Metabolic power, volatile compounds, and flavor marker formation mechanisms of three fungi isolated from Fengxiangxing Daqu

IntroductionChinese Daqu is a naturally formed microbial complex, which is the fermenter of Chinese Baijiu. The microorganisms in Chinese Daqu determine the flavor of Chinese Baijiu.MethodsBased on PacBio SMRT ITS sequencing technology, fungal genome de novo sequencing, and Headspace Solid-Phase Mic...

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Main Authors: Dan Cao, Jiali Lv, Cui Liu, Chengyong Jin, Yongli Zhang, Yuhang Zhang, Wen Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Microbiology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1593638/full
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author Dan Cao
Jiali Lv
Cui Liu
Chengyong Jin
Yongli Zhang
Yuhang Zhang
Wen Zhang
author_facet Dan Cao
Jiali Lv
Cui Liu
Chengyong Jin
Yongli Zhang
Yuhang Zhang
Wen Zhang
author_sort Dan Cao
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionChinese Daqu is a naturally formed microbial complex, which is the fermenter of Chinese Baijiu. The microorganisms in Chinese Daqu determine the flavor of Chinese Baijiu.MethodsBased on PacBio SMRT ITS sequencing technology, fungal genome de novo sequencing, and Headspace Solid-Phase Micro-extraction/Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry analyzed and identified three fungi, their abundance, volatile compounds, and flavor markers in Daqu.ResultsAspergillus chevalieri, Saccharomycopsis fibuligera, and Thermoascus aurantiacus were the three most abundant fungi, with relative abundances of 5.702, 31.686, and 62.256%, respectively. Aspergillus chevalieri and Saccharomycopsis fibuligera were associated with volatile markers of chained terpene alcohols and lactones, with linalool and γ-nonanolactone identified as their flavor markers, respectively. Thermoascus aurantiacus produced the highest variety and content of pyrazine. According to the functional annotation and metabolic relationship of the whole genomes of Aspergillus chevalieri and Saccharomycopsis fibuligera in COG, KEGG and other databases, the formation mechanism and possible metabolic pathways of linalool and γ-nonanolactone were elucidated. The results of the study revealed the different contributions of the three dominant fungi to the volatile compounds of Daqu, can provide ideas for the study of the contribution of other microorganisms to the volatile compounds of Daqu and the mechanism. It can provide a basis for the precise adjustment of the flavor of Daqu, and then the precise modification of the flavor of Baijiu.
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spelling doaj-art-31f78ddabf9046b0811a282656dfcbe82025-08-20T02:16:10ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-05-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.15936381593638Metabolic power, volatile compounds, and flavor marker formation mechanisms of three fungi isolated from Fengxiangxing DaquDan Cao0Jiali Lv1Cui Liu2Chengyong Jin3Yongli Zhang4Yuhang Zhang5Wen Zhang6School of Food Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi’an, ChinaSchool of Food Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi’an, ChinaSchool of Food Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi’an, ChinaShaanxi Xifeng Liquor Co., Ltd., Baoji, ChinaShaanxi Xifeng Liquor Co., Ltd., Baoji, ChinaShaanxi Xifeng Liquor Co., Ltd., Baoji, ChinaSchool of Food Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi’an, ChinaIntroductionChinese Daqu is a naturally formed microbial complex, which is the fermenter of Chinese Baijiu. The microorganisms in Chinese Daqu determine the flavor of Chinese Baijiu.MethodsBased on PacBio SMRT ITS sequencing technology, fungal genome de novo sequencing, and Headspace Solid-Phase Micro-extraction/Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry analyzed and identified three fungi, their abundance, volatile compounds, and flavor markers in Daqu.ResultsAspergillus chevalieri, Saccharomycopsis fibuligera, and Thermoascus aurantiacus were the three most abundant fungi, with relative abundances of 5.702, 31.686, and 62.256%, respectively. Aspergillus chevalieri and Saccharomycopsis fibuligera were associated with volatile markers of chained terpene alcohols and lactones, with linalool and γ-nonanolactone identified as their flavor markers, respectively. Thermoascus aurantiacus produced the highest variety and content of pyrazine. According to the functional annotation and metabolic relationship of the whole genomes of Aspergillus chevalieri and Saccharomycopsis fibuligera in COG, KEGG and other databases, the formation mechanism and possible metabolic pathways of linalool and γ-nonanolactone were elucidated. The results of the study revealed the different contributions of the three dominant fungi to the volatile compounds of Daqu, can provide ideas for the study of the contribution of other microorganisms to the volatile compounds of Daqu and the mechanism. It can provide a basis for the precise adjustment of the flavor of Daqu, and then the precise modification of the flavor of Baijiu.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1593638/fullFengxiangxing DaquAspergillus chevalieriSaccharomycopsis fibuligeraThermoascus aurantiacusflavor markersvolatile compounds
spellingShingle Dan Cao
Jiali Lv
Cui Liu
Chengyong Jin
Yongli Zhang
Yuhang Zhang
Wen Zhang
Metabolic power, volatile compounds, and flavor marker formation mechanisms of three fungi isolated from Fengxiangxing Daqu
Frontiers in Microbiology
Fengxiangxing Daqu
Aspergillus chevalieri
Saccharomycopsis fibuligera
Thermoascus aurantiacus
flavor markers
volatile compounds
title Metabolic power, volatile compounds, and flavor marker formation mechanisms of three fungi isolated from Fengxiangxing Daqu
title_full Metabolic power, volatile compounds, and flavor marker formation mechanisms of three fungi isolated from Fengxiangxing Daqu
title_fullStr Metabolic power, volatile compounds, and flavor marker formation mechanisms of three fungi isolated from Fengxiangxing Daqu
title_full_unstemmed Metabolic power, volatile compounds, and flavor marker formation mechanisms of three fungi isolated from Fengxiangxing Daqu
title_short Metabolic power, volatile compounds, and flavor marker formation mechanisms of three fungi isolated from Fengxiangxing Daqu
title_sort metabolic power volatile compounds and flavor marker formation mechanisms of three fungi isolated from fengxiangxing daqu
topic Fengxiangxing Daqu
Aspergillus chevalieri
Saccharomycopsis fibuligera
Thermoascus aurantiacus
flavor markers
volatile compounds
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1593638/full
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