Host species effects on bacterial communities associated with the fruiting bodies of Tuber species from the Sichuan Province in Southwest China

Tuber species produce highly sought-after truffles and host a wide diversity and high abundance of bacteria. It has been suggested that some of these bacteria contribute to the growth, maturity, and aromatic properties of truffles. Here, we characterized and compared the microbiomes of several species of truffles from the Sichuan Province in Southwest China using high-throughput sequencing of bacterial community 16S rRNA genes. Two T. pseudoexcavatum ascocarp samples had relatively similar bacterial communities, as indicated by PCoA analysis. In contrast, three T. indicum samples collected at different maturity stages did not contain similar communities, suggesting that the maturity stage of ascocarps affects community composition in addition to host phylogenetic background. Despite the variation seen among species and maturity stages, the Proteobacteria phylum dominated all communities, which is consistent with previous studies of Tuber-associated bacteria. Moreover, Bradyrhizobium was the dominant genus in most Tuber ascocarps, which is also consistent with previous studies, although the functional role of this genus within truffles is unclear. Notably, Serratia, which are essential producers of thiophene volatiles within T. borchii were dominant in all of our samples. This finding supports the hypothesis that the ability to produce thiophene volatiles is widespread among these bacteria.