Alginate foraging is conserved in geographically and taxonomically distinct ruminant microbiomes

Seaweed plays a crucial role in carbon cycling and is expected to be a valuable resource for sustainable biomass, with applications in biofuel production, human nutrition, and animal feed. Although seaweed has historically been used as a feed source for livestock grazing near coastlines, the process by which it is digested in the rumen remains unknown. Here, we show how the brown alga Saccharina latissima is catabolized within the rumen ecosystem of two different ruminant species using in vivo and in vitro experimental systems. Evidence of digestion was obtained using a combination of animal models, bacterial imaging, multilayered meta-omics, and enzyme biochemistry. Our results demonstrate that geographically distinct ruminants harbor conserved alginate utilization loci, of which essential enzymes were expressed in response to S. latissima in the diet. While core enzymes involved in alginate metabolism have been maintained throughout populations, ancillary enzymes appear to be gained or lost through gene duplication or loss events. The conservation of these systems indicates that the ruminant microbiome retains a latent capacity to metabolize marine polysaccharides.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Communications
Published
2026-07-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-72045-z
Primary Topic
Seaweed-derived Bioactive Compounds
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Alginate foraging is conserved in geographically and taxonomically distinct ruminant microbiomes

Tina Johannessen, Stephanie A. Terry, D. Wade Abbott, Alessandra Ferrillo et al.
Nature Communications
Seaweed-derived Bioactive Compounds
article

Alginate foraging is conserved in geographically and taxonomically distinct ruminant microbiomes

Tina Johannessen, Stephanie A. Terry, D. Wade Abbott, Alessandra Ferrillo, Alemayehu Kidane, Phillip Byron Pope, Xiaohui Xing, Margareth Øverland, Jeffrey P. Tingley, Marissa L. King, Live H. Hagen, Greta Reintjes, Leeann Klassen, Liv Torunn Mydland, Kristin E. Low, Trushar R. Patel, Anna Y. Shearer, Alexsander Lysberg, B Bajwa
article en

Abstract

Seaweed plays a crucial role in carbon cycling and is expected to be a valuable resource for sustainable biomass, with applications in biofuel production, human nutrition, and animal feed. Although seaweed has historically been used as a feed source for livestock grazing near coastlines, the process by which it is digested in the rumen remains unknown. Here, we show how the brown alga Saccharina latissima is catabolized within the rumen ecosystem of two different ruminant species using in vivo and in vitro experimental systems. Evidence of digestion was obtained using a combination of animal models, bacterial imaging, multilayered meta-omics, and enzyme biochemistry. Our results demonstrate that geographically distinct ruminants harbor conserved alginate utilization loci, of which essential enzymes were expressed in response to S. latissima in the diet. While core enzymes involved in alginate metabolism have been maintained throughout populations, ancillary enzymes appear to be gained or lost through gene duplication or loss events. The conservation of these systems indicates that the ruminant microbiome retains a latent capacity to metabolize marine polysaccharides.

Nature CommunicationsVol. 17(1)
University of Lethbridge (CA), Translational Research Institute (AU), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (CA), University of Alberta (CA), Queensland University of Technology (AU), University of Calgary (CA), University of Bremen (DE), Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NO), Lethbridge College (CA)
University of Lethbridge, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Novo Nordisk, Universitetet i Oslo, Norges Forskningsråd, Norges Miljø- og Biovitenskapelige Universitet, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Openalex Percentile: Top 6%
Seaweed-derived Bioactive Compounds
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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