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Rosic N, Delamare-Deboutteville J, Dove S. Heat stress in symbiotic dinoflagellates: Implications on oxidative stress and cellular changes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 944:173916. [PMID: 38866148 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Global warming has been shown to harmfully affect symbiosis between Symbiodiniaceae and other marine invertebrates. When symbiotic dinoflagellates (the genus Breviolum) were in vitro exposed to acute heat stress of +7 °C for a period of 5 days, the results revealed the negative impact on all physiological and other cellular parameters measured. Elevated temperatures resulted in a severe reduction in algal density of up to 9.5-fold, as well as pigment concentrations, indicating the status of the physiological stress and early signs of photo-bleaching. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were increased in all heated dinoflagellate cells, while the antioxidant-reduced glutathione levels initially dropped on day one but increased under prolonged temperature stress. The cell viability parameters were reduced by 97 % over the heating period, with an increased proportion of apoptotic and necrotic cells. Autofluorescence (AF) for Cy5-PE 660-20 was reduced from 1.7-fold at day 1 to up to 50-fold drop at the end of heating time, indicating that the AF changes were highly sensitive to heat stress and that it could be an extremely sensitive tool for assessing the functionality of algal photosynthetic machinery. The addition of the drug 5-AZA-2'-deoxycytidine (5-AZA), which inhibits DNA methylation processes, was assessed in parallel and contributed to some alterations in algal cellular stress response. The presence of drug 5-AZA combined with the temperature stress had an additional impact on Symbiodiniaceae density and cell complexity, including the AF levels. These variations in cellular stress response under heat stress and compromised DNA methylation conditions may indicate the importance of this epigenetic mechanism for symbiotic dinoflagellate thermal tolerance adaptability over a longer period, which needs further exploration. Consequently, the increased ROS levels and changes in AF signals reported during ongoing heat stress in dinoflagellate cells could be used as early stress biomarkers in these microalgae and potentially other photosynthetic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nedeljka Rosic
- Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia; Marine Ecology Research Centre, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia.
| | | | - Sophie Dove
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld, Australia
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2
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Liu C, Zhang Y, Botana MT, Fu Y, Huang L, Jiang L, Yu X, Luo Y, Huang H. The bioenergetics response of the coral Pocillopora damicornis to temperature changes during its reproduction stage. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 198:106557. [PMID: 38823094 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Sexual reproduction of reef-building corals is vital for coral reef ecosystem recovery. Corals allocate limited energy to growth and reproduction, when being under environmental disturbance, which ultimately shapes the community population dynamics. In the present study, energetic and physiological parameters of both parental colonies and larvae of the coral Pocillopora damicornis were measured during their reproduction stage under four temperatures; 28 °C (low-temperature acclimation, LA), 29 °C (control temperature, CT), 31 °C (high-temperature acclimation, HA), and 32 °C (heat stress, HS). The results showed temperature changes altered the larvae release timing and fecundity in P. damicornis. Parental colonies exposed to the LA treatment exhibited reduced investment in reproduction and released fewer larvae, while retaining more energy for their development. However, each larva acquired higher energy and symbiont densities enabling survival through longer planktonic periods before settlement. In contrast, parental colonies exposed to the HA treatment had increased investment for reproduction and larvae output, while per larva gained less energy to mitigate the threat of higher temperature. Furthermore, the energy allocation processes restructured fatty acids concentration and composition in both parental colonies and larvae as indicated by shifts in membrane fluidity under adaptable temperature changes. Notably, parental colonies from the HS treatment expended more energy in response to heat stress, resulting in adverse effects, especially after larval release. Our study expands the current knowledge on the energy allocation strategies of P. damicornis and how it is impacted by temperature. Parental colonies employed different energy allocation strategies under distinct temperature regimes to optimize their development and offspring success, but under heat stress, both were compromised. Lipid metabolism is essential for the success of coral reproduction and further understanding their response to heat stress can improve intervention strategies for coral reef conservation in warmer future oceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengyue Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China; Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch (HKB) of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Hong Kong, China.
| | - Yuyang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Marina Tonetti Botana
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Yousi Fu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA
| | - Lintao Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China; Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch (HKB) of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiaolei Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yong Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Sanya, China
| | - Hui Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Sanya, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.
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3
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Strand EL, Wong KH, Farraj A, Gray S, McMenamin A, Putnam HM. Coral species-specific loss and physiological legacy effects are elicited by an extended marine heatwave. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246812. [PMID: 38774956 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Marine heatwaves are increasing in frequency and intensity, with potentially catastrophic consequences for marine ecosystems such as coral reefs. An extended heatwave and recovery time-series that incorporates multiple stressors and is environmentally realistic can provide enhanced predictive capacity for performance under climate change conditions. We exposed common reef-building corals in Hawai'i, Montipora capitata and Pocillopora acuta, to a 2-month period of high temperature and high PCO2 conditions or ambient conditions in a factorial design, followed by 2 months of ambient conditions. High temperature, rather than high PCO2, drove multivariate physiology shifts through time in both species, including decreases in respiration rates and endosymbiont densities. Pocillopora acuta exhibited more significantly negatively altered physiology, and substantially higher bleaching and mortality than M. capitata. The sensitivity of P. acuta appears to be driven by higher baseline rates of photosynthesis paired with lower host antioxidant capacity, creating an increased sensitivity to oxidative stress. Thermal tolerance of M. capitata may be partly due to harboring a mixture of Cladocopium and Durusdinium spp., whereas P. acuta was dominated by other distinct Cladocopium spp. Only M. capitata survived the experiment, but physiological state in heatwave-exposed M. capitata remained significantly diverged at the end of recovery relative to individuals that experienced ambient conditions. In future climate scenarios, particularly marine heatwaves, our results indicate a species-specific loss of corals that is driven by baseline host and symbiont physiological differences as well as Symbiodiniaceae community compositions, with the surviving species experiencing physiological legacies that are likely to influence future stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L Strand
- Department of Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
- Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, Gloucester, MA 01930, USA
| | - Kevin H Wong
- Department of Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Miami, FL 33149, USA
| | - Alexa Farraj
- Department of Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Sierra Gray
- Department of Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada, V8P 5C2
| | - Ana McMenamin
- Department of Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Hollie M Putnam
- Department of Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
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4
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Helgoe J, Davy SK, Weis VM, Rodriguez-Lanetty M. Triggers, cascades, and endpoints: connecting the dots of coral bleaching mechanisms. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:715-752. [PMID: 38217089 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
The intracellular coral-dinoflagellate symbiosis is the engine that underpins the success of coral reefs, one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. However, the breakdown of the symbiosis and the loss of the microalgal symbiont (i.e. coral bleaching) due to environmental changes are resulting in the rapid degradation of coral reefs globally. There is an urgent need to understand the cellular physiology of coral bleaching at the mechanistic level to help develop solutions to mitigate the coral reef crisis. Here, at an unprecedented scope, we present novel models that integrate putative mechanisms of coral bleaching within a common framework according to the triggers (initiators of bleaching, e.g. heat, cold, light stress, hypoxia, hyposalinity), cascades (cellular pathways, e.g. photoinhibition, unfolded protein response, nitric oxide), and endpoints (mechanisms of symbiont loss, e.g. apoptosis, necrosis, exocytosis/vomocytosis). The models are supported by direct evidence from cnidarian systems, and indirectly through comparative evolutionary analyses from non-cnidarian systems. With this approach, new putative mechanisms have been established within and between cascades initiated by different bleaching triggers. In particular, the models provide new insights into the poