Microbial community diversity in douchi from Yunnan province using high-throughput sequencing technology

Douchi is a traditional fermented food with a unique flavor. Studying microbial diversity within douchi is important to improve the quality and food safety related to consumption of douchi. In this study, two kinds of douchi samples were collected from Jinghong (JH) and Menghai (MH) regions of Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture in the Yunnan Province. After DNA extraction, the bacterial 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region were amplified and bar-coded pyrosequencing was carried out. The diversity of bacterial and fungal communities in the two samples was analyzed and compared based on the sequencing data. The results indicated that the predominant bacterium in the JH sample was Leuconostoc mesenteroides, followed by L. fallax. The most abundant bacterium in the MH sample was Staphylococcus gallinarum, followed by Tetragenococcus halophilus. The results for both samples showed a small number of sequences, which showed high similarity with those of salt-tolerant Candida etchellsii and bacteriocin-producing C. versatilis, both of which were the dominant fungi in both samples. In conclusion, the douchi from Xishuangbanna showed high microbial diversity and the predominant microorganisms were salt tolerant. ©, 2014, South China University of Technology. All right reserved.