phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at o:5003 DOI 10.1038/s41538-025-00479-8 Microbial succession and interaction in vacuum-packed beef: a longitudinal study of bacterial and fungal dynamics The microbial dynamics of vacuum-packed (VP) beef are shaped by interactions between bacterial and fungal communities, influencing spoilage and meat quality during storage. While bacterial succession is well studied, fungal roles remain underexplored. We examined microbial communities in VP beef over 85 days using spike-in, qPCR, 16S/18S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, culture-based methods, whole genome sequencing, and co-culture experiments. Initially dominated by Pseudomonas and Brochothrix, the bacterial community shifted toward lactic acid bacteria (LAB) by day 15. Fungal communities remained diverse, with Kurtzmaniella, Barnettozyma, Debaryomyces, and Yarrowia as key genera. Co-culture experiments revealed a triangular interaction: yeasts enhanced LAB, LAB inhibited Enterobacterales, and Enterobacterales suppressed yeasts. Genomic analyses suggest yeast metabolites support LAB, LAB inhibit via acids and bacteriocins, and Enterobacterales produce fungal cell wall-degrading enzymes. These findings highlight fungi’s overlooked role and the importance of inter-kingdom interactions in meat microbiomes, offering a foundation for strategies to improve meat safety and shelf life. eng Bacteria Microbial communities Fungi 2026-03-24T10:04:58.175Z LOMv1.0 Author BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Roch;Franz-Ferdinand; FN:Franz-Ferdinand Roch X-ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5493-7873 END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Dzieciol;Monika; FN:Monika Dzieciol X-ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0972-6241 END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Strachan;Cameron R.; FN:Cameron R. Strachan X-ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1115-1296 END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Chaughtai;Muhammad Sharjeel; FN:Muhammad Sharjeel Chaughtai X-ORCID:https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8949-1842 END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Quijada;Narciso M.; FN:Narciso M. Quijada END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Movsesijan;Tea; FN:Tea Movsesijan END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Selberherr;Evelyne; FN:Evelyne Selberherr X-ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2253-5247 END:VCARD https://w3id.org/kim/hcrt/scheme https://w3id.org/kim/hcrt/text Textdokument Text LOMv1.0 yes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 application/pdf 1539480 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:5003 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/api/object/o:5003/thumbnail LOMv1.0 discipline