Cocultures of anaerobic fungi and chain-elongating bacteria stably convert lignocellulose to butyrate and hexanoate

This study looks at the gene expression of two chain-elongating bacteria, Pseudoramibacter alactolyticus and Megasphaera elsdenii, in monoculture and in coculture with anaerobic gut fungi (Neocallimastix lanati). P. alactolyticus in particular has appeared stable in synthetic cocultures with anaerobic fungi based on metabolic output, and this RNA-seq study was designed to further assess that stability. Additionally, chain-elongating bacteria can use fungal fermentation products to generate short- and medium-chain fatty acids, and this study was employed to see how genes involved in this process (reverse beta oxidation) were regulated in coculture compared to monoculture. Overall design: RNA-seq of chain-elongating bacteria (P. alactolyticus or M. elsdenii) in monoculture with lactate added and in coculture with Neocallimastix lanati.