Micronutrient Biosynthesis Potential of Spontaneous Grain Fermentation Microbiomes

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Food Science
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• Fermented foods are crucial for nutrition, especially where refrigeration is limited.
• These foods can contribute beneficial probiotics to the human gut microbiome.
• Millet fermentation is a traditional practice with potential health benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the microbial diversity of spontaneous millet fermentation.
• To investigate the metabolic potential of microbes involved in millet fermentation.
• To identify key bacterial families and their roles in the fermentation process.

Main Methods:

• Utilized publicly available Sequence Read Archive (SRA) datasets.
• Performed quality analysis with FastQC.
• Generated operational taxonomic units (OTUs) using QIIME2 and DADA2 pipelines.
• Conducted metagenomics and pathway analysis with PICRUSt2.
• Employed STAMP for statistical analysis and visualization.

Main Results:

• Identified dominant bacterial families including Lactobacillaceae, Burkholderiaceae, and Streptococcaceae.
• Observed the presence of Lactobacillaceae and Bifidobacteriaceae, indicating probiotic potential.
• Detected potential pathogens such as Enterobacteriaceae and Clostridiaceae, suggesting a need for standardization.
• Revealed genomic potential for synthesizing essential amino acids and vitamins.

Conclusions:

• Spontaneous millet fermentation harbors diverse microbial communities with probiotic potential.
• The identified microbes can synthesize essential nutrients, offering opportunities for food fortification.
• Standardization of fermentation techniques is recommended to ensure safety and optimize nutritional output.