Deep microbial community profiling along the fermentation process of pulque

Among the major products obtained from some Agave spp since pre-hispanic times is the alcoholic beverage called pulque or octli. This beverage represents a precolumbian biotechnological development obtained by the natural fermentation of the mead (aguamiel) from such plants. The pulque played a central role in mexican prehispanic cultures, mainly the Mexica and the Tolteca, where it was considered as sacred. For modern Mexicans, pulque is still part of their heritage and, in recent times, there has been a renewed interest in this ancient beverage, due to its high content in essential amino acids. Also, the microbial diversity involved in pulque fermentation process, using classic technologies, it has been the focus of this study. In this study, we report the microbiome of pulque fermentation stages, using massive sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) for describing bacterial and fungal diversity and dynamics along pulque production.