Analyzing the human gut mycobiome - A short guide for beginners

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Human Microbiome Research
• Medical Mycology

Background:

• The human body hosts a vast microbial ecosystem, the microbiome, dominated by bacteria.
• Human-associated fungi (the mycobiome) are less numerous but present in various body sites like the gut, oral cavity, and skin.
• Fungi have emerging roles in host health and disease, interacting with both the host and bacterial communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the significance of intestinal fungi within the human microbiome.
• To discuss the interactions between intestinal fungi, the host, and bacteria.
• To highlight technical challenges and potential biases in mycobiome research.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on mycobiome research.
• Analysis of studies investigating fungal-host and fungal-bacterial interactions.
• Synthesis of information on methodological limitations in mycobiome studies.

Main Results:

• Fungi are integral components of the human microbiome with significant, though often overlooked, roles.
• Intestinal fungi interact with the host immune system and commensal bacteria, influencing health outcomes.
• Current mycobiome research faces challenges including sampling, DNA extraction, and bioinformatics analysis.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the human mycobiome is crucial for a comprehensive view of host-microbe interactions.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the precise roles of fungi in various diseases.
• Standardized methods are required to improve the accuracy and reproducibility of mycobiome studies.