<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
				
				 Urea is used as non-protein nitrogen in the rations of ruminants as an economical replacement for feed proteins. Urea transferred from the blood to the rumen is also an important source of nitrogen for rumen microbial growth. It is rapidly hydrolyzed by rumen bacterial urease to ammonia (NH3) and the NH3 is utilized for the synthesis of microbial proteins required to satisfy the protein requirements of ruminants. Urea has commonly become an accepted ingredient in the diets of ruminants. In recent decades, urea utilization in ruminants has been investigated by using traditional research methods. Recently, molecular biotechnologies have also been applied to analyze urea-degrading bacteria or urea nitrogen metabolism in ruminants. Combining traditional and molecular approaches, we can retrieve better information and understanding related to the mechanisms of urea metabolism in ruminants. This review focuses on urea utilization in ruminants and its regulation by rumen bacterial urease in the host. The accumulated research provides foundations for proposing further new strategies to improve the efficiency of urea utilization in ruminants.
			</abstract>

Urea is used as non-protein nitrogen in the rations of ruminants as an economical replacement for feed proteins. Urea transferred from the blood to the rumen is also an important source of nitrogen for rumen microbial growth. It is rapidly hydrolyzed by rumen bacterial urease to ammonia (NH3) and the NH3 is utilized for the synthesis of microbial proteins required to satisfy the protein requirements of ruminants. Urea has commonly become an accepted ingredient in the diets of ruminants. In recent decades, urea utilization in ruminants has been investigated by using traditional research methods. Recently, molecular biotechnologies have also been applied to analyze urea-degrading bacteria or urea nitrogen metabolism in ruminants. Combining traditional and molecular approaches, we can retrieve better information and understanding related to the mechanisms of urea metabolism in ruminants. This review focuses on urea utilization in ruminants and its regulation by rumen bacterial urease in the host. The accumulated research provides foundations for proposing further new strategies to improve the efficiency of urea utilization in ruminants.

Urea Metabolism and Regulation by Rumen Bacterial Urease in Ruminants – A Review

Annals of Animal Science

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Urea is used as non-protein nitrogen in the rations of ruminants as an economical replacement for feed proteins. Urea transferred from the blood to the rumen...

Urea Metabolism and Regulation by Rumen Bacterial Urease in Ruminants – A Review

Article Category: Review

Published Online: May 11, 2018

Page range: 303 - 318

Received: Apr 27, 2017

Accepted: Sep 06, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/aoas-2017-0028

Keywords
rumen, urea utilization, ureolytic bacteria, urease, regulation

© by Jiaqi Wang

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Urea Metabolism and Regulation by Rumen Bacterial Urease in Ruminants – A Review

Article Category: Review

Published Online: May 11, 2018

Page range: 303 - 318

Received: Apr 27, 2017

Accepted: Sep 06, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/aoas-2017-0028

Keywordsrumen, urea utilization, ureolytic bacteria, urease, regulation

© by Jiaqi Wang

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
rumen, urea utilization, ureolytic bacteria, urease, regulation