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Smith H, Epstein H, Torda G. The molecular basis of differential morphology and bleaching thresholds in two morphs of the coral Pocillopora acuta. Sci Rep 2017; 7:10066. [PMID: 28855618 PMCID: PMC5577224 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10560-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Processes of cnidarian evolution, including hybridization and phenotypic plasticity, have complicated the clear diagnosis of species boundaries within the phylum. Pocillopora acuta, a species of scleractinian coral that was recently split from the widespread Pocillopora damicornis species complex, occurs in at least two distinct morphs on the Great Barrier Reef. Contrasting morphology combined with evidence of differential bleaching thresholds among sympatrically distributed colonies suggest that the taxonomy of this recently described species is not fully resolved and may represent its own species complex. To examine the basis of sympatric differentiation between the two morphs, we combined analyses of micro- and macro-skeletal morphology with genome wide sequencing of the coral host, as well as ITS2 genotyping of the associated Symbiodinium communities. We found consistent differences between morphs on both the macro- and micro-skeletal scale. In addition, we identified 18 candidate functional genes that relate to skeletal formation and morphology that may explain how the two morphs regulate growth to achieve their distinct growth forms. With inconclusive results in endosymbiotic algal community diversity between the two morphs, we propose that colony morphology may be linked to bleaching susceptibility. We conclude that cryptic speciation may be in the early stages within the species P. acuta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hillary Smith
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia. .,Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, Queensland 4810, Australia. .,College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia. .,AIMS@JCU, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia.
| | - Hannah Epstein
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, Queensland 4810, Australia.,College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia.,AIMS@JCU, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - Gergely Torda
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, Queensland 4810, Australia
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52
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Seveso D, Montano S, Reggente MAL, Maggioni D, Orlandi I, Galli P, Vai M. The cellular stress response of the scleractinian coral Goniopora columna during the progression of the black band disease. Cell Stress Chaperones 2017; 22:225-236. [PMID: 27988888 PMCID: PMC5352596 DOI: 10.1007/s12192-016-0756-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Revised: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Black band disease (BBD) is a widespread coral pathology caused by a microbial consortium dominated by cyanobacteria, which is significantly contributing to the loss of coral cover and diversity worldwide. Since the effects of the BBD pathogens on the physiology and cellular stress response of coral polyps appear almost unknown, the expression of some molecular biomarkers, such as Hsp70, Hsp60, HO-1, and MnSOD, was analyzed in the apparently healthy tissues of Goniopora columna located at different distances from the infection and during two disease development stages. All the biomarkers displayed different levels of expression between healthy and diseased colonies. In the healthy corals, low basal levels were found stable over time in different parts of the same colony. On the contrary, in the diseased colonies, a strong up-regulation of all the biomarkers was observed in all the tissues surrounding the infection, which suffered an oxidative stress probably generated by the alternation, at the progression front of the disease, of conditions of oxygen supersaturation and hypoxia/anoxia, and by the production of the cyanotoxin microcystin by the BBD cyanobacteria. Furthermore, in the infected colonies, the expression of all the biomarkers appeared significantly affected by the development stage of the disease. In conclusion, our approach may constitute a useful diagnostic tool, since the cellular stress response of corals is activated before the pathogens colonize the tissues, and expands the current knowledge of the mechanisms controlling the host responses to infection in corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Seveso
- Department of Biotechnologies and Biosciences, University of Milano - Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126, Milan, Italy.
- MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Centre), Magoodhoo Island, Faafu Atoll, Republic of Maldives.
| | - Simone Montano
- Department of Biotechnologies and Biosciences, University of Milano - Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126, Milan, Italy
- MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Centre), Magoodhoo Island, Faafu Atoll, Republic of Maldives
| | - Melissa Amanda Ljubica Reggente
- Department of Biotechnologies and Biosciences, University of Milano - Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126, Milan, Italy
- MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Centre), Magoodhoo Island, Faafu Atoll, Republic of Maldives
| | - Davide Maggioni
- Department of Biotechnologies and Biosciences, University of Milano - Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126, Milan, Italy
- MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Centre), Magoodhoo Island, Faafu Atoll, Republic of Maldives
| | - Ivan Orlandi
- Department of Biotechnologies and Biosciences, University of Milano - Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Galli
- Department of Biotechnologies and Biosciences, University of Milano - Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126, Milan, Italy
- MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Centre), Magoodhoo Island, Faafu Atoll, Republic of Maldives
| | - Marina Vai
- Department of Biotechnologies and Biosciences, University of Milano - Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126, Milan, Italy
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53
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Quinn RA, Vermeij MJA, Hartmann AC, Galtier d'Auriac I, Benler S, Haas A, Quistad SD, Lim YW, Little M, Sandin S, Smith JE, Dorrestein PC, Rohwer F. Metabolomics of reef benthic interactions reveals a bioactive lipid involved in coral defence. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 283:rspb.2016.0469. [PMID: 27122568 PMCID: PMC4855392 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.0469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Holobionts are assemblages of microbial symbionts and their macrobial host. As extant representatives of some of the oldest macro-organisms, corals and algae are important for understanding how holobionts develop and interact with one another. Using untargeted metabolomics, we show that non-self interactions altered the coral metabolome more than self-interactions (i.e. different or same genus, respectively). Platelet activating factor (PAF) and Lyso-PAF, central inflammatory modulators in mammals, were major lipid components of the coral holobionts. When corals were damaged during competitive interactions with algae, PAF increased along with expression of the gene encoding Lyso-PAF acetyltransferase; the protein responsible for converting Lyso-PAF to PAF. This shows that self and non-self recognition among some of the oldest extant holobionts involve bioactive lipids identical to those in highly derived taxa like humans. This further strengthens the hypothesis that major players of the immune response evolved during the pre-Cambrian.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Quinn
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mark J A Vermeij
- Carmabi Foundation, Piscaderabaai, Willemstad, Curaçao Aquatic Microbiology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aaron C Hartmann
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Sean Benler
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Andreas Haas
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Steven D Quistad
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Yan Wei Lim
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Mark Little
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Stuart Sandin
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer E Smith
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Pieter C Dorrestein
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Forest Rohwer
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
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54
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Diaz JM, Hansel CM, Apprill A, Brighi C, Zhang T, Weber L, McNally S, Xun L. Species-specific control of external superoxide levels by the coral holobiont during a natural bleaching event. Nat Commun 2016; 7:13801. [PMID: 27924868 PMCID: PMC5150980 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The reactive oxygen species superoxide (O2·−) is both beneficial and detrimental to life. Within corals, superoxide may contribute to pathogen resistance but also bleaching, the loss of essential algal symbionts. Yet, the role of superoxide in coral health and physiology is not completely understood owing to a lack of direct in situ observations. By conducting field measurements of superoxide produced by corals during a bleaching event, we show substantial species-specific variation in external superoxide levels, which reflect the balance of production and degradation processes. Extracellular superoxide concentrations are independent of light, algal symbiont abundance and bleaching status, but depend on coral species and bacterial community composition. Furthermore, coral-derived superoxide concentrations ranged from levels below bulk seawater up to ∼120 nM, some of the highest superoxide concentrations observed in marine systems. Overall, these results unveil the ability of corals and/or their microbiomes to regulate superoxide in their immediate surroundings, which suggests species-specific roles of superoxide in coral health and physiology.
