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Jin R, Song J, Liu C, Lin R, Liang D, Aweya JJ, Weng W, Zhu L, Shang J, Yang S. Synthetic microbial communities: Novel strategies to enhance the quality of traditional fermented foods. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 2024; 23:e13388. [PMID: 38865218 DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.13388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Consumers are attracted to traditional fermented foods due to their unique flavor and nutritional value. However, the traditional fermentation technique can no longer accommodate the requirements of the food industry. Traditional fermented foods produce hazardous compounds, off-odor, and anti-nutritional factors, reducing product stability. The microbial system complexity of traditional fermented foods resulting from the open fermentation process has made it challenging to regulate these problems by modifying microbial behaviors. Synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) have been shown to simplify complex microbial communities and allow for the targeted design of microbial communities, which has been applied in processing traditional fermented foods. Herein, we describe the theoretical information of SynComs, particularly microbial physiological processes and their interactions. This paper discusses current approaches to creating SynComs, including designing, building, testing, and learning, with typical applications and fundamental techniques. Based on various traditional fermented food innovation demands, the potential and application of SynComs in enhancing the quality of traditional fermented foods are highlighted. SynComs showed superior performance in regulating the quality of traditional fermented foods using the interaction of core microorganisms to reduce the hazardous compounds of traditional fermented foods and improve flavor. Additionally, we presented the current status and future perspectives of SynComs for improving the quality of traditional fermented foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritian Jin
- College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Enzyme Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jing Song
- College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Enzyme Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
| | - Chang Liu
- College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Enzyme Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
| | - Rong Lin
- College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Enzyme Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
| | - Duo Liang
- College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Enzyme Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jude Juventus Aweya
- College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Enzyme Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
| | - Wuyin Weng
- College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
| | - Longji Zhu
- Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Science, Xiamen, China
| | - Jiaqi Shang
- Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, College of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Shen Yang
- College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Enzyme Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
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Ye R, Biango-Daniels M, Steenwyk JL, Rokas A, Louw NL, Nardella R, Wolfe BE. Genomic, transcriptomic, and ecological diversity of Penicillium species in cheese rind microbiomes. Fungal Genet Biol 2024; 171:103862. [PMID: 38218228 DOI: 10.1016/j.fgb.2023.103862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Although Penicillium molds can have significant impacts on agricultural, industrial, and biomedical systems, the ecological roles of Penicillium species in many microbiomes are not well characterized. Here we utilized a collection of 35 Penicillium strains isolated from cheese rinds to broadly investigate the genomic potential for secondary metabolism in cheese-associated Penicillium species, the impact of Penicillium on bacterial community assembly, and mechanisms of Penicillium-bacteria interactions. Using antiSMASH, we identified 1558 biosynthetic gene clusters, 406 of which were mapped to known pathways, including several mycotoxins and antimicrobial compounds. By measuring bacterial abundance and fungal mRNA expression when culturing representative Penicillium strains with a cheese rind bacterial community, we observed divergent impacts of different Penicillium strains, from strong inhibitors of bacterial growth to those with no impact on bacterial growth or community composition. Through differential mRNA expression analyses, Penicillium strains demonstrated limited differential gene expression in response to the bacterial community. We identified a few shared responses between the eight tested Penicillium strains, primarily upregulation of nutrient metabolic pathways, but we did not identify a conserved fungal response to growth in a multispecies community. These results in tandem suggest high variation among cheese-associated Penicillium species in their ability to shape bacterial community development and highlight important ecological diversity within this iconic genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruby Ye
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | | | - Jacob L Steenwyk
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Department of Biological Sciences and Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Nicolas L Louw
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
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3
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Louw NL, Wolfe BE, Uricchio LH. A phylogenomic perspective on interspecific competition. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14359. [PMID: 38332550 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Evolutionary processes may have substantial impacts on community assembly, but evidence for phylogenetic relatedness as a determinant of interspecific interaction strength remains mixed. In this perspective, we consider a possible role for discordance between gene trees and species trees in the interpretation of phylogenetic signal in studies of community ecology. Modern genomic data show that the evolutionary histories of many taxa are better described by a patchwork of histories that vary along the genome rather than a single species tree. If a subset of genomic loci harbour trait-related genetic variation, then the phylogeny at these loci may be more informative of interspecific trait differences than the genome background. We develop a simple method to detect loci harbouring phylogenetic signal and demonstrate its application through a proof-of-principle analysis of Penicillium genomes and pairwise interaction strength. Our results show that phylogenetic signal that may be masked genome-wide could be detectable using phylogenomic techniques and may provide a window into the genetic basis for interspecific interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas L Louw
