The gut mycobiome of healthy mice is shaped by the environment and correlates with metabolic outcomes in response to diet

Abstract

As an active interface between the host and their diet, the gut microbiota influences host metabolic adaptation; however, the contributions of fungi have been overlooked. Here, we investigate whether variations in gut mycobiome abundance and composition correlate with key features of host metabolism. We obtained animals from four commercial sources in parallel to test if differing starting mycobiomes can shape host adaptation in response to processed diets. We show that the gut mycobiome of healthy mice is shaped by the environment, including diet, and significantly correlates with metabolic outcomes. We demonstrate that exposure to processed diet leads to persistent differences in fungal communities that significantly associate with differential deposition of body mass in male mice compared to mice fed standardized diet. Fat deposition in the liver, transcriptional adaptation of metabolically active tissues and serum metabolic biomarker levels are linked with alterations in fungal community diversity and composition. Specifically, variation in fungi from the genera Thermomyces and Saccharomyces most strongly associate with metabolic disturbance and weight gain. These data suggest that host–microbe metabolic interactions may be influenced by variability in the mycobiome. This work highlights the potential significance of the gut mycobiome in health and has implications for human and experimental metabolic studies.

ITS2 Sequencing and Targeted Meta-Proteomics of Infant Gut Mycobiome Reveal the Functional Role of Rhodotorula sp. during Atopic Dermatitis Manifestation

“…The fungal numbers in the three sample groups were comparable; however, protein levels in Acremonium, Wickerhamomyces, Rhodotorula, and Rhizopus were substantially higher in the persisted group than in the outgrown and healthy groups (p < 0.05). This result suggested that fungi were not only present but also metabolically active in the guts of infants, emphasizing the link between gut mycobiome and host health [59,60].…”

Gut Microbial Alterations in Diarrheal Baer's Pochards (Aythya baeri)

“…Although the proportion of fungi in gut microbiota is low, it is closely associated with the feeding, immunity, and metabolic health of the host (6)(7)(8). Studies on the relationship between gut fungi and host health have confirmed that an imbalance in the gut fungal flora can cause diarrhea (9,10).…”

The gut commensal fungus, Candida parapsilosis, promotes high fat-diet induced obesity in mice

“…However, as indispensable members in gut microbial communities, gut fungi and their roles in the occurrence and development of obesity are little investigated 10,11 . Recently, Tahliyah's study showed the genera Thermomyces and Saccharomyces most strongly associate with metabolic disturbance and weight gain 12 . And Borges reported a mycobiota shift towards obesity, the increased yeast in obese human individuals, and more filamentous fungi in the eutrophic human individuals 13 .…”