Integrated analysis of the microbiome, culturable strains, and substrate microenvironment reveals significant shifts in bacterial community of Angelica sinensis from fresh roots to medicinal slices
摘要
Chinese medicinal material slices represent the most commonly utilized form of Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels (Ang) for both medicinal and edible purposes. The loaded microorganisms of these slices are crucial quality-control indicators. However, few studies have explored the relationship between the bacteria present at the slice and plant stages. This study employed high-throughput sequencing, pure culture, metabolic detection, and model fitting to systematically elucidate the bacterial change patterns from Ang plant to its slice. The results indicated a clear distinction between the plant-endophytic bacterial community (PEBC) and the slice-loaded bacterial community (SLBC). The SLBC demonstrated high species richness and inter-sample heterogeneity, whereas the PEBC displayed high species evenness and inter-sample homogeneity. Transitioning from plants to slices, the PEBC lost its host’s barrier and regulation, allowing newly introduced species to exploit available niches based on interspecies interaction, thus reshaping the community structure. Typically, the relative abundance of Pseudomonas decreased, while that of Bacteroides increased. The PEBC contained abundant plant growth-promoting bacteria, including various Pseudomonas species, while the SLBC comprised both probiotics and control bacteria. Functional prediction for the PEBC highlighted its interaction with plants, whereas the SLBC was more focused on enhancing its own metabolic activities. The primary categories of Ang metabolites were consistent with the functional items highly enriched within the bacterial community. Furthermore, the assembly of PEBC was predominantly deterministic, whereas the SLBC exhibited stochastic characteristics. These detailed changes from PEBC to SLBC will enhance our understanding of the microbial ecology of Ang products and facilitate their fine regulation.