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Benjamin E Wolfe
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
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4
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Ye R, Tomo C, Chan N, Wolfe BE. Penicillium molds impact the transcriptome and evolution of the cheese bacterium Staphylococcus equorum. mSphere 2023; 8:e0004723. [PMID: 37219436 PMCID: PMC10449494 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00047-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The observation that Penicillium molds can inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus was a catalyst for the antibiotic revolution. Considerable attention has been paid to purified Penicillium metabolites that inhibit bacteria, but little is known about how Penicillium species impact the ecology and evolution of bacteria in multispecies microbial communities. Here, we investigated how four different species of Penicillium can impact global transcription and evolution of a widespread Staphylococcus species (S. equorum) using the cheese rind model microbiome. Through RNA sequencing, we identified a core transcriptional response of S. equorum against all five tested Penicillium strains, including upregulation of thiamine biosynthesis, fatty acid degradation, and amino acid metabolism as well as downregulation of genes involved in the transport of siderophores. In a 12-week evolution experiment where we co-cultured S. equorum with the same Penicillium strains, we observed surprisingly few non-synonymous mutations across S. equorum populations evolved with the Penicillium species. A mutation in a putative DHH family phosphoesterase gene only occurred in populations evolved without Penicillium and decreased the fitness of S. equorum when co-cultured with an antagonistic Penicillium strain. Our results highlight the potential for conserved mechanisms of Staphylococcus-Penicillium interactions and demonstrate how fungal biotic environments may constrain the evolution of bacterial species.IMPORTANCEFungi and bacteria are commonly found co-occurring both in natural and synthetic microbiomes, but our understanding of fungal-bacterial interactions is limited to a handful of species. Conserved mechanisms of interactions and evolutionary consequences of fungal-bacterial interactions are largely unknown. Our RNA sequencing and experimental evolution data with Penicillium species and the bacterium S. equorum demonstrate that divergent fungal species can elicit conserved transcriptional and genomic responses in co-occurring bacteria. Penicillium molds are integral to the discovery of novel antibiotics and production of certain foods. By understanding how Penicillium species affect bacteria, our work can further efforts to design and manage Penicillium-dominated microbial communities in industry and food production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruby Ye
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christopher Tomo
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Neal Chan
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Benjamin E. Wolfe
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
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5
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Luu GT, Little JC, Pierce EC, Morin M, Ertekin CA, Wolfe BE, Baars O, Dutton RJ, Sanchez LM. Metabolomics of bacterial-fungal pairwise interactions reveal conserved molecular mechanisms. Analyst 2023; 148:3002-3018. [PMID: 37259951 PMCID: PMC10330857 DOI: 10.1039/d3an00408b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial-fungal interactions (BFIs) can shape the structure of microbial communities, but the small molecules mediating these BFIs are often understudied. We explored various optimization steps for our microbial culture and chemical extraction protocols for bacterial-fungal co-cultures, and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) revealed that metabolomic profiles are mainly comprised of fungi derived features, indicating that fungi are the key contributors to small molecules in BFIs. LC-inductively coupled plasma MS (LC-ICP-MS) and MS/MS based dereplication using database searching revealed the presence of several known fungal specialized metabolites and structurally related analogues in these extracts, including siderophores such as desferrichrome, desferricoprogen, and palmitoylcoprogen. Among these analogues, a novel putative coprogen analogue possessing a terminal carboxylic acid motif was identified from Scopulariopsis sp. JB370, a common cheese rind fungus, and its structure was elucidated via MS/MS fragmentation. Based on these findings, filamentous fungal species appear to be capable of producing multiple siderophores with potentially different biological roles (i.e. various affinities for different forms of iron). These findings highlight that fungal species are important contributors to microbiomes via their production of abundant specialized metabolites and that elucidating their role in complex communities should continue to be a priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon T Luu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, 95064, USA.
| | - Jessica C Little
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60612, USA
| | - Emily C Pierce
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA
| | - Manon Morin
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA
| | - Celine A Ertekin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, 95064, USA.
| | - Benjamin E Wolfe
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, 02155, USA
- Tufts University Sensory and Science Center, Medford, Massachusetts, 02155, USA
| | - Oliver Baars
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27607, USA
| | - Rachel J Dutton
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, 92093, USA
| | - Laura M Sanchez
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, 95064, USA.
