The Role of Early Life Gut Mycobiome on Child Health

Abstract

The Role of Early Life Gut Mycobiome on Child Health Kayleigh Amber Rodriguez 1,2,y, Manoj Gurung 3,4,y, Rachelanne Talatala 3, Jolene R Rearick 3,4, Meghan L Ruebel 3,4, Kimberly E Stephens 1,2,*, Laxmi Yeruva 3,4,** 1 Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, AR, United States; 2 University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, Little Rock, AR, United States; 3 Microbiome and Metabolism Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, Little Rock, AR, United States; 4 Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR, United States A B S T R A C T The human gut microbiota is composed of bacteria (microbiota or microbiome), fungi (mycobiome), viruses, and archaea, but most of the research is primarily focused on the bacterial component of this ecosystem. Besides bacteria, fungi have been shown to play a role in host health and physiologic functions. However, studies on mycobiota composition during infancy, the factors that might shape infant gut mycobiota, and implications to child health and development are limited. In this review, we discuss the factors likely shaping gut mycobiota, interkingdom interactions, and associations with child health outcomes and highlight the gaps in our current knowledge of this ecosystem. Keywords: mycobiome, mycobiota, microbiota, milk, gut, fungus, early life