This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Brewer, D. Articles by Taylor, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Brewer, D. Articles by Taylor, A. Agricola Articles by Brewer, D. Articles by Taylor, A.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1986 January; 51(1): 138-142
Copyright © 1986, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Effect of Nickelous and Other Metal Ions on the Inhibition of Rumen Bacterial Metabolism by 3-(3'-Isocyanocyclopent-2-Enylidene)Propionic Acid and Related Isocyanides

¹ National Research Council of Canada, Atlantic Research Laboratory, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 3Z1, Experimental Farm, Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Nappan, Nova Scotia B0L 1C0, ² and Department of Applied Microbiology and Food Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 0W0, ³ Canada

ABSTRACT

3-(3'-Isocyanocyclopent-2-enylidene)propionic acid at a concentration of 2 to 5 µg ml^–1 inhibited cellulose digestion by a mixed culture of rumen microorganisms and in other experiments inhibited the degradation of timothy hay (Phleum pratense) in a digestibility test. At isocyanide concentrations of 12 µg ml^–1 the fermentation activity of rumen fluid, measured by its dehydrogenase activity, was inhibited but not abolished. All of these isocyanide effects were reversed by the incorporation of nickelous ion into the solutions of the systems under study. The activity of 1 mol of isocyanide is reversed by about 1 mol of Ni²⁺ and, in the case of the cellulose digestion test, by about 1 mol of Co²⁺. Of some 15 other ions tested only Pd²⁺ and possibly chromium reversed the effect of the isocyanide.

^* Corresponding author.

This paper is National Research Council of Canada no. 25171 and Experimental Farm, Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Nappan, Nova Scotia, contribution no. 290.