Abstract: In this study, MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology was used to analyze the bacterial and fungal diversity in Laozao produced in Liquan. The results showed that the dominant bacterial phyla in Liquan’s Laozao were Firmicutes (97.20%) and Proteobacteria (2.29%), accounting for 99.49% of the total abundance, and the dominant bacterial genera were Lactobacillus (85.25%), Pediococcus (5.50%), Leuconostoc (1.68%), Streptococcus (1.63%) and Lactococcus (1.12%). The dominant fungal phyla were Mucoromycota (56.90%) and Ascomycota (43.10%), and the dominant fungal genera were Rhizopus (56.66%), Saccharomyces (23.28%), Saccharomycopsis (12.24%) and Candida (5.35%). Diversity analysis found that the microbial community of Liquan’s Laozao could be divided into two groups, which showed significant differences in bacterial diversity and fungal richness (P < 0.05). Gene and phenotype prediction showed that the relative expression levels of amino acid transport and metabolism, potential pathogenicity and mobile elements were significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.05).

Key words: Laozao; high-throughput sequencing; fungal diversity; bacterial diversity; functional prediction