Abstract
The repertoire of microeukaryotes in the human gut has been poorly explored, mainly in individuals living in northern hemisphere countries. We further explored this repertoire using PCR-sequencing and culture in seven individuals living in four tropical countries. A total of 41 microeukaryotes including 38 different fungal species and three protists were detected. Four fungal species, Davidiella tassiana, Davidiella sp., Corticiaceae sp., and Penicillium sp., were uniquely detected by culture; 27 fungal species were uniquely detected using PCR-sequencing and Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Trichosporon asahii, Clavispora lusitaniae, Debaryomyces hansenii, Malassezia restricta, and Malassezia sp. were detected using both molecular and culture methods. Fourteen microeukaryotes were shared by the seven individuals, whereas 27 species were found in only one individual, including 11 species in Amazonia, nine species in Polynesia, five species in India, and two species in Senegal. These data support a worldwide distribution of Malassezia sp., Trichosporon sp., and Candida sp. in the gut mycobiome. Here, 13 fungal species and two protists, Stentor roeseli and Vorticella campanula, were observed for first time in the human gut. This study revealed a previously unsuspected diversity in the repertoire of human gut microeukaryotes, suggesting spots for further exploring this repertoire.
Highlights
The human gut microbiota is a diverse ecosystem comprising of bacteria, archaea, virus and eukaryotes referred to as the gut microbiota
Despite evidence for the gut microeukaryote community being influenced by the environment, a few studies have been reported from a limited number of individuals, mainly living in the northern hemisphere countries
S. roeseli detected in stool from India and V. campanula in stool from Amazonia, are two ciliates previously described from environment in particular in freshwater [22,23]
Summary
The human gut microbiota is a diverse ecosystem comprising of bacteria, archaea, virus and eukaryotes referred to as the gut microbiota. Previous studies indicated that components of the gut microbiota, including gut microeukaryotes, were interacting one with each other [9,10]. Our previous studies on eukaryote community in an obese individual and in an anorexic individual and revealed fungi diversity related to diet [4,13]. Despite evidence for the gut microeukaryote community being influenced by the environment, a few studies have been reported from a limited number of individuals, mainly living in the northern hemisphere countries. The current body of knowledge may not be representative of the actual diversity of this repertoire, as no data issued from individuals living in southern hemisphere countries such as Polynesia and Amazonia. In an effort to broaden knowledge on gut microeukaryotes, we investigated microeukaryotes in seven individuals living in four tropical countries
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