Corals may vary in their ability to regulate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can influence coral health. Diaz and colleagues conduct in vivo measurements of the ROS superoxide at the surface of corals and find substantial species-level variation in superoxide regulation that is independent of bleaching status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M Diaz
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA.,Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, 10 Ocean Science Circle, Savannah, Georgia 31411, USA
| | - Colleen M Hansel
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA
| | - Amy Apprill
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA
| | - Caterina Brighi
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Imperial College Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Tong Zhang
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA.,MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Laura Weber
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA
| | - Sean McNally
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA.,School for the Environment, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, Massachusetts 02125, USA
| | - Liping Xun
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA
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55
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Fuess LE, Pinzόn C JH, Weil E, Mydlarz LD. Associations between transcriptional changes and protein phenotypes provide insights into immune regulation in corals. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2016; 62:17-28. [PMID: 27109903 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2016.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Revised: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Disease outbreaks in marine ecosystems have driven worldwide declines of numerous taxa, including corals. Some corals, such as Orbicella faveolata, are particularly susceptible to disease. To explore the mechanisms contributing to susceptibility, colonies of O. faveolata were exposed to immune challenge with lipopolysaccharides. RNA sequencing and protein activity assays were used to characterize the response of corals to immune challenge. Differential expression analyses identified 17 immune-related transcripts that varied in expression post-immune challenge. Network analyses revealed several groups of transcripts correlated to immune protein activity. Several transcripts, which were annotated as positive regulators of immunity were included in these groups, and some were downregulated following immune challenge. Correlations between expression of these transcripts and protein activity results further supported the role of these transcripts in positive regulation of immunity. The observed pattern of gene expression and protein activity may elucidate the processes contributing to the disease susceptibility of species like O. faveolata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Fuess
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Jorge H Pinzόn C
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Ernesto Weil
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, PR, USA
| | - Laura D Mydlarz
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA.
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56
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Chu ND, Vollmer SV. Caribbean corals house shared and host-specific microbial symbionts over time and space. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2016; 8:493-500. [PMID: 27083502 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The rise of coral diseases has triggered a surge of interest in coral microbial communities. But to fully understand how the coral microbiome may cause or respond to disease, we must first understand structure and variation in the healthy coral microbiome. We used 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize the microbiomes of 100 healthy coral colonies from six Caribbean coral species (Acropora cervicornis, A. palmata, Diploria labyrinthiformis, Diploria strigosa, Porites astreoides and P. furcata) across four reefs and three time points over 1 year. We found host species to be the strongest driver of coral microbiome structure across site and time. Analysis of the core microbiome revealed remarkable similarity in the bacterial taxa represented across coral hosts and many bacterial phylotypes shared across all corals sampled. Some of these widespread bacterial taxa have been identified in Pacific corals, indicating that a core coral microbiome may extend across oceans. Core bacterial phylotypes that were unique to each coral were taxonomically diverse, suggesting that different coral hosts provide persistent, divergent niches for bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel D Chu
- Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, 430 Nahant Road, Nahant, MA, 01908, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Bocas del Toro, Panama
- Microbiology Graduate Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Steven V Vollmer
- Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, 430 Nahant Road, Nahant, MA, 01908, USA
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57
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Unraveling the Physiological Roles of the Cyanobacterium Geitlerinema sp. BBD and Other Black Band Disease Community Members through Genomic Analysis of a Mixed Culture. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0157953. [PMID: 27336619 PMCID: PMC4918915 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Black band disease (BBD) is a cyanobacterial-dominated polymicrobial mat that propagates on and migrates across coral surfaces, necrotizing coral tissue. Culture-based laboratory studies have investigated cyanobacteria and heterotrophic bacteria isolated from BBD, but the metabolic potential of various BBD microbial community members and interactions between them remain poorly understood. Here we report genomic insights into the physiological and metabolic potential of the BBD-associated cyanobacterium Geitlerinema sp. BBD 1991 and six associated bacteria that were also present in the non-axenic culture. The essentially complete genome of Geitlerinema sp. BBD 1991 contains a sulfide quinone oxidoreductase gene for oxidation of sulfide, suggesting a mechanism for tolerating the sulfidic conditions of BBD mats. Although the operon for biosynthesis of the cyanotoxin microcystin was surprisingly absent, potential relics were identified. Genomic evidence for mixed-acid fermentation indicates a strategy for energy metabolism under the anaerobic conditions present in BBD during darkness. Fermentation products may supply carbon to BBD heterotrophic bacteria. Among the six associated bacteria in the culture, two are closely related to organisms found in culture-independent studies of diseased corals. Their metabolic pathways for carbon and sulfur cycling, energy metabolism, and mechanisms for resisting coral defenses suggest adaptations to the coral surface environment and biogeochemical roles within the BBD mat. Polysulfide reductases were identified in a Flammeovirgaceae genome (Bacteroidetes) and the sox pathway for sulfur oxidation was found in the genome of a Rhodospirillales bacterium (Alphaproteobacteria), revealing mechanisms for sulfur cycling, which influences virulence of BBD. Each genomic bin possessed a pathway for conserving energy from glycerol degradation, reflecting adaptations to the glycerol-rich coral environment. The presence of genes for detoxification of reactive oxygen species and resistance to antibiotics suggest mechanisms for combating coral defense strategies. This study builds upon previous research on BBD and provides new insights into BBD disease etiology.
