(TCFS) and its correlation with the quality of TCFS

This study revealed for the first time the dynamic succession of the bacterial community 13 during the fermentation of traditional Chinese fish sauce (TCFS) using high-throughput 14 sequencing. In the early phase of TCFS fermentation, Shewanella (approximately 90%) within 15 Proteobacteria was the dominant bacteria. Then, Halanaerobium (3%-86%) within Firmicutes rapidly 16 replaced Shewanella as the dominant genus until the 12th month. Lactococcus (3.31%) and Bacillus 17 (45.56%) belonged to Firmicutes were detected abundantly in the 3rd and 9th months after 18 fermentation, respectively. In the late phase (12-15 months), Tetragenococcus within Firmicutes 19 replaced Halanaerobium as the most dominant bacteria (29.54%). Many other genera including 20 Pseudomonas, Psychrobacter, Tissierella, Carnobacterium and Gallicola were abundantly present in the 21 15th month after fermentation. Furthermore, the relationships between the bacterial community and 22 major functional substances of TCFS, including amino nitrogen (AAN), free amino acids (FAAs), 23 total soluble nitrogen (TSN) and trimethylamine (TMA), were investigated by partial least squares 24 regression (PLSR). Tetragenococcus was positively correlated with the formation of TMA, while 25 Halanaerobium showed the opposite result, suggesting that Tetragenococcus might be a good starter 26 for TCFS fermentation. These results contribute to our knowledge about bacterial participation in 27 the process of TCFS fermentation and will help improve the quality of fermented seafood. 28