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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Bowling Green, Kentucky » Food Animal Environmental Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #200823

Title: Characterization of skatole-producing microbial populations in enriched swine lagoon slurry.

Author
item Rothrock, Michael
item Cook, Kimberly - Kim
item Loughrin, John
item DOERNER, K - WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSI

Submitted to: American Society for Microbiology Branch Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/20/2006
Publication Date: 10/12/2006
Citation: Rothrock Jr, M.J., Cook, K.L., Loughrin, J.H., Doerner, K. 2006. Characterization of skatole-producing microbial populations in enriched swine lagoon slurry.. American Society for Microbiology Branch Meeting.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Skatole is one of the most malodorous compounds produced from anaerobic degradation of animal waste. Little is known of the biochemistry involved in skatole production, the phylogeny of skatole-producing microorganisms or the conditions that favor their growth. These deficiencies hamper attempts to reduce skatole production. Our goals were to enrich for skatole-producers in swine lagoon slurry (SLS) and evaluate the resulting microbial community structure using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Skatole producers were enriched by incubating dilutions of SLS with 100 µM indole-3-acetic acids (IAA). GC-MS was used to measure skatole production in the slurries after 0, 7 and 17 days incubation. Based on MPN analysis, skatole producers increased hundred fold in SLS samples supplemented with IAA. Based on DGGE fingerprint patterns from day 0, 7 and 17 treatments with high, mid or low levels of skatole production, changes in the SLS population occurred as skatole production increased. Changes in the bacterial community fingerprints were associated with an increase in the low-GC gram positives and in the Bacteroides groups. Results from this study should provide valuable new information concerning the organisms responsible for production of this odorant, a necessary first step towards controlling skatole production.