Establishment of Eubacterium cellulosolvens in the digestive tract of axenic and meroxenic mice: influence of feed cellulose content.

The cellulolytic bacterial species present in the caecum and colon contents of conventionally reared mature mice did not become established in the digestive tract when inoculated to axenic mice, whatever the size of the inoculum or the cellulose content of the diet. The cellulolytic bacterium Eubacterium cellulosolvens SC 10 isolated from mouse digestive flora was unable to become established in the digestive tract of axenic mice whatever the cellulose content of the diet; it requires a feed rich in cellulose and a highly diversified microflora.