Unraveling Core Functional Microbiota in Traditional Solid-State Fermentation by High-Throughput Amplicons and...

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Food Science
• Metabolomics

Background:

• Traditional solid-state fermentation relies on specific microorganisms to produce metabolites.
• The microbial succession and functional dynamics of core microbiota in Chinese Maotai-flavor liquor production are not well understood.
• Understanding these microbial communities is crucial for optimizing fermentation processes and product quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the microbial structure and functional shifts of the core microbiota during Chinese soy sauce aroma type liquor production.
• To identify key microorganisms and their roles in flavor metabolite production.
• To analyze the conversion pathways of flavor components driven by microbial activity.

Main Methods:

• High-throughput sequencing (16S rRNA and ITS gene amplicon sequencing) for microbial community structure.
• Metatranscriptomics for functional analysis of microbial genes.
• Ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and GC-MS for metabolite profiling and quantification.

Main Results:

• Identified a core microbiota comprising 10 fungal and 11 bacterial genera.
• Metatranscriptomic analysis revealed distinct stages of pyruvate metabolism in yeasts and lactic acid bacteria.
• Observed a functional shift from alcohol (ethanol) production by *Schizosaccharomyces* to acid (lactic and acetic acid) production by *Lactobacillus*.

Conclusions:

• The functional succession from *Schizosaccharomyces* to *Lactobacillus* is a key driver of flavor component conversion in Maotai-flavor liquor.
• This study provides insights into the core functional microbiota and its impact on flavor development in traditional Chinese liquor fermentation.
• Findings contribute to understanding microbial community dynamics under varying environmental conditions in food fermentation.