Deoxyribonuclease activities of rumen bacteria from the genus Prevotella

Abstract

Twenty-nine strains belonging to four species of the anaerobic bacterial genus Prevotella were tested for deoxyribonuclease activity against the nonmethylated l phage DNA and circular plasmid pBR322 DNA. The rate of DNA degradation when comparing different species and even strains within the tested species showed large variation. The strains of the species P. brevis and P.bryantii (with exception of the strain TC1-1) all exhibit high activity and completely degraded l DNA after 30 seconds. No DNase activity could however be detected with 14 of the 29 tested strains. The survey of the DNase activities confirmed the validity of the recent reclassification of rumen bacteria from the genus Prevotella. A simple method allowing the screening of DNase activities of anaerobic rumen microorganisms on agar plates is described too.