Metagenomic view of a selected product environments. Characterization of microbial diversity and genetic content.. ST_Metagenomes

Agricultural products that contain bacteria, mold and fungi due to exposure from the soil, the environment and tobacco processing. Over one hundred different microorganisms have been identified in ST agricultural products. The presence of microorganisms in ST is concerning for several reasons: 1) presence of microorganisms results in a net production of nitrite that can contribute to the formation of TSNA 2) microorganisms can produce toxins (endotoxins, aflatoxins, other pro-inflammatory molecules); and 3) microorganisms may alter the natural microbiome or otherwise contribute to disease. Here we present the first metagenomic analysis of ST products. Our recent research has found that all product types display characteristic discrete taxonomic groups that contribute to the metagenome of these products. An understanding of product microbiology is critical to identifying means of reducing the levels of harmful constituents, including carcinogens and pro-inflammatory molecules, in ST products.