Research Topic: short-chain fatty acids

The ATO gene family governs Candida albicans colonization in the dysbiotic gastrointestinal tract

This study shows that the fungus Candida albicans uses a family of protein transporters called ATO to absorb acetate, a fatty acid produced by gut bacteria. When mice were treated with antibiotics that killed their beneficial bacteria, C. albicans could colonize their guts better if it had working ATO transporters. The research reveals that fungi have evolved special systems to take advantage of nutrients left behind when the normal gut bacteria are disrupted, which helps explain why fungal infections are more common after antibiotic use.

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Effects of Short-Chain Fatty Acid Combinations Relevant to the Healthy and Dysbiotic Gut upon Candida albicans

Short-chain fatty acids produced by healthy gut bacteria appear to slow the growth and reduce the invasive characteristics of Candida albicans, a fungus that normally lives harmlessly in the gut but can cause infections when the microbiota is disrupted by antibiotics. This study tested whether healthy gut SCFA levels inhibit Candida more effectively than dysbiotic levels and found that the healthy SCFA mix was somewhat more effective at preventing fungal hyphal formation, which is important for tissue invasion. However, different Candida strains responded differently to the SCFAs, suggesting that individual variation affects how protective these bacterial metabolites can be.

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Human Gut Microbiome: A Connecting Organ Between Nutrition, Metabolism, and Health

Your gut bacteria function like an extra organ, helping digest food and producing important compounds that affect your whole body. The type of bacteria in your gut depends on diet, delivery method at birth, and antibiotics you’ve taken. Eating more fiber and taking certain probiotics can improve your bacterial balance and help prevent diseases like diabetes, obesity, and heart problems. This suggests that managing your gut microbiome through diet might be just as important as taking traditional medicines for staying healthy.

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