RUMEN BACTERIA DEGRADING TOXIC MIMOSINE AND DIHYDROXYPYRIDINE COMPOUNDS IN CHINA
降解有毒的含羞草素和二羟基吡啶化合物的瘤胃细菌

Four anaerobic strains were isolated from the rumen of the cattle which no specific toxic symptoms were seen when Leucaena was fed in Weizhou island Beihai city, Guangxi Province, China. All of these strains (BR-1, BR-2, BR-5 and BR-7) possess degradative activities to toxic mimosine?3-hydroxy-4 (1H) -pyridone (3, 4-DHP) and 2, 3-dihydroxypyridine (2, 3DHP) from Leucaena, that were confirmed by analysis of HPLC. Pure and mixed cultures of these four strains in vitro degraded 44-59% of mimosine, 30-47% of 3, 4 DHP, and 58-60% of 2, 3 DHP respectively in 3 days. Strains of Both BR-1 and BR-2 were almost identical and were characterized as Lactobacillus, may be a new species. Strains of BR-5 and BR-7 were characterized as Streptococcus bovis and Clostridium sporogenes respectively. It has not yet been reported that these Gram positive facultatively and obligately anaerobic b tetria wore able to degrade mimosine, 3, 4 DHP and 2, 3 DHP. These detoxic bact existing in the rumen microflora of cattle in Weizhou island, protecting thereface,their hosts animal from Leucaena toxicity.