Fungi and pH values
Fungi and pH values in the organism
The environment in our organism is characterized by y different pH values. Blood in neutral, stomach highly acidic, and intestines are basic in some parts. Fungi have learned to adapt to different environments but sometimes even to alter it according to their needs. When these changes became evident, it is difficult to return the previous healthy pH value of the specific tissue. “The ability of fungi to secrete natural organic acids (such as butyrate, oxalate, malate, citrate, gluconate, and succinate) is well utilized in the industry, particularly with nonpathogenic Aspergillus sp. and Rhizopus sp. “(Slavena Vylkova,2017; Environmental pH modulation by pathogenic fungi as a strategy to conquer the host). The fungi release ammonia as a product of their metabolism. It is the main reason why the pH of the environment is changed.
An interesting fact is that before people learned about biochemical paths of the fungi metabolism, people have already manipulated and used microbial metabolic byproducts for other purposes. For example, lactic bacterias have a byproduct responsible for changing the pH of milk and we can use it to gain valuable products as yogurt, cheese etc. Some fungi are difficult to isolate and observe on the organic surfaces, mostly because they depend on mutual relationships within the organism and only there can be observed. So far we learned that acidity is a perfect base for the development of foreign tissues, cancerogenic formations. “Neutralization of acidic niches is a very common microbial strategy to invade host immune responses.” (Danhof, Lorenz, 2015; The Candida albicans ATO Gene Family Promotes Neutralization of the Macrophage Phagolysosome. Infect Immun.)
“The alkaline pH increases fungal virulence by facilitating penetration into host surfaces and hindering or evasion of immune responses. Thus, the ability to control extracellular pH is an important aspect of fungal physiology that contributes to fitness within the host.”(Slavena Vylkova,2017; Environmental pH modulation by pathogenic fungi as a strategy to conquer the host) To prevent it, recommended is a healthy diet, overall healthy lifestyle, or treatment when needed.
What is less known is that some organisms have a high tendency to provide the perfect surfaces for “acidic” fungi. Genetic research shows the specific activity of genes in stomach tissues responsible for the fungi supportive behaviors. To learn more about it, metabolism products were observed along with the clinical picture of targeted patients.