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6
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Tannous J, Cosetta CM, Drott MT, Rush TA, Abraham PE, Giannone RJ, Keller NP, Wolfe BE. LaeA-Regulated Fungal Traits Mediate Bacterial Community Assembly. mBio 2023:e0076923. [PMID: 37162223 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00769-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Potent antimicrobial metabolites are produced by filamentous fungi in pure culture, but their ecological functions in nature are often unknown. Using an antibacterial Penicillium isolate and a cheese rind microbial community, we demonstrate that a fungal specialized metabolite can regulate the diversity of bacterial communities. Inactivation of the global regulator, LaeA, resulted in the loss of antibacterial activity in the Penicillium isolate. Cheese rind bacterial communities assembled with the laeA deletion strain had significantly higher bacterial abundances than the wild-type strain. RNA-sequencing and metabolite profiling demonstrated a striking reduction in the expression and production of the natural product pseurotin in the laeA deletion strain. Inactivation of a core gene in the pseurotin biosynthetic cluster restored bacterial community composition, confirming the role of pseurotins in mediating bacterial community assembly. Our discovery demonstrates how global regulators of fungal transcription can control the assembly of bacterial communities and highlights an ecological role for a widespread class of fungal specialized metabolites. IMPORTANCE Cheese rinds are economically important microbial communities where fungi can impact food quality and aesthetics. The specific mechanisms by which fungi can regulate bacterial community assembly in cheeses, other fermented foods, and microbiomes in general are largely unknown. Our study highlights how specialized metabolites secreted by a Penicillium species can mediate cheese rind development via differential inhibition of bacterial community members. Because LaeA regulates specialized metabolites and other ecologically relevant traits in a wide range of filamentous fungi, this global regulator may have similar impacts in other fungus-dominated microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Tannous
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Casey M Cosetta
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Milton T Drott
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- USDA-ARS Cereal Disease Laboratory, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Tomás A Rush
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Paul E Abraham
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Richard J Giannone
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Nancy P Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Benjamin E Wolfe
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
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7
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Involvement of Versatile Bacteria Belonging to the Genus Arthrobacter in Milk and Dairy Products. Foods 2023; 12:foods12061270. [PMID: 36981196 PMCID: PMC10048301 DOI: 10.3390/foods12061270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Milk is naturally a rich source of many essential nutrients; therefore, it is quite a suitable medium for bacterial growth and serves as a reservoir for bacterial contamination. The genus Arthrobacter is a food-related bacterial group commonly present as a contaminant in milk and dairy products as primary and secondary microflora. Arthrobacter bacteria frequently demonstrate the nutritional versatility to degrade different compounds even in extreme environments. As a result of their metabolic diversity, Arthrobacter species have long been of interest to scientists for application in various industry and biotechnology sectors. In the dairy industry, strains from the Arthrobacter genus are part of the microflora of raw milk known as an indicator of hygiene quality. Although they cause spoilage, they are also regarded as important strains responsible for producing fermented milk products, especially cheeses. Several Arthrobacter spp. have reported their significance in the development of cheese color and flavor. Furthermore, based on the data obtained from previous studies about its thermostability, and thermoacidophilic and thermoresistant properties, the genus Arthrobacter promisingly provides advantages for use as a potential producer of β-galactosidases to fulfill commercial requirements as its enzymes allow dairy products to be treated under mild conditions. In light of these beneficial aspects derived from Arthrobacter spp. including pigmentation, flavor formation, and enzyme production, this bacterial genus is potentially important for the dairy industry.
