Analyzing the human gut mycobiome – A short guide for beginners

The human body is a dynamic ecosystem consisting of millions of microbes which are often comprised under the term microbiome. Compared to bacteria, which count for the overwhelming majority of the microbiome, the number of human-associated fungi is small and often underestimated. Nonetheless, they can be found in different host niches such as the gut, the oral cavity and the skin. The fungal community has several potential roles in health and disease of the human host. In this review we will focus on intestinal fungi and their interaction with the host as well as bacteria. We also summarize technical challenges and possible biases researchers must be aware of when conducting mycobiome analysis.