{"title":"Metabolome profile and microbial community structure of <i>Cenchrus fungigraminus</i> silage under different moisture gradients.","authors":"Xiaohan Hou, Xiaohui Chu, Yang Yang, Xue Xiao, Qiongmei Niu, Guilian Shan","doi":"10.3389/fbioe.2025.1657657","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Due to its high biomass yield, <i>Cenchrus fungigraminus</i> is widely cultivated in Yunnan. Local herders often adjust the moisture content of fresh grass by sun-drying to improve its suitability for silage. However, the spatiotemporal dynamics of microbial communities and metabolites during its fermentation process remain unclear. In this study, fresh grass was subjected to natural sun-drying for 0, 12, 24, and 36 h, achieving moisture contents of approximately 88%, 77%, 66%, and 50%, respectively, before ensiling. We combined 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and LC-MS-based metabolomics to investigate changes in microbial diversity, community structure, and metabolic pathways under different moisture conditions. The results showed that, with prolonged sun exposure, the water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) and ether extract (EE) of the raw material decreased, and the acid-insoluble fiber (ADF) also decreased; the richness and diversity of the microbial community in the low-moisture group (50%) after silage were significantly higher than those in the high-moisture group, accompanied by an increase in harmful bacteria such as <i>Clostridium</i>. In contrast, the abundance of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), including <i>Lactobacillus</i> and <i>Weissella</i>, showed a significant positive correlation with moisture content. Metabolomics analysis showed that essential amino acid-related pathways (aspartic acid and glutamic acid) were upregulated, while phenolic acid metabolism (protocatechuic acid and gallic acid) was downregulated, reflecting the differential regulation of fermentation products under different moisture conditions. In summary, although excessive sun-drying can optimize the fiber structure and palatability of raw materials, overly low moisture levels are unfavorable for the proliferation of probiotics and may compromise silage quality. Maintaining a higher moisture content (≥75%) for silage is more conducive to fermentation stability and nutritional value, providing a theoretical basis for optimizing the silage process of <i>Cenchrus fungigraminus</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":12444,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology","volume":"13 ","pages":"1657657"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12477210/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2025.1657657","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/1/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"eCollection","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BIOTECHNOLOGY & APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Due to its high biomass yield, Cenchrus fungigraminus is widely cultivated in Yunnan. Local herders often adjust the moisture content of fresh grass by sun-drying to improve its suitability for silage. However, the spatiotemporal dynamics of microbial communities and metabolites during its fermentation process remain unclear. In this study, fresh grass was subjected to natural sun-drying for 0, 12, 24, and 36 h, achieving moisture contents of approximately 88%, 77%, 66%, and 50%, respectively, before ensiling. We combined 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and LC-MS-based metabolomics to investigate changes in microbial diversity, community structure, and metabolic pathways under different moisture conditions. The results showed that, with prolonged sun exposure, the water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) and ether extract (EE) of the raw material decreased, and the acid-insoluble fiber (ADF) also decreased; the richness and diversity of the microbial community in the low-moisture group (50%) after silage were significantly higher than those in the high-moisture group, accompanied by an increase in harmful bacteria such as Clostridium. In contrast, the abundance of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), including Lactobacillus and Weissella, showed a significant positive correlation with moisture content. Metabolomics analysis showed that essential amino acid-related pathways (aspartic acid and glutamic acid) were upregulated, while phenolic acid metabolism (protocatechuic acid and gallic acid) was downregulated, reflecting the differential regulation of fermentation products under different moisture conditions. In summary, although excessive sun-drying can optimize the fiber structure and palatability of raw materials, overly low moisture levels are unfavorable for the proliferation of probiotics and may compromise silage quality. Maintaining a higher moisture content (≥75%) for silage is more conducive to fermentation stability and nutritional value, providing a theoretical basis for optimizing the silage process of Cenchrus fungigraminus.
期刊介绍：
The translation of new discoveries in medicine to clinical routine has never been easy. During the second half of the last century, thanks to the progress in chemistry, biochemistry and pharmacology, we have seen the development and the application of a large number of drugs and devices aimed at the treatment of symptoms, blocking unwanted pathways and, in the case of infectious diseases, fighting the micro-organisms responsible. However, we are facing, today, a dramatic change in the therapeutic approach to pathologies and diseases. Indeed, the challenge of the present and the next decade is to fully restore the physiological status of the diseased organism and to completely regenerate tissue and organs when they are so seriously affected that treatments cannot be limited to the repression of symptoms or to the repair of damage. This is being made possible thanks to the major developments made in basic cell and molecular biology, including stem cell science, growth factor delivery, gene isolation and transfection, the advances in bioengineering and nanotechnology, including development of new biomaterials, biofabrication technologies and use of bioreactors, and the big improvements in diagnostic tools and imaging of cells, tissues and organs.
In today`s world, an enhancement of communication between multidisciplinary experts, together with the promotion of joint projects and close collaborations among scientists, engineers, industry people, regulatory agencies and physicians are absolute requirements for the success of any attempt to develop and clinically apply a new biological therapy or an innovative device involving the collective use of biomaterials, cells and/or bioactive molecules. “Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology” aspires to be a forum for all people involved in the process by bridging the gap too often existing between a discovery in the basic sciences and its clinical application.
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