Fungi in the gut have been linked to genes and human health

Previously, researchers’ attention was focused mainly on gut bacteria. Much less is known about fungi— or, as scientists say, mycobiomes. For a long time it was believed that their composition is formed mainly under the influence of nutrition. However, a team from the University of Pennsylvania (USA) decided to test whether human genetics has its own power over intestinal fungi.

To do this, they used data from 125 participants of the Human Microbiome Project, combining information about their genome and the composition of the mycobiome. Using the GWAS (genome-associated studies) method, 148 gene variants associated with nine species of fungi were identified. These genetic clues have shown that variations in human DNA really affect which fungi settle in the gut and how actively they behave.

The most intriguing result is the discovery of a link between a certain type of Kazachstania yeast and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. This discovery, as the authors emphasize, requires further verification, but it already gives rise to speculation: perhaps the mycobiome plays a much greater role in our health than previously thought.

Scientists note that the study is still limited to a small number of participants, but the key results were confirmed in a larger independent sample. Now it is necessary to find out whether these connections are the same for different populations and how exactly fungi interact with bacteria and other microbes in the intestine.

The authors emphasize that the discovery not only expands our understanding of the microbial world inside humans, but also opens up prospects for personalized medicine. In the future, new diagnostic and therapeutic methods may appear that will take into account not only genes and the bacterial microbiome, but also the fungal component of the intestine.