Novel study reveals presence of fungal DNA in the fetal human gut

A recent human study published in

The FASEB Journal

discovered the presence of fungal communities in the fetal gut. The study marks the first of its kind to observe fungal DNA in this developmental setting.

To conduct the experiment, researchers collected the first stool after birth from babies born at term and babies born preterm. Termed “meconium,” the first stool consists of leftover material from intestinal formation. Researchers then used MiSeq sequencing to detect and classify fungal and bacterial DNA, reconstruct the interkingdom community structure, and examine the structure of those communities based on gestational age at birth. They also screened for live bacteria and fungi using culture-based techniques.

The study found that the human fetus may be exposed to fungal DNA in a natural, gradual process that is intertwined with human development and may begin prior to birth. While it remains unclear how microbial DNA accumulates in the fetal gut, these microbial components appear to be present early in pregnancy and likely play important roles in human health and development.

“Understanding how initial fungal colonization naturally occurs allows us to begin exploring how this process goes wrong in some individuals,” said Kent Willis, MD, an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Neonatology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. “Disordered gut fungal colonization has been implicated in a wide range of diseases, from inflammatory bowel disease to asthma. We provide data here that gives us new insights into how these processes may be influenced.”

“This is a fascinating development, raising intriguing new questions to be tackled,” said Thoru Pederson, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of

The FASEB Journal

.

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The FASEB Journal

is published by the Federation of the American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). The world’s most cited biology journal according to the Institute for Scientific Information, it has been recognized by the Special Libraries Association as one of the top 100 most influential biomedical journals of the past century.

FASEB is composed of 29 societies with more than 130,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. FASEB’s mission is to advance health and well-being by promoting research and education in biological and biomedical sciences through collaborative advocacy and service to member societies and their members.

This part of information is sourced from https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-09/foas-nsr082719.php

Todd Bentsen
301-364-7129
[email protected]
http://www.faseb.org 

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