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58
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Mohamed AR, Cumbo V, Harii S, Shinzato C, Chan CX, Ragan MA, Bourne DG, Willis BL, Ball EE, Satoh N, Miller DJ. The transcriptomic response of the coral
Acropora digitifera
to a competent
Symbiodinium
strain: the symbiosome as an arrested early phagosome. Mol Ecol 2016; 25:3127-41. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2015] [Revised: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. R. Mohamed
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies James Cook University Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
- Comparative Genomics Centre and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology James Cook University Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
- Zoology Department Faculty of Science Benha University Benha 13518 Egypt
- AIMS@JCU Department of Molecular and Cell Biology Australian Institute of Marine Science James Cook University Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
| | - V. Cumbo
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies James Cook University Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney NSW 2109 Australia
| | - S. Harii
- Sesoko Station Tropical Biosphere Research Center University of the Ryukyus 3422 Sesoko Motobu Okinawa 905‐0227 Japan
| | - C. Shinzato
- Marine Genomics Unit Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Promotion Corporation Onna Okinawa 904‐0412 Japan
| | - C. X. Chan
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld 4072 Australia
| | - M. A. Ragan
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld 4072 Australia
| | - D. G. Bourne
- Australian Institute for Marine Science PMB 3 Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
| | - B. L. Willis
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies James Cook University Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
- Department of Marine Ecosystems and Impacts James Cook University Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
| | - E. E. Ball
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies James Cook University Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
- Evolution, Ecology and Genetics Research School of Biology Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 Australia
| | - N. Satoh
- Marine Genomics Unit Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Promotion Corporation Onna Okinawa 904‐0412 Japan
| | - D. J. Miller
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies James Cook University Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
- Comparative Genomics Centre and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology James Cook University Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
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59
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Maor-Landaw K, Levy O. Gene expression profiles during short-term heat stress; branching vs. massive Scleractinian corals of the Red Sea. PeerJ 2016; 4:e1814. [PMID: 27069783 PMCID: PMC4824894 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well-established that there is a hierarchy of susceptibilities amongst coral genera during heat-stress. However, molecular mechanisms governing these differences are still poorly understood. Here we explored if specific corals possessing different morphologies and different susceptibilities to heat stress may manifest varied gene expression patterns. We examined expression patterns of seven genes in the branching corals Stylophora pistillata and Acropora eurystoma and additionally in the massive robust coral, Porites sp. The tested genes are representatives of key cellular processes occurring during heat-stress in Cnidaria: oxidative stress, ER stress, energy metabolism, DNA repair and apoptosis. Varied response to the heat-stress, in terms of visual coral paling, algal maximum quantum yield and host gene expression was evident in the different growth forms. The two branching corals exhibited similar overall responses that differed from that of the massive coral. A. eurystoma that is considered as a susceptible species did not bleach in our experiment, but tissue sloughing was evident at 34 °C. Interestingly, in this species redox regulation genes were up-regulated at the very onset of the thermal challenge. In S. pistillata, bleaching was evident at 34 °C and most of the stress markers were already up-regulated at 32 °C, either remaining highly expressed or decreasing when temperatures reached 34 °C. The massive Porites species displayed severe bleaching at 32 °C but stress marker genes were only significantly elevated at 34 °C. We postulate that by expelling the algal symbionts from Porites tissues, oxidation damages are reduced and stress genes are activated only at a progressed stage. The differential gene expression responses exhibited here can be correlated with the literature well-documented hierarchy of susceptibilities amongst coral morphologies and genera in Eilat’s coral reef.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keren Maor-Landaw
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University , Ramat Gan , Israel
| | - Oren Levy
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University , Ramat Gan , Israel
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60
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Okubo N, Hayward DC, Forêt S, Ball EE. A comparative view of early development in the corals Favia lizardensis, Ctenactis echinata, and Acropora millepora - morphology, transcriptome, and developmental gene expression. BMC Evol Biol 2016; 16:48. [PMID: 26924819 PMCID: PMC4770532 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-016-0615-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Research into various aspects of coral biology has greatly increased in recent years due to anthropogenic threats to coral health including pollution, ocean warming and acidification. However, knowledge of coral early development has lagged. The present paper describes the embryonic development of two previously uncharacterized robust corals, Favia lizardensis (a massive brain coral) and Ctenactis echinata (a solitary coral) and compares it to that of the previously characterized complex coral, Acropora millepora, both morphologically and in terms of the expression of a set of key developmental genes. Results Illumina sequencing of mixed age embryos was carried out, resulting in embryonic transcriptomes consisting of 40605 contigs for C.echinata (N50 = 1080 bp) and 48536 contigs for F.lizardensis (N50 = 1496 bp). The transcriptomes have been annotated against Swiss-Prot and were sufficiently complete to enable the identification of orthologs of many key genes controlling development in bilaterians. Developmental series of images of whole mounts and sections reveal that the early stages of both species contain a blastocoel, consistent with their membership of the robust clade. In situ hybridization was used to examine the expression of the developmentally important genes brachyury, chordin and forkhead. The expression of brachyury and forkhead was consistent with that previously reported for Acropora and allowed us to confirm that the pseudo-blastopore sometimes seen in robust corals such as Favia spp. is not directly associated with gastrulation. C.echinata chordin expression, however, differed from that seen in the other two corals. Conclusions Embryonic transcriptomes were assembled for the brain coral Favia lizardensis and the solitary coral Ctenactis echinata. Both species have a blastocoel in their early developmental stages, consistent with their phylogenetic position as members of the robust clade. Expression of the key developmental genes brachyury, chordin and forkhead was investigated, allowing comparison to that of their orthologs in Acropora, Nematostella and bilaterians and demonstrating that even within the Anthozoa there are significant differences in expression patterns. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-016-0615-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nami Okubo
- Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, Bldg 46, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia. .,Current Address: Department of Economics, Tokyo Keizai University, 1-7-34 Minamimachi, Kokubunji, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - David C Hayward
- Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, Bldg 46, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia.
| | - Sylvain Forêt
- Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, Bldg 46, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia. .,ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.
| | - Eldon E Ball
- Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, Bldg 46, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia. .,ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.