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8
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Longitudinal, Multi-Platform Metagenomics Yields a High-Quality Genomic Catalog and Guides an In Vitro Model for Cheese Communities. mSystems 2023; 8:e0070122. [PMID: 36622155 PMCID: PMC9948695 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00701-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbiomes are intricately intertwined with human health, geochemical cycles, and food production. While many microbiomes of interest are highly complex and experimentally intractable, cheese rind microbiomes have proven to be powerful model systems for the study of microbial interactions. To provide a more comprehensive view of the genomic potential and temporal dynamics of cheese rind communities, we combined longitudinal, multi-platform metagenomics of three ripening washed-rind cheeses with whole-genome sequencing of community isolates. Sequencing-based approaches revealed a highly reproducible microbial succession in each cheese and the coexistence of closely related Psychrobacter species and enabled the prediction of plasmid and phage diversity and their host associations. In combination with culture-based approaches, we established a genomic catalog and a paired 16-member in vitro washed-rind cheese system. The combination of multi-platform metagenomic time-series data and an in vitro model provides a rich resource for further investigation of cheese rind microbiomes both computationally and experimentally. IMPORTANCE Metagenome sequencing can provide great insights into microbiome composition and function and help researchers develop testable hypotheses. Model microbiomes, such as those composed of cheese rind bacteria and fungi, allow the testing of these hypotheses in a controlled manner. Here, we first generated an extensive longitudinal metagenomic data set. This data set reveals successional dynamics, yields a phyla-spanning bacterial genomic catalog, associates mobile genetic elements with their hosts, and provides insights into functional enrichment of Psychrobacter in the cheese environment. Next, we show that members of the washed-rind cheese microbiome lend themselves to in vitro community reconstruction. This paired metagenomic data and in vitro system can thus be used as a platform for generating and testing hypotheses related to the dynamics within, and the functions associated with, cheese rind microbiomes.
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9
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Sun L, D'Amico DJ. Characterization of microbial community assembly on new wooden vats for use in cheese production. Food Microbiol 2023; 109:104154. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2022.104154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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10
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Reuben RC, Langer D, Eisenhauer N, Jurburg SD. Universal drivers of cheese microbiomes. iScience 2023; 26:105744. [PMID: 36582819 PMCID: PMC9792889 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The culinary value, quality, and safety of cheese are largely driven by the resident bacteria, but comparative analyses of the cheese microbiota across cheese types are scarce. We present the first global synthesis of cheese microbiomes. Following a systematic literature review of cheese microbiology research, we collected 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequence data from 824 cheese samples spanning 58 cheese types and 16 countries. We found a consistent, positive relationship between microbiome richness and pH, and a higher microbial richness in cheeses derived from goat milk. In contrast, we found no relationship between pasteurization, geographic location, or salinity and richness. Milk and cheese type, geographic location, and pasteurization collectively explained 65% of the variation in microbial community composition. Importantly, we identified four universal cheese microbiome types, driven by distinct dominant taxa. Our study reveals notable diversity patterns among the cheese microbiota, which are driven by geography and local environmental variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rine Christopher Reuben
- German Centre of Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Désirée Langer
- German Centre of Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre of Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephanie D. Jurburg
- German Centre of Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
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11
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Huang X, Xin Y, Lu T. A systematic, complexity-reduction approach to dissect the kombucha tea microbiome. eLife 2022; 11:76401. [PMID: 35950909 PMCID: PMC9371603 DOI: 10.7554/elife.76401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
One defining goal of microbiome research is to uncover mechanistic causation that dictates the emergence of structural and functional traits of microbiomes. However, the extraordinary degree of ecosystem complexity has hampered the realization of the goal. Here, we developed a systematic, complexity-reducing strategy to mechanistically elucidate the compositional and metabolic characteristics of microbiome by using the kombucha tea microbiome as an example. The strategy centered around a two-species core that was abstracted from but recapitulated the native counterpart. The core was convergent in its composition, coordinated on temporal metabolic patterns, and capable for pellicle formation. Controlled fermentations uncovered the drivers of these characteristics, which were also demonstrated translatable to provide insights into the properties of communities with increased complexity and altered conditions. This work unravels the pattern and process underlying the kombucha tea microbiome, providing a potential conceptual framework for mechanistic investigation of microbiome behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoning Huang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States.,Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States.,College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yongping Xin
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States.,Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States
| | - Ting Lu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States.,Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States.,Department of Physics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States.,Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, United States.,National Center for Supercomputing Applications, Urbana, United States
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12
