Table 2.

PCR primers for real-time PCR assay

Target species	Primer sequence (5′→3′)	Efficiency (%)	Product size (bp)	Reference
Total bacteria	R: GTGSTGCAYGGYTGTCGTCA F: ACGTCRTCCMCACCTTCCTC	95.3	120	Maeda et al. (2003)
Fibrobacter succinogenes	R: GTTCGGAATTACTGGGCGTAAA F: CGCCTGCCCCTGAACTATC	96.4	121	Zhang et al. (2008)
Ruminococcus albus	R: CCCTAAAAGCAGTCTTAGTTCG F: CCTCCTTGCGGTTAGAACA	93.1	175	Koike and Kobayashi (2001)
Ruminococcus flavefaciens	F: CGAACGGAGATAATTTGAGTTTACTTAGG R: CGGTCTCTGTATGTTATGAGGTATTACC	94.0	132	Zhang et al. (2008)
Megasphaera elsdenii	F: AGATGGGGACAACAGCTGGA R: CGAAAGCTCCGAAGAGCCT	96.7	95	Stevenson and Weimer (2007)
Lactobacillus spp.	F: AGCAGTAGGGAATCTTCCA R: CACCGCTACACATGGAG	100.2	341	Walter et al. (2001)
Methanogens	F: TTCGGTGGATCDCARAGRGC R: GBARGTCGWAWCCGTAGAATCC	95.0	140	Denman et al. (2007)
Protozoa	F: GCTTTCGWTGGTAGTGTATT R: CTTGCCCTCYAATCGTWCT	94.6	223	Denman et al. (2007)

F, forward; R, reverse.