The Fungus in Your Gut That May Shield You From Radiation

What if one of the organisms quietly living inside your gut could help protect your body from radiation?Scientists have identified a filamentous fungus, Mucor racemosus, that appears to do far more than simply coexist with us. In this episode, we explore how this overlooked member of the gut mycobiome may help the intestine recover after ionizing radiation—and how it does so through an unexpected partnership with the bacterium Limosilactobacillus reuteri. 🍄🦠You’ll discover how fungal metabolites including glutamate, aspartate, and lysine are linked to DNA repair and restoration of the intestinal barrier, while a fungal molecule called MTA becomes fuel for bacterial methionine production. That metabolic cooperation may help preserve DNA methylation and reduce radiation-induced inflammation. 🧬🔬We’ll also examine the intriguing possibility of fermented foods as a delivery route—and the important safety questions that remain before these findings can move toward human medicine.Source: Xiao et al. (2026), “A gut symbiotic filamentous fungus reprograms host metabolism and the microbiota to confer radioprotection,” PNAS.#GutMicrobiome #Radiation #Radioprotection #Mycobiome #Microbiome #DNARepair #SciencePodcast