title: Key Microbiota Identification Using Functional Gene Analysis during Pepper (Piper nigrum L.) Peeling.
abstract: Pepper pericarp microbiota plays an important role in the pepper peeling process for the production of white pepper. We collected pepper samples at different peeling time points from Hainan Province, China, and used a metagenomic approach to identify changes in the pericarp microbiota based on functional gene analysis. UniFrac distance-based principal coordinates analysis revealed significant changes in the pericarp microbiota structure during peeling, which were attributed to increases in bacteria from the genera Selenomonas and Prevotella. We identified 28 core operational taxonomic units at each time point, mainly belonging to Selenomonas, Prevotella, Megasphaera, Anaerovibrio, and Clostridium genera. The results were confirmed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. At the functional level, we observed significant increases in microbial features related to acetyl xylan esterase and pectinesterase for pericarp degradation during peeling. These findings offer a new insight into biodegradation for pepper peeling and will promote the development of the white pepper industry.
authors: College of Food Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, P. R. China.
authors: Jiachao
authors: J
authors: Zhang
authors: College of Food Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, P. R. China.
authors: Qisong
authors: Q
authors: Hu
authors: College of Food Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, P. R. China.
authors: Chuanbiao
authors: C
authors: Xu
authors: College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, P. R. China.
authors: Sixin
authors: S
authors: Liu
authors: College of Food Science and Technology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, P. R. China.
authors: Congfa
authors: C
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification; D044822:Biodiversity; D017343:Genes, Plant; D064307:Microbiota; D029222:Piper nigrum / Q000235:genetics*