Peptide-phage display libraries to discover bioactives against rumen methanogens

Summary

​The primary goal of this project was to use bioactive peptides, discovered by screening peptide phage display libraries, to redirect fermentation end products away from methane formation, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock production systems. By using a specifically designed screening method, three bacteriophage-peptides were identified with inhibitory activity towards a model methanogen Methanobrevibacter ruminantium, as well as less dominant strains in the rumen, Methanosarcina barkeri and Methanobrevibacter gottschalkii.  It is expected some modification of the peptide sequences may be required to further enhance their activity and to protect them from degradation in the rumen environment. This technology could be delivered as inhibitory peptides for use as ruminant supplements, or through a vaccination based approach where the peptides are used to identify cell surface proteins that are crucial to survival of methanogens in the rumen.  ​