The 45 Butyrivibrio strains were grouped into 4 major and 2 minor groups according to FAMEs profiles. The major fatty acids for the bulk of the Butyrivibrio strains were 14:0, 15:1, 16:0 and 16:0 (iso). This groups corresponded to those based on 16S rDNA sequences.