Advances in Daqu Microbiome Research based on Metagenomics-Metatranscriptomics-Metaproteomics

This review summarizes recent research progress in applying omics technologies, including metagenomics, metatranscriptomics and metaproteomics, to analyze the structure and function of the microbial community in Daqu. In terms of community composition, Daqu harbors a vast reservoir of uncultured microbial resources, with core taxa predominantly consisting of Aspergillus, Bacillus, and Lactobacillus. Regarding community function, studies identify the microbial origins of key metabolic enzymes, such as ester synthases, and elucidate the synergistic role of the microbiota in raw material degradation and flavor formation. With respect to driving factors, omics analyses confirm that environmental factors, such as temperature, influence the fermentation process by regulating microbial transcriptional and protein expression activities. Future research in this field should focus on integrating multi-omics approaches with culturomics, metabolomics, and computational modeling to establish a systematic framework spanning from genes to products and from prediction to regulation. This will facilitate a paradigm shift in Daqu fermentation from empirical control to precision design and performance prediction, thereby deepening the understanding of the principles of Daqu fermentation and enhancing the controllability of the production process.