Rumen protozoa and viruses: The predators within and their functions—A mini-review*

Abstract

The rumen microbiome digests plant feedstuff that would be otherwise indigestible and provides most of the metabolizable energy and protein the host animals need. Until recently, research efforts have primarily been directed to bacteria and archaea, leaving the protozoa, fungi, and viruses much less understood. Protozoa contribute to feed digestion and fermentation, but as predators, they affect the microbiome and its function by regulating the abundance and activities of other rumen microbes both in a top-down (by directly killing the prey) and bottom-up (by affecting the metabolism of other microbes) manner. Rumen viruses (or phages, used interchangeably below) are diverse and abundant but the least understood. They are also predators (intracellular “predators”) because of their lytic lifecycle, although they can co-exist peacefully with their hosts and reprogram host metabolism, buttressing host ecological fitness. In doing so, rumen viruses also affect the rumen microbiome in both a top-down and a bottom-up manner. Here we review the recent advancement in understanding both types of predators, focusing on their potential impact on the rumen microbiome and functions.