Inhibiting Ruminal Lipolysis to Alter Gut Microbial Ecology and Prevent Biohydrogenation of Unsaturated Fats

Approach: Microbial lipases will be purified from Anaerovibrio lipolytica, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens and from mixed populations of ruminal bacteria obtained from cattle maintained on high forage as well as on high concentrate diets. The four purified enzyme preparations from A. lipolytica, B. fibrisolvens, forage-adapted mixed population, and concentrate-adapted mixed population will be inoculated into laying hens to generate egg yolk antibodies. Once developed, these anti-lipase antibodies will be tested for their ability to inhibit ruminal lipase activity via in vitro incubation with fish oil, sunflower oil, linseed oil, lard, canola oil, and available seaweed and algal substrates. Effects of anti-lipase antibodies on rumen microbial ecology will be assessed using a denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis method which assesses overall genotypic microbial diversity.