Yeast-related studies
We are 'holobionts' like lichen or corals - multispecies superorganisms that consist of animal and symbiotic microbes, on which normal physiological functions depend. The mycobiota are a critical part of the gut microbiome, but host-fungal interactions and specific functional contributions of commensal fungi to host fitness remain incompletely understood. We found by serendipity that the fungal commensal Kazachstania heterogenica var. weizmannii could prevent Candida albicans colonization of murine intestines, and even significantly reduces the commensal C. albicans burden in pre-colonized animals, thereby mitigating candidiasis development. We are now defining the underlying mechanism to explore in the future if competitive fungal commensalism can be harnessed for the management of C. albicans-mediated diseases.