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61
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Wang K, del Castillo C, Corre E, Pales Espinosa E, Allam B. Clam focal and systemic immune responses to QPX infection revealed by RNA-seq technology. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:146. [PMID: 26921237 PMCID: PMC4769524 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-2493-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria is an important seafood species widely exploited along the eastern coasts of the United States and play a crucial role in coastal ecology and economy. Severe hard clam mortalities have been associated with the protistan parasite QPX (Quahog Parasite Unknown). QPX infection establishes in pallial organs with the lesions typically characterized as nodules, which represent inflammatory masses formed by hemocyte infiltration and encapsulation of parasites. QPX infection is known to induce host changes on both the whole-organism level and at specific lesion areas, which imply systemic and focal defense responses, respectively. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying these alterations. Results RNA-seq was performed using Illumina Hiseq 2000 (641 Million 100 bp reads) to characterize M. mercenaria focal and systemic immune responses to QPX. Transcripts were assembled and the expression levels were compared between nodule and healthy tissues from infected clams, and between these and tissues from healthy clams. De novo assembly reconstructed a consensus transcriptome of 62,980 sequences that was functionally-annotated. A total of 3,131 transcripts were identified as differentially expressed in different tissues. Results allowed the identification of host immune factors implicated in the systemic and focal responses against QPX and unraveled the pathways involved in parasite neutralization. Among transcripts significantly modulated upon host-pathogen interactions, those involved in non-self recognition, signal transduction and defense response were over-represented. Alterations in pathways regulating hemocyte focal adhesion, migration and apoptosis were also demonstrated. Conclusions Our study is the first attempt to thoroughly characterize M. mercenaria transcriptome and identify molecular features associated with QPX infection. It is also one of the first studies contrasting focal and systemic responses to infections in invertebrates using high-throughput sequencing. Results identified the molecular signatures of clam systemic and focal defense responses, to collectively mediate immune processes such as hemocyte recruitment and local inflammation. These investigations improve our understanding of bivalve immunity and provide molecular targets for probing the biological bases of clam resistance towards QPX. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-2493-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kailai Wang
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5000, USA.
| | - Carmelo del Castillo
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5000, USA.
| | - Erwan Corre
- Analyses and Bioinformatics for Marine Science, Station Biologique de Roscoff, 29688, Roscoff Cedex, France.
| | - Emmanuelle Pales Espinosa
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5000, USA.
| | - Bassem Allam
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-5000, USA.
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Lu Y, Wohlrab S, Groth M, Glöckner G, Guillou L, John U. Transcriptomic profiling of Alexandrium fundyense
during physical interaction with or exposure to chemical signals from the parasite Amoebophrya. Mol Ecol 2016; 25:1294-307. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2015] [Revised: 01/08/2016] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yameng Lu
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung; Bremerhaven Germany
| | - Sylke Wohlrab
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung; Bremerhaven Germany
| | - Marco Groth
- Leibniz-Institute for Age Research; Fritz Lipmann Institute Jena; Jena Germany
| | - Gernot Glöckner
- Biochemistry I; Medical Faculty; University of Cologne and Institute for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB); Berlin Germany
| | - Laure Guillou
- Laboratoire Adaptation et Diversité en Milieu Marin; CNRS; UMR 7144, Place Georges Teissier, CS90074 29688 Roscoff Cedex France
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6; Sorbonne Universités; UMR 7144, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Place Georges Teissier, CS90074 29688 Roscoff Cedex France
| | - Uwe John
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung; Bremerhaven Germany
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63
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Anderson DA, Walz ME, Weil E, Tonellato P, Smith MC. RNA-Seq of the Caribbean reef-building coral Orbicella faveolata (Scleractinia-Merulinidae) under bleaching and disease stress expands models of coral innate immunity. PeerJ 2016; 4:e1616. [PMID: 26925311 PMCID: PMC4768675 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Accepted: 01/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change-driven coral disease outbreaks have led to widespread declines in coral populations. Early work on coral genomics established that corals have a complex innate immune system, and whole-transcriptome gene expression studies have revealed mechanisms by which the coral immune system responds to stress and disease. The present investigation expands bioinformatic data available to study coral molecular physiology through the assembly and annotation of a reference transcriptome of the Caribbean reef-building coral, Orbicella faveolata. Samples were collected during a warm water thermal anomaly, coral bleaching event and Caribbean yellow band disease outbreak in 2010 in Puerto Rico. Multiplex sequencing of RNA on the Illumina GAIIx platform and de novo transcriptome assembly by Trinity produced 70,745,177 raw short-sequence reads and 32,463 O. faveolata transcripts, respectively. The reference transcriptome was annotated with gene ontologies, mapped to KEGG pathways, and a predicted proteome of 20,488 sequences was generated. Protein families and signaling pathways that are essential in the regulation of innate immunity across Phyla were investigated in-depth. Results were used to develop models of evolutionarily conserved Wnt, Notch, Rig-like receptor, Nod-like receptor, and Dicer signaling. O. faveolata is a coral species that has been studied widely under climate-driven stress and disease, and the present investigation provides new data on the genes that putatively regulate its immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Anderson
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America; Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Marcus E Walz
- Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee , Milwaukee, Wisconsin , United States of America
| | - Ernesto Weil
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez , Mayagüez, Puerto Rico , United States of America
| | - Peter Tonellato
- Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America; Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Matthew C Smith
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee , Milwaukee, Wisconsin , United States of America
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Genetic Signature of Resistance to White Band Disease in the Caribbean Staghorn Coral Acropora cervicornis. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0146636. [PMID: 26784329 PMCID: PMC4718514 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2015] [Accepted: 12/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are declining worldwide due to multiple factors including rising sea surface temperature, ocean acidification, and disease outbreaks. Over the last 30 years, White Band Disease (WBD) alone has killed up to 95% of the Caribbean`s dominant shallow-water corals—the staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis and the elkhorn coral A. palmata. Both corals are now listed on the US Endangered Species Act, and while their recovery has been slow, recent transmission surveys indicate that more than 5% of staghorn corals are disease resistant. Here we compared transcriptome-wide gene expression between resistant and susceptible staghorn corals exposed to WBD using in situ transmission assays. We identified constitutive gene expression differences underlying disease resistance that are independent from the immune response associated with disease exposure. Genes involved in RNA interference-mediated gene silencing, including Argonaute were up-regulated in resistant corals, whereas heat shock proteins (HSPs) were down-regulated. Up-regulation of Argonaute proteins indicates that post-transcriptional gene silencing plays a key, but previously unsuspected role in coral immunity and disease resistance. Constitutive expression of HSPs has been linked to thermal resilience in other Acropora corals, suggesting that the down-regulation of HSPs in disease resistant staghorn corals may confer a dual benefit of thermal resilience.
