A rapid and accurate method is described for the determination of nucleo-bases in rumen microorganisms. A procedure to satisfactorily hydrolyse the micro-organisms involving reaction with a mixture of readily volatile organic acids (acetic and formic acids) under high pressure, is proposed. And optimal conditions for an analytical procedure with reversed phase HPLC is described. The following nucleobases contents (mmol/kg DM) of rumen micro-organisms were found: Adenine (Ade), 82.62; Guanine (Gua), 61.34; Cytosine (Cyt), 84.61; Thymine (Thy), 35.74; Uracil (Ura), 68.62; Hypoxanthine (Hxn), 13.06; Xanthine (Xn), 8.35. Total purine-N content (g/kg N) of rumen micro-organisms were 99.60. The nucleic acid N content (g/kg N) of microbial isolates were: RNA-N, 109.9; DNA-N, 50.9. |