Integrated multi-omics reveal the spoilage dynamics of Japanese horse mackerel (Trachurus japonicus): Insights into microbial succession and metabolite progression

Résumé fourni par la source

Spoilage prevention is crucial for sustainable food production. While current studies, such as 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, have revealed the taxonomic composition and dynamics of microflora in food during spoilage, the precise biochemical mechanisms remain largely unknown. The present study aimed to comprehensively investigate the spoilage process of Japanese horse mackerel ( Trachurus japonicus ) during storage at 4°C using an integrated multi-omics approach combining (1) 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, (2) shotgun metagenomic sequencing, (3) proteomic analyses (1D SDS-PAGE and 2D-PAGE followed by nanoLC-MS/MS), and (4) CE-TOFMS-based metabolomics. Our results identified a critical "spoilage switch" at 48 h, characterized by a drastic shift in microflora toward specific spoilage organisms (SSOs). Crucially, our metagenomic analysis revealed an increase in bacterial genes encoding RhoGTPase-activating protein (RhoGAP) orthologs, which potentially participate in host cytoskeletal disruption. This process likely facilitates extensive proteolysis by bacterial peptidases, accelerating nutrient leakage and spoilage. Subsequently, the concurrent activation of C5-branched dibasic acid and branched-chain amino acid metabolism drives the massive conversion of released amino acids into severe off-odor compounds, such as putrescine and trimethylamine. These findings reveal a novel pathogenic-like spoilage strategy employed by SSOs, providing a promising foundation for the development of targeted food preservation technologies in the future.

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