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Nickles G, Ludwikoski I, Bok JW, Keller NP. Comprehensive Guide to Extracting and Expressing Fungal Secondary Metabolites with Aspergillus fumigatus as a Case Study. Curr Protoc 2021; 1:e321. [PMID: 34958718 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Fungal secondary metabolites (SMs) have captured the interest of natural products researchers in academia and industry for decades. In recent years, the high rediscovery rate of previously characterized metabolites is making it increasingly difficult to uncover novel compounds. Additionally, the vast majority of fungal SMs reside in genetically intractable fungi or are silent under normal laboratory conditions in genetically tractable fungi. The fungal natural products community has broadly overcome these barriers by altering the physical growth conditions of the fungus and heterologous/homologous expression of biosynthetic gene cluster regulators or proteins. The protocols described here summarize vital methodologies needed when researching SM production in fungi. We also summarize the growth conditions, genetic backgrounds, and extraction protocols for every published SM in Aspergillus fumigatus, enabling readers to easily replicate the production of previously characterized SMs. Readers will also be equipped with the tools for developing their own strategy for expressing and extracting SMs from their given fungus or a suitable heterologous model system. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Making glycerol stocks from spore suspensions Alternate Protocol 1: Creating glycerol stocks from non-sporulating filamentous fungi Basic Protocol 2: Activating spore-suspension glycerol stocks Basic Protocol 3: Extracting secondary metabolites from Aspergillus spp grown on solid medium Alternate Protocol 2: Extracting secondary metabolites from Aspergillus spp using ethyl acetate Alternate Protocol 3: High-volume metabolite extraction using ethyl acetate Alternate Protocol 4: Extracting secondary metabolites from Aspergillus spp in liquid medium Support Protocol: Creating an overlay culture Basic Protocol 4: Extracting DNA from filamentous fungi Basic Protocol 5: Creating a DNA construct with double-joint PCR Alternate Protocol 5: Creating a DNA construct with yeast recombineering Basic Protocol 6: Transformation of Aspergillus spp Basic Protocol 7: Co-culturing fungi and bacteria for extraction of secondary metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant Nickles
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Isabelle Ludwikoski
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Jin Woo Bok
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Nancy P Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.,Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
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13
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Gupta G, Ndiaye A, Filteau M. Leveraging Experimental Strategies to Capture Different Dimensions of Microbial Interactions. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:700752. [PMID: 34646243 PMCID: PMC8503676 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.700752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms are a fundamental part of virtually every ecosystem on earth. Understanding how collectively they interact, assemble, and function as communities has become a prevalent topic both in fundamental and applied research. Owing to multiple advances in technology, answering questions at the microbial system or network level is now within our grasp. To map and characterize microbial interaction networks, numerous computational approaches have been developed; however, experimentally validating microbial interactions is no trivial task. Microbial interactions are context-dependent, and their complex nature can result in an array of outcomes, not only in terms of fitness or growth, but also in other relevant functions and phenotypes. Thus, approaches to experimentally capture microbial interactions involve a combination of culture methods and phenotypic or functional characterization methods. Here, through our perspective of food microbiologists, we highlight the breadth of innovative and promising experimental strategies for their potential to capture the different dimensions of microbial interactions and their high-throughput application to answer the question; are microbial interaction patterns or network architecture similar along different contextual scales? We further discuss the experimental approaches used to build various types of networks and study their architecture in the context of cell biology and how they translate at the level of microbial ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunjan Gupta
- Département des Sciences des aliments, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut sur la Nutrition et les Aliments Fonctionnels (INAF), Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Amadou Ndiaye
- Département des Sciences des aliments, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut sur la Nutrition et les Aliments Fonctionnels (INAF), Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Marie Filteau
- Département des Sciences des aliments, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut sur la Nutrition et les Aliments Fonctionnels (INAF), Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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14
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Mayo B, Rodríguez J, Vázquez L, Flórez AB. Microbial Interactions within the Cheese Ecosystem and Their Application to Improve Quality and Safety. Foods 2021; 10:602. [PMID: 33809159 PMCID: PMC8000492 DOI: 10.3390/foods10030602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The cheese microbiota comprises a consortium of prokaryotic, eukaryotic and viral populations, among which lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are majority components with a prominent role during manufacturing and ripening. The assortment, numbers and proportions of LAB and other microbial biotypes making up the microbiota of cheese are affected by a range of biotic and abiotic factors. Cooperative and competitive interactions between distinct members of the microbiota may occur, with rheological, organoleptic and safety implications for ripened cheese. However, the mechanistic details of these interactions, and their functional consequences, are largely unknown. Acquiring such knowledge is important if we are to predict when fermentations will be successful and understand the causes of technological failures. The experimental use of "synthetic" microbial communities might help throw light on the dynamics of different cheese microbiota components and the interplay between them. Although synthetic communities cannot reproduce entirely the natural microbial diversity in cheese, they could help reveal basic principles governing the interactions between microbial types and perhaps allow multi-species microbial communities to be developed as functional starters. By occupying the whole ecosystem taxonomically and functionally, microbiota-based cultures might be expected to be more resilient and efficient than conventional starters in the development of unique sensorial properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baltasar Mayo
- Departamento de Microbiología y Bioquímica, Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Paseo Río Linares s/n, 33300 Villaviciosa, Spain; (J.R.); (L.V.); (A.B.F.)
