Ferulate esterase-producing bacterial strains and methods of using same

Abstract

Ferulate esterase producing bacterial strains or functional mutants thereof and methods of using ferulate esterase producing bacterial strains as forage additives are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substantially purified strain of a bacterium selected from the group consisting of  Lactobacillus buchneri , strain LN4017, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6138 , Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP678, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6134 , Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP3710, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6136 , Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP3779, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6137 , Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP7109, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6139 , Lactobacillus paracasei tolerans , strain LC3200 having ATCC Accession No. PTA-6135 , Lactobacillus brevis , strain LB 1154, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30865 , Lactobacillus buchneri , strain LN4888, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30866 , Lactobacillus reuteri , strain LR4933, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30867 , Lactobacillus crispatus , strain LI2127, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30868 , Lactobacillus crispatus , strain LI2350, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30869 , Lactobacillus crispatus , strain LI2366, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30870 , Lactobacillus  species unknown, strain UL3050, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30871, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         2 . A biologically pure culture of a bacterium selected from the group consisting of  Lactobacillus buchneri , strain LN4017, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6138 , Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP678, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6134 , Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP3710, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6136 , Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP3779, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6137 , Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP7109, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6139 , Lactobacillus paracasei  tolerans, strain LC3200 having ATCC Accession No. PTA-6135 , Lactobacillus brevis , strain LB1154, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30865 , Lactobacillus buchneri , strain LN4888, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30866 , Lactobacillus reuteri , strain LR4933, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30867 , Lactobacillus crispatus , strain LI2127, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30868 , Lactobacillus crispatus , strain LI2350, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30869 , Lactobacillus crispatus , strain LI2366, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30870 , Lactobacillus  species unknown, strain UL3050, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30871. 
     
     
         3 . A composition comprising a ferulate esterase producing bacterial strain and a suitable carrier, wherein the bacterial strain is selected from the group consisting of  Lactobacillus buchneri , strain LN4017, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6138 , Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP678, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6134 , Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP3710, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6136 , Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP3779, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6137 , Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP7109, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6139 , Lactobacillus brevis , strain LB1154, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30865 , Lactobacillus buchneri , strain LN4888, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30866 , Lactobacillus reuteri , strain LR4933, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30867 , Lactobacillus crispatus  L12127, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30868 , Lactobacillus crispatus , strain LI2350, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30869 , Lactobacillus crispatus , strain LI2366, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30870 , Lactobacillus  species unknown, strain UL3050, deposited as Patent Deposit NRRL B-30871, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein said composition further, comprises Lactobacillus paracasei tolerans, strain LC3200, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6135. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein said ferulate esterase producing bacterial strain comprises  Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP7109, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6139. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein the composition comprises from about 10 1  to about 10 10  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus paracasei tolerans , strain LC3200 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material and from about 10 1  to about 10 10  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP7109, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6139 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein the composition comprises from about 10 2  to about 10 7  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus paracasei tolerans , strain LC3200 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material and from about 10 2  to about 10 7  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP7109, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6139 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein the composition comprises from about 10 3  to about 10 6  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus paracasei tolerans , strain LC3200 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material and from about 10 3  to about 10 6  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP7109, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6139 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein said ferulate esterase producing bacterial strain comprises  Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP3779, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6137. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the composition comprises from about 10 1  to about 10 10  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus paracasei tolerans , strain LC3200 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material and from about 10 1  to about 10 10  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP3779, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6137 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the composition comprises from about 10 2  to about 10 7  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus paracasei tolerans , strain LC3200 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material and from about 10 2  to about 10 7  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP3779, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6137 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the composition comprises from about 10 3  to about 10 6  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus paracasei tolerans , strain LC3200 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material and from about 10 3  to about 10 6  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP3779, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6137 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein said ferulate esterase producing bacterial strain comprises  Lactobacillus buchneri , strain LN4017, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6138. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the composition comprises from about 10 1  to about 10 10  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus paracasei tolerans , strain LC3200 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material and from about 10 1  to about 10 10  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus buchneri , strain LN4017, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6138 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the composition comprises from about 10 2  to about 10 7  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus paracasei tolerans , strain LC3200 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material and from about 10 2  to about 10 7  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus buchneri , strain LN4017, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6138 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the composition contains from about 10 3  to about 10 6  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus paracasei tolerans , strain LC3200 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material and from about 10 3  to about 10 6  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus buchneri , strain LN4017, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6138 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein said ferulate esterase producing bacterial strain comprises  Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP7109, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6139. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 17 , wherein the composition comprises from about 10 1  to about 10 10  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus paracasei tolerans , strain LC3200 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material and from about 10 1  to about 10 10  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP7109, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6139 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 17 , wherein the composition comprises from about 10 2  to about 10 7  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus paracasei tolerans , strain LC3200 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material and from about 10 2  to about 10 7  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP7109, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6139 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 19 , wherein the composition contains from about 10 3  to about 10 6  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus paracasei tolerans , strain LC3200 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material and from about 10 3  to about 10 6  viable organisms of said  Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP7109, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6139 per gram of a pre-ensiled plant material. 
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein said ferulate esterase producing bacterial strain comprises  Lactobacillus buchneri , strain LN4017, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6138 and  Lactobacillus plantarum , strain LP7109, deposited as Patent Deposit No. PTA-6139. 
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the composition further comprises pre-ensiled plant material. 
     
     
         23 . The composition of  claim 22 , wherein the pre-ensiled plant material is selected from the group consisting of grasses, maize, alfalfa, wheat, legumes, sorghum, sunflower, barley and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         24 . A method for treating pre-ensiled plant material to enhance the digestibility of the resulting silage, which comprises: adding to said pre-ensiled plant material a digestibility enhancing amount of the composition of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the pre-ensiled plant material is selected from the group consisting of grasses, maize, alfalfa, wheat, legumes, sorghum, sunflower, barley and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         26 . A method for treating pre-ensiled plant material, which comprises adding thereto a bacterial strain of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the pre-ensiled plant material is selected from the group consisting of grasses, maize, alfalfa, wheat, legumes, sorghum, sunflower, barley and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         28 . A method for enhancing plant fiber digestion in an animal, said method comprising feeding an effective amount of the composition of  claim 3  to said animal. 
     
     
         29 . A method for enhancing plant fiber digestion in an animal, said method comprising feeding an effective amount of a bacterial strain of  claim 1  to said animal.