Multidimensional synergy between yeast and lactic acid bacteria: mechanisms, quality formation, and precision fermentation strategies.

Abstract

The complex functional characteristics of fermented foods stem from dynamic microbial interactions rather than the activities of individual microorganisms. Traditional research has primarily focused on single-strain cultures and metabolic functions, whereas contemporary studies increasingly emphasize the pivotal role of interactions between different species in shaping fermentative ecosystems. This review explores the multifaceted interactions between yeast-lactic acid bacteria (LAB), focusing on three key aspects: (1) nutritional interactions and cross-feeding mechanisms; (2) molecular communication via metabolite exchange and quorum sensing; (3) collective adaptation strategies encompassing biofilm formation and environmental remodeling. Synergistic interactions promote metabolic complementarity, thereby enhancing substrate utilization efficiency and biosynthetic capacity beyond the limitations of single-strain cultures. Competitive interactions maintain ecological equilibrium within microbial communities while suppressing undesirable microorganisms. Quorum sensing mechanisms synchronize gene expression across entire populations, coordinating metabolic pathways and optimizing collective behavior. Biofilm formation creates structured microenvironments that enhance microbial resilience and metabolic specialization. Advanced methodologies, particularly multi-omics technologies and synthetic microbial ecology approaches, have become indispensable tools for unravelling these intricate interaction networks. Integrating genome-scale metabolic modelling with experimental validation offers unprecedented insights into the molecular mechanisms underpinning microbial interactions. This systems-level understanding enables the purposeful design of synthetic microbial communities and precise fermentation processes, highlighting the imperative shift from single-species optimization towards ecological management strategies. Future research should translate laboratory discoveries i