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15
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Pierce EC, Morin M, Little JC, Liu RB, Tannous J, Keller NP, Pogliano K, Wolfe BE, Sanchez LM, Dutton RJ. Bacterial-fungal interactions revealed by genome-wide analysis of bacterial mutant fitness. Nat Microbiol 2021; 6:87-102. [PMID: 33139882 PMCID: PMC8515420 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-020-00800-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Microbial interactions are expected to be major determinants of microbiome structure and function. Although fungi are found in diverse microbiomes, their interactions with bacteria remain largely uncharacterized. In this work, we characterize interactions in 16 different bacterial-fungal pairs, examining the impacts of 8 different fungi isolated from cheese rind microbiomes on 2 bacteria (Escherichia coli and a cheese-isolated Pseudomonas psychrophila). Using random barcode transposon-site sequencing with an analysis pipeline that allows statistical comparisons between different conditions, we observed that fungal partners caused widespread changes in the fitness of bacterial mutants compared to growth alone. We found that all fungal species modulated the availability of iron and biotin to bacterial species, which suggests that these may be conserved drivers of bacterial-fungal interactions. Species-specific interactions were also uncovered, a subset of which suggested fungal antibiotic production. Changes in both conserved and species-specific interactions resulted from the deletion of a global regulator of fungal specialized metabolite production. This work highlights the potential for broad impacts of fungi on bacterial species within microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C Pierce
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Manon Morin
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jessica C Little
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Roland B Liu
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Joanna Tannous
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Nancy P Keller
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Kit Pogliano
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Laura M Sanchez
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Rachel J Dutton
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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16
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Huang X, Fan Y, Lu T, Kang J, Pang X, Han B, Chen J. Composition and Metabolic Functions of the Microbiome in Fermented Grain during Light-Flavor Baijiu Fermentation. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8091281. [PMID: 32842618 PMCID: PMC7564364 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8091281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The metabolism and accumulation of flavor compounds in Chinese Baijiu are driven by microbiota succession and their inter-related metabolic processes. Changes in the microbiome composition during Baijiu production have been examined previously; however, the respective metabolic functions remain unclear. Using shotgun metagenomic sequencing and metabolomics, we examined the microbial and metabolic characteristics during light-flavor Baijiu fermentation to assess the correlations between microorganisms and their potential functions. During fermentation, the bacterial abundance increased from 58.2% to 97.65%, and fermentation resulted in the accumulation of various metabolites, among which alcohols and esters were the most abundant. Correlation analyses revealed that the levels of major metabolites were positively correlated with bacterial abundance but negatively with that of fungi. Gene annotation showed that the Lactobacillus species contained key enzyme genes for carbohydrate metabolism and contributed to the entire fermentation process. Lichtheimia ramosa, Saccharomycopsis fibuligera, Bacillus licheniformis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Pichia kudriavzevii play major roles in starch degradation and ethanol production. A link was established between the composition and metabolic functions of the microbiota involved in Baijiu fermentation, which helps elucidate microbial and metabolic patterns of fermentation and provides insights into the potential optimization of Baijiu production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoning Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Precision Nutrition and Food Quality, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China; (X.H.); (Y.F.); (J.K.); (B.H.)
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA;
| | - Yi Fan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Precision Nutrition and Food Quality, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China; (X.H.); (Y.F.); (J.K.); (B.H.)
| | - Ting Lu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA;
| | - Jiamu Kang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Precision Nutrition and Food Quality, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China; (X.H.); (Y.F.); (J.K.); (B.H.)
| | - Xiaona Pang
- Beijing Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, Food Science and Engineering College, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 100026, China;
| | - Beizhong Han
- MOE Key Laboratory of Precision Nutrition and Food Quality, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China; (X.H.); (Y.F.); (J.K.); (B.H.)
| | - Jingyu Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Precision Nutrition and Food Quality, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China; (X.H.); (Y.F.); (J.K.); (B.H.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-10-6273-7966
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