Unlocking Palm Kernel Meal's Potential: A New Bacteria and Its Enzyme

Palm kernel meal (PKM) is tough for non-ruminant animals to digest due to its high fibre content, mostly mannan. A new way to tackle this problem is by using bacteria to break down these fibres. Scientists found a powerful bacteria called Bacillus subtilis F6 that can effectively degrade mannan. In just 24 hours, F6 reduced the fibre content in PKM by over 10%, from 78. 4% to 60. 9%. Interestingly, F6 started its work quickly, producing the enzyme mannanase within 6 hours. This enzyme is crucial for fibre breakdown. Through further study, they identified an enzyme in F6 called GmuG that actually does the heavy lifting. GmuG’s activity was boosted by 45 times after exposure to PKM. When tested separately, GmuG showed strong ability to break down PKM, releasing sugars like mannobiose and mannotriose. GmuG works best at temperatures between 50-55°C and in environments with a pH of 5. 0 or 9. 0. This research opens up new ways to use PKM and similar plant materials, making feeding for non-ruminant animals more efficient.