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McGrath LL, Vollmer SV, Kaluziak ST, Ayers J. De novo transcriptome assembly for the lobster Homarus americanus and characterization of differential gene expression across nervous system tissues. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:63. [PMID: 26772543 PMCID: PMC4715275 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-2373-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2015] [Accepted: 01/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The American lobster, Homarus americanus, is an important species as an economically valuable fishery, a key member in marine ecosystems, and a well-studied model for central pattern generation, the neural networks that control rhythmic motor patterns. Despite multi-faceted scientific interest in this species, currently our genetic resources for the lobster are limited. In this study, we de novo assemble a transcriptome for Homarus americanus using central nervous system (CNS), muscle, and hybrid neurosecretory tissues and compare gene expression across these tissue types. In particular, we focus our analysis on genes relevant to central pattern generation and the identity of the neurons in a neural network, which is defined by combinations of genes distinguishing the neuronal behavior and phenotype, including ion channels, neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, receptors, transcription factors, and other gene products. RESULTS Using samples from the central nervous system (brain, abdominal ganglia), abdominal muscle, and heart (cardiac ganglia, pericardial organs, muscle), we used RNA-Seq to characterize gene expression patterns across tissues types. We also compared control tissues with those challenged with the neuropeptide proctolin in vivo. Our transcriptome generated 34,813 transcripts with known protein annotations. Of these, 5,000-10,000 of annotated transcripts were significantly differentially expressed (DE) across tissue types. We found 421 transcripts for ion channels and identified receptors and/or proteins for over 20 different neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. Results indicated tissue-specific expression of select neuromodulator (allostatin, myomodulin, octopamine, nitric oxide) and neurotransmitter (glutamate, acetylcholine) pathways. We also identify differential expression of ion channel families, including kainite family glutamate receptors, inward-rectifying K(+) (IRK) channels, and transient receptor potential (TRP) A family channels, across central pattern generating tissues. CONCLUSIONS Our transcriptome-wide profiles of the rhythmic pattern generating abdominal and cardiac nervous systems in Homarus americanus reveal candidates for neuronal features that drive the production of motor output in these systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Lewis McGrath
- Northeastern University Marine Science Center, 430 Nahant Rd, Nahant, MA, 01908, USA. .,Current address: AstraZeneca, 35 Gatehouse Dr, Waltham, MA, 02451, USA.
| | - Steven V Vollmer
- Northeastern University Marine Science Center, 430 Nahant Rd, Nahant, MA, 01908, USA.
| | - Stefan T Kaluziak
- Northeastern University Marine Science Center, 430 Nahant Rd, Nahant, MA, 01908, USA.
| | - Joseph Ayers
- Northeastern University Marine Science Center, 430 Nahant Rd, Nahant, MA, 01908, USA.
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66
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Brown T, Rodriguez-Lanetty M. Defending against pathogens - immunological priming and its molecular basis in a sea anemone, cnidarian. Sci Rep 2015; 5:17425. [PMID: 26628080 PMCID: PMC4667181 DOI: 10.1038/srep17425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cnidarians, in general, are long-lived organisms and hence may repeatedly encounter common pathogens during their lifespans. It remains unknown whether these early diverging animals possess some type of immunological reaction that strengthens the defense response upon repeated infections, such as that described in more evolutionary derived organisms. Here we show results that sea anemones that had previously encountered a pathogen under sub-lethal conditions had a higher survivorship during a subsequently lethal challenge than naïve anemones that encountered the pathogen for the first time. Anemones subjected to the lethal challenge two and four weeks after the sub-lethal exposure presented seven- and five-fold increases in survival, respectively, compared to the naïve anemones. However, anemones challenged six weeks after the sub-lethal exposure showed no increase in survivorship. We argue that this short-lasting priming of the defense response could be ecologically relevant if pathogen encounters are restricted to short seasons characterized by high stress. Furthermore, we discovered significant changes in proteomic profiles between naïve sea anemones and those primed after pathogen exposure suggesting a clear molecular signature associated with immunological priming in cnidarians. Our findings reveal that immunological priming may have evolved much earlier in the tree of life than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami FL 33199
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67
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Morgan M, Goodner K, Ross J, Poole AZ, Stepp E, Stuart CH, Wilbanks C, Weil E. Development and application of molecular biomarkers for characterizing Caribbean Yellow Band Disease in Orbicella faveolata. PeerJ 2015; 3:e1371. [PMID: 26557440 PMCID: PMC4636412 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular stress responses associated with coral diseases represent an under-studied area of cnidarian transcriptome investigations. Caribbean Yellow Band Disease (CYBD) is considered a disease of Symbiodinium within the tissues of the coral host Orbicella faveolata. There is a paucity of diagnostic tools to assist in the early detection and characterization of coral diseases. The validity of a diagnostic test is determined by its ability to distinguish host organisms that have the disease from those that do not. The ability to detect and identify disease-affected tissue before visible signs of the disease are evident would then be a useful diagnostic tool for monitoring and managing disease outbreaks. Representational Difference Analysis (RDA) was utilized to isolate differentially expressed genes in O. faveolata exhibiting CYBD. Preliminary screening of RDA products identified a small number of genes of interest (GOI) which included an early growth response factor and ubiquitin ligase from the coral host as well as cytochrome oxidase from the algal symbiont. To further characterize the specificity of response, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was utilized to compare the expression profiles of these GOIs within diseased tissues (visible lesions), tissues that precede visible lesions by 2–4 cm (transition area), and tissues from healthy-looking colonies with no signs of disease. Results show there are distinctive differences in the expression profiles of these three GOIs within each tissue examined. Collectively, this small suite of GOIs can provide a molecular “finger print” which is capable of differentiating between infected and uninfected colonies on reefs where CYBD is known to occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Morgan
- Department of Biology, Berry College , Mount Berry, GA , United States
| | - Kylia Goodner
- Department of Genetics, Yale University , New Haven, CT , United States
| | - James Ross
- Department of Biology, Berry College , Mount Berry, GA , United States
| | - Angela Z Poole
- Department of Biology, Western Oregon University , Monmouth, OR , United States
| | - Elizabeth Stepp
- The Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University , Augusta, GA , United States
| | - Christopher H Stuart
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine , Winston-Salem, NC , United States
| | - Cydney Wilbanks
- Department of Biology, Berry College , Mount Berry, GA , United States
| | - Ernesto Weil
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico , Lajas, Puerto Rico , United States
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68
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Gochfeld DJ, Ankisetty S, Slattery M. Proteomic profiling of healthy and diseased hybrid soft corals Sinularia maxima × S. polydactyla. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2015; 116:133-141. [PMID: 26480916 DOI: 10.3354/dao02910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Emerging diseases of marine invertebrates have been implicated as one of the major causes of the continuing decline in coral reefs worldwide. To date, most of the focus on marine diseases has been aimed at hard (scleractinian) corals, which are the main reef builders worldwide. However, soft (alcyonacean) corals are also essential components of tropical reefs, representing food, habitat and the 'glue' that consolidates reefs, and they are subject to the same stressors as hard corals. Sinularia maxima and S. polydactyla are the dominant soft corals on the shallow reefs of Guam, where they hybridize. In addition to both parent species, the hybrid soft coral population in Guam is particularly affected by Sinularia tissue loss disease. Using label-free shotgun proteomics, we identified differences in protein expression between healthy and diseased colonies of the hybrid S. maxima × S. polydactyla. This study provided qualitative and quantitative data on specific proteins that were differentially expressed under the stress of disease. In particular, metabolic proteins were down-regulated, whereas proteins related to stress and to symbiont photosynthesis were up-regulated in the diseased soft corals. These results indicate that soft corals are responding to pathogenesis at the level of the proteome, and that this label-free approach can be used to identify and quantify protein biomarkers of sub-lethal stress in studies of marine disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah J Gochfeld
- National Center for Natural Products Research, and Department of BioMolecular Sciences, University of Mississippi, PO Box 1848, University, MS 38677-1848, USA
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69
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Hemond EM, Vollmer SV. Diurnal and nocturnal transcriptomic variation in the Caribbean staghorn coral,
Acropora cervicornis. Mol Ecol 2015; 24:4460-73. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2015] [Revised: 06/26/2015] [Accepted: 07/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M. Hemond
- Northeastern University Marine Science Center 430 Nahant Rd. Nahant MA 01908 USA
| | - Steven V. Vollmer
- Northeastern University Marine Science Center 430 Nahant Rd. Nahant MA 01908 USA
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70
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Fuess LE, Eisenlord ME, Closek CJ, Tracy AM, Mauntz R, Gignoux-Wolfsohn S, Moritsch MM, Yoshioka R, Burge CA, Harvell CD, Friedman CS, Hewson I, Hershberger PK, Roberts SB. Up in Arms: Immune and Nervous System Response to Sea Star Wasting Disease. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0133053. [PMID: 26176852 PMCID: PMC4503460 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Echinoderms, positioned taxonomically at the base of deuterostomes, provide an important system for the study of the evolution of the immune system. However, there is little known about the cellular components and genes associated with echinoderm immunity. The 2013-2014 sea star wasting disease outbreak is an emergent, rapidly spreading disease, which has led to large population declines of asteroids in the North American Pacific. While evidence suggests that the signs of this disease, twisting arms and lesions, may be attributed to a viral infection, the host response to infection is still poorly understood. In order to examine transcriptional responses of the sea star Pycnopodia helianthoides to sea star wasting disease, we injected a viral sized fraction (0.2 μm) homogenate prepared from symptomatic P. helianthoides into apparently healthy stars. Nine days following injection, when all stars were displaying signs of the disease, specimens were sacrificed and coelomocytes were extracted for RNA-seq analyses. A number of immune genes, including those involved in Toll signaling pathways, complement cascade, melanization response, and arachidonic acid metabolism, were differentially expressed. Furthermore, genes involved in nervous system processes and tissue remodeling were also differentially expressed, pointing to transcriptional changes underlying the signs of sea star wasting disease. The genomic resources presented here not only increase understanding of host response to sea star wasting disease, but also provide greater insight into the mechanisms underlying immune function in echinoderms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E. Fuess
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, United States of America
| | - Morgan E. Eisenlord
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Collin J. Closek
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Allison M. Tracy
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Ruth Mauntz
- Donald P. Shiley Bioscience Center, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Sarah Gignoux-Wolfsohn
- Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Nahant, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Monica M. Moritsch
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Reyn Yoshioka
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Colleen A. Burge
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - C. Drew Harvell
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Carolyn S. Friedman
- School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Ian Hewson
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Paul K. Hershberger
- U. S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Marrowstone Marine Field Station, Nordland, Washington, United States of America
| | - Steven B. Roberts
- School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
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Ocampo ID, Zárate-Potes A, Pizarro V, Rojas CA, Vera NE, Cadavid LF. The immunotranscriptome of the Caribbean reef-building coral Pseudodiploria strigosa. Immunogenetics 2015; 67:515-30. [PMID: 26123975 DOI: 10.1007/s00251-015-0854-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2015] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The viability of coral reefs worldwide has been seriously compromised in the last few decades due in part to the emergence of coral diseases of infectious nature. Despite important efforts to understand the etiology and the contribution of environmental factors associated to coral diseases, the mechanisms of immune response in corals are just beginning to be studied systematically. In this study, we analyzed the set of conserved immune response genes of the Caribbean reef-building coral Pseudodiploria strigosa by Illumina-based transcriptome sequencing and annotation of healthy colonies challenged with whole live Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Searching the annotated transcriptome with immune-related terms yielded a total of 2782 transcripts predicted to encode conserved immune-related proteins that were classified into three modules: (a) the immune recognition module, containing a wide diversity of putative pattern recognition receptors including leucine-rich repeat-containing proteins, immunoglobulin superfamily receptors, representatives of various lectin families, and scavenger receptors; (b) the intracellular signaling module, containing components from the Toll-like receptor, transforming growth factor, MAPK, and apoptosis signaling pathways; and (3) the effector module, including the C3 and factor B complement components, a variety of proteases and protease inhibitors, and the melanization-inducing phenoloxidase. P. strigosa displays a highly variable and diverse immune recognition repertoire that has likely contributed to its resilience to coral diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván D Ocampo
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Cr 30 No. 45-08, Bogotá, Colombia
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72
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Seveso D, Montano S, Reggente MA, Orlandi I, Galli P, Vai M. Modulation of Hsp60 in response to coral brown band disease. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2015; 115:15-23. [PMID: 26119296 DOI: 10.3354/dao02871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Brown band disease (BrB), a virulent coral disease characterized by a dense concentration of ciliates ingesting coral tissue, is responsible for ongoing coral losses on Indo-Pacific reefs. Although several efforts have been made to identify the microbial communities associated with BrB and study the disease ecology, less attention has been given to the effect of ciliate presence on coral physiology. Levels of the mitochondrial heat shock protein 60-kDa (Hsp60, a biomarker indicative of cellular stress) were analyzed in apparently healthy coral polyps located at different distances along the advancing front of infection in Acropora muricata colonies affected by BrB in a Maldivian reef. Different Hsp60 levels were found in different parts of the same colony. Starting from a basal protein level in the healthy control colonies, a down-regulation of Hsp60 expression was detected near the ciliate band, indicating that the Hsp60 defense activity was probably already compromised due to the rapid progression rate of the BrB ciliate on the diseased branches and/or to the etiology of the disease. Moving away from the band, the Hsp60 levels gradually returned to a state comparable to that found in the control, showing that cellular damage was confined to areas near the infection. In conclusion, we propose the analysis of Hsp60 modulation as a useful tool for examining physiological variations that are not detected at the morphological level in corals subjected to epizootic diseases, while providing new insights into the immune response of corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Seveso
- Department of Biotechnologies and Biosciences, University of Milano - Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, Milano 20126, Italy
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Evidence for Autoinduction and Quorum Sensing in White Band Disease-Causing Microbes on Acropora cervicornis. Sci Rep 2015; 5:11134. [PMID: 26047488 PMCID: PMC4457150 DOI: 10.1038/srep11134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2015] [Accepted: 05/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs have entered a state of global decline party due to an increasing incidence of coral disease. However, the diversity and complexity of coral-associated bacterial communities has made identifying the mechanisms underlying disease transmission and progression extremely difficult. This study explores the effects of coral cell-free culture fluid (CFCF) and autoinducer (a quorum sensing signaling molecule) on coral-associated bacterial growth and on coral tissue loss respectively. All experiments were conducted using the endangered Caribbean coral Acropora cervicornis. Coral-associated microbes were grown on selective media infused with CFCF derived from healthy and white band disease-infected A. cervicornis. Exposure to diseased CFCF increased proliferation of Cytophaga-Flavobacterium spp. while exposure to healthy CFCF inhibited growth of this group. Exposure to either CFCF did not significantly affect Vibrio spp. growth. In order to test whether disease symptoms can be induced in healthy corals, A. cervicornis was exposed to bacterial assemblages supplemented with exogenous, purified autoinducer. Incubation with autoinducer resulted in complete tissue loss in all corals tested in less than one week. These findings indicate that white band disease in A. cervicornis may be caused by opportunistic pathogenesis of resident microbes.
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Wright RM, Aglyamova GV, Meyer E, Matz MV. Gene expression associated with white syndromes in a reef building coral, Acropora hyacinthus. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:371. [PMID: 25956907 PMCID: PMC4425862 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1540-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Corals are capable of launching diverse immune defenses at the site of direct contact with pathogens, but the molecular mechanisms of this activity and the colony-wide effects of such stressors remain poorly understood. Here we compared gene expression profiles in eight healthy Acropora hyacinthus colonies against eight colonies exhibiting tissue loss commonly associated with white syndromes, all collected from a natural reef environment near Palau. Two types of tissues were sampled from diseased corals: visibly affected and apparently healthy. RESULTS Tag-based RNA-Seq followed by weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified groups of co-regulated differentially expressed genes between all health states (disease lesion, apparently healthy tissues of diseased colonies, and fully healthy). Differences between healthy and diseased tissues indicate activation of several innate immunity and tissue repair pathways accompanied by reduced calcification and the switch towards metabolic reliance on stored lipids. Unaffected parts of diseased colonies, although displaying a trend towards these changes, were not significantly different from fully healthy samples. Still, network analysis identified a group of genes, suggestive of altered immunity state, that were specifically up-regulated in unaffected parts of diseased colonies. CONCLUSIONS Similarity of fully healthy samples to apparently healthy parts of diseased colonies indicates that systemic effects of white syndromes on A. hyacinthus are weak, which implies that the coral colony is largely able to sustain its physiological performance despite disease. The genes specifically up-regulated in unaffected parts of diseased colonies, instead of being the consequence of disease, might be related to the originally higher susceptibility of these colonies to naturally occurring white syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel M Wright
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA.
| | - Galina V Aglyamova
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA.
| | - Eli Meyer
- Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, USA.
| | - Mikhail V Matz
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA.
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Pinzón JH, Kamel B, Burge CA, Harvell CD, Medina M, Weil E, Mydlarz LD. Whole transcriptome analysis reveals changes in expression of immune-related genes during and after bleaching in a reef-building coral. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2015; 2:140214. [PMID: 26064625 PMCID: PMC4448857 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.140214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2014] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is negatively affecting the stability of natural ecosystems, especially coral reefs. The dissociation of the symbiosis between reef-building corals and their algal symbiont, or coral bleaching, has been linked to increased sea surface temperatures. Coral bleaching has significant impacts on corals, including an increase in disease outbreaks that can permanently change the entire reef ecosystem. Yet, little is known about the impacts of coral bleaching on the coral immune system. In this study, whole transcriptome analysis of the coral holobiont and each of the associate components (i.e. coral host, algal symbiont and other associated microorganisms) was used to determine changes in gene expression in corals affected by a natural bleaching event as well as during the recovery phase. The main findings include evidence that the coral holobiont and the coral host have different responses to bleaching, and the host immune system appears suppressed even a year after a bleaching event. These results support the hypothesis that coral bleaching changes the expression of innate immune genes of corals, and these effects can last even after recovery of symbiont populations. Research on the role of immunity on coral's resistance to stressors can help make informed predictions on the future of corals and coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge H. Pinzón
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Arlington, Arlington, TX 76016, USA
- Author for correspondence: Jorge H. Pinzón e-mail:
| | - Bishoy Kamel
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 16802, USA
| | - Colleen A. Burge
- Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, University of Maryland Baltimore County Columbus Center, 701 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, USA
| | - C. Drew Harvell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Mónica Medina
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 16802, USA
| | - Ernesto Weil
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico—Mayagüez, La Parguera, PR 00865, USA
| | - Laura D. Mydlarz
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Arlington, Arlington, TX 76016, USA
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76
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Hemond EM, Kaluziak ST, Vollmer SV. The genetics of colony form and function in Caribbean Acropora corals. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:1133. [PMID: 25519925 PMCID: PMC4320547 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-1133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2014] [Accepted: 12/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Colonial reef-building corals have evolved a broad spectrum of colony morphologies based on coordinated asexual reproduction of polyps on a secreted calcium carbonate skeleton. Though cnidarians have been shown to possess and use similar developmental genes to bilaterians during larval development and polyp formation, little is known about genetic regulation of colony morphology in hard corals. We used RNA-seq to evaluate transcriptomic differences between functionally distinct regions of the coral (apical branch tips and branch bases) in two species of Caribbean Acropora, the staghorn coral, A. cervicornis, and the elkhorn coral, A. palmata. Results Transcriptome-wide gene profiles differed significantly between different parts of the coral colony as well as between species. Genes showing differential expression between branch tips and bases were involved in developmental signaling pathways, such as Wnt, Notch, and BMP, as well as pH regulation, ion transport, extracellular matrix production and other processes. Differences both within colonies and between species identify a relatively small number of genes that may contribute to the distinct “staghorn” versus “elkhorn” morphologies of these two sister species. Conclusions The large number of differentially expressed genes supports a strong division of labor between coral branch tips and branch bases. Genes involved in growth of mature Acropora colonies include the classical signaling pathways associated with development of cnidarian larvae and polyps as well as morphological determination in higher metazoans. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-1133) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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77
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Traylor-Knowles N, Palumbi SR. Translational environmental biology: cell biology informing conservation. Trends Cell Biol 2014; 24:265-7. [PMID: 24766840 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2014.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2013] [Revised: 03/03/2014] [Accepted: 03/04/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Typically, findings from cell biology have been beneficial for preventing human disease. However, translational applications from cell biology can also be applied to conservation efforts, such as protecting coral reefs. Recent efforts to understand the cell biological mechanisms maintaining coral health such as innate immunity and acclimatization have prompted new developments in conservation. Similar to biomedicine, we urge that future efforts should focus on better frameworks for biomarker development to protect coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikki Traylor-Knowles
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA.
| | - Stephen R Palumbi
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
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78
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Miller MW, Lohr KE, Cameron CM, Williams DE, Peters EC. Disease dynamics and potential mitigation among restored and wild staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis. PeerJ 2014; 2:e541. [PMID: 25210660 PMCID: PMC4157300 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2014] [Accepted: 08/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The threatened status (both ecologically and legally) of Caribbean staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis, has prompted rapidly expanding efforts in culture and restocking, although tissue loss diseases continue to affect populations. In this study, disease surveillance and histopathological characterization were used to compare disease dynamics and conditions in both restored and extant wild populations. Disease had devastating effects on both wild and restored populations, but dynamics were highly variable and appeared to be site-specific with no significant differences in disease prevalence between wild versus restored sites. A subset of 20 haphazardly selected colonies at each site observed over a four-month period revealed widely varying disease incidence, although not between restored and wild sites, and a case fatality rate of 8%. A tropical storm was the only discernable environmental trigger associated with a consistent spike in incidence across all sites. Lastly, two field mitigation techniques, (1) excision of apparently healthy branch tips from a diseased colony, and (2) placement of a band of epoxy fully enclosing the diseased margin, gave equivocal results with no significant benefit detected for either treatment compared to controls. Tissue condition of associated samples was fair to very poor; unsuccessful mitigation treatment samples had severe degeneration of mesenterial filament cnidoglandular bands. Polyp mucocytes in all samples were infected with suspect rickettsia-like organisms; however, no bacterial aggregates were found. No histological differences were found between disease lesions with gross signs fitting literature descriptions of white-band disease (WBD) and rapid tissue loss (RTL). Overall, our results do not support differing disease quality, quantity, dynamics, nor health management strategies between restored and wild colonies of A. cervicornis in the Florida Keys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret W Miller
- NOAA-National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center , Miami, FL , United States
| | - Kathryn E Lohr
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami , Miami, FL , United States
| | - Caitlin M Cameron
- NOAA-National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center , Miami, FL , United States ; Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami , Miami, FL , United States
| | - Dana E Williams
- NOAA-National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center , Miami, FL , United States ; Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami , Miami, FL , United States
| | - Esther C Peters
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University , Fairfax, VA , United States
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Shinzato C, Mungpakdee S, Satoh N, Shoguchi E. A genomic approach to coral-dinoflagellate symbiosis: studies of Acropora digitifera and Symbiodinium minutum. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:336. [PMID: 25071748 PMCID: PMC4083563 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2014] [Accepted: 06/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Far more intimate knowledge of scleractinian coral biology is essential in order to understand how diverse coral-symbiont endosymbioses have been established. In particular, molecular and cellular mechanisms enabling the establishment and maintenance of obligate endosymbiosis with photosynthetic dinoflagellates require further clarification. By extension, such understanding may also shed light upon environmental conditions that promote the collapse of this mutualism. Genomic data undergird studies of all symbiotic processes. Here we review recent genomic data derived from the scleractinian coral, Acropora digitifera, and the endosymbiotic dinoflagellate, Symbiodinium minutum. We discuss Acropora genes involved in calcification, embryonic development, innate immunity, apoptosis, autophagy, UV resistance, fluorescence, photoreceptors, circadian clocks, etc. We also detail gene loss in amino acid metabolism that may explain at least part of the Acropora stress-response. Characteristic features of the Symbiodinium genome are also reviewed, focusing on the expansion of certain gene families, the molecular basis for permanently condensed chromatin, unique spliceosomal splicing, and unusual gene arrangement. Salient features of the Symbiodinium plastid and mitochondrial genomes are also illuminated. Although many questions regarding these interdependent genomes remain, we summarize information necessary for future studies of coral-dinoflagellate endosymbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuya Shinzato
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University Okinawa, Japan
| | - Sutada Mungpakdee
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University Okinawa, Japan
| | - Nori Satoh
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University Okinawa, Japan
| | - Eiichi Shoguchi
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University Okinawa, Japan
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