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Molecular Diversity of the Rumen Microbiome of Norwegian Reindeer on Natural Summer Pasture

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Abstract

The molecular diversity of the rumen microbiome was investigated in five semi-domesticated adult female Norwegian reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) grazing on natural summer pastures on the coast of northern Norway (71.00° N, 25.30° E). Mean population densities (numbers per gram wet weight) of methanogenic archaea, rumen bacteria and ciliate protozoa, estimated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), were 3.17 × 109, 5.17 × 1011 and 4.02 × 107, respectively. Molecular diversity of rumen methanogens was revealed using a 16S rRNA gene library (54 clones) constructed using pooled PCR products from the whole rumen contents of the five individual reindeer. Based upon a similarity criterion of <97%, a total of 19 distinct operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified, nine of which are potential new species. The 16S rRNA sequences generated from the reindeer rumen exhibited a high degree of sequence similarity to methanogens affiliated with the families Methanobacteriaceae (14 OTUs) and Methanosarcinaceae (one OTU). Four of the OTUs detected belonged to a group of uncultivated archaea previously found in domestic ruminants and thought to be dominant in the rumen together with Methanobrevibacter spp. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiling of the rumen bacterial 16S rRNA gene and the protozoal 18S rRNA gene indicated a high degree of animal variation, although some bands were common to all individuals. Automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) profiling of the ruminal Neocallimastigales population indicated that the reindeer are likely to contain more than one type of anaerobic fungus. The ARISA profile from one animal was distinct from the other four. This is the first molecular investigation of the ruminal methanogenic archaea in reindeer, revealing higher numbers than expected based on methane emission data available. Also, many of the reindeer archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences were similar to those reported in domesticated ruminants in Australia, Canada, China, New Zealand and Venezuela, supporting previous findings that there seems to be no host type or geographical effect on the methanogenic archaea community structure in ruminants.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the Roald Amundsen Centre for Arctic Research (Project number 200507652), the University of Tromsø (Institute of Medical Biology) and the Norwegian Research Council (Project number 641225 S5258). It is linked to the framework of the International Polar Year (IPY) as part of the consortium IPY # 399 EALAT: Climate change and reindeer husbandry. The sequencing laboratory at the Medical Faculty, University of Tromsø is acknowledged for their efficient work sequencing the methanogenic Archaea 16S rRNA genes. We thank Dr. Stuart Denman (CSIRO Livestock Industries, Brisbane, Australia) for providing the protocol for glass milk DNA extraction. We are grateful to Prof. Mike Theodorou and Prof. Jamie Newbold for their support of the analyses conducted at IGER.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Arctic Biology and Institute of Medical Biology, University of Tromsø, 9037, Tromsø, Norway

    Monica A. Sundset, Roberto S. Senosiain, Maria N. Fraile, Kirsti E. Præsteng & Trine Glad

  2. Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, Aberystwyth, UK

    Joan E. Edwards & Yan Fen Cheng

  3. College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China

    Yan Fen Cheng

  4. CSIRO Livestock Industries, Queensland Bioscience Precinct, 306 Carmody Rd., St. Lucia, Queensland, 4067, Australia

    Korinne S. Northwood & André-Denis G. Wright

  5. Department of Pharmacology and Institute of Pharmacy, University of Tromsø, 9037, Tromsø, Norway

    Trine Glad

  6. Saami University College, 9520, Guovdageaidnu, Norway

    Svein D. Mathiesen

  7. Section of Arctic Veterinary Medicine, The Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, 9292, Tromsø, Norway

    Svein D. Mathiesen

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  1. Monica A. Sundset
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  2. Joan E. Edwards
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  3. Yan Fen Cheng
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  4. Roberto S. Senosiain
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  7. Kirsti E. Præsteng
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  8. Trine Glad
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  9. Svein D. Mathiesen
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  10. André-Denis G. Wright
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Correspondence to Monica A. Sundset.

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Sundset, M.A., Edwards, J.E., Cheng, Y.F. et al. Molecular Diversity of the Rumen Microbiome of Norwegian Reindeer on Natural Summer Pasture. Microb Ecol 57, 335–348 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-008-9414-7

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