From Birth and Throughout Life: Fungal Microbiota in Nutrition and Metabolic Health
William D. Fiers, Irina Leonardi, Iliyan D. Iliev
Abstract
The human gastrointestinal tract is home to a vibrant, diverse ecosystem of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. The gut fungi (mycobiota) have recently risen to prominence due to their ability to modulate host immunity. Colonization of the gut occurs through a combination of vertical transmission from the maternal mycobiota and environmental and dietary exposure. Data from human and animal studies demonstrate that nutrition strongly affects the mycobiota composition and that changes in the fungal communities can aggravate metabolic diseases. The mechanisms pertaining to the mycobiota's influence on host health, pathology, and resident gastrointestinal communities through intrakingdom, transkingdom, and immune cross talk are beginning to come into focus, setting the stage for a new chapter in microbiota-host interactions. Herein, we examine the inception, maturation, and dietary modulation of gastrointestinal and nutritional fungal communities and inspect their impact on metabolic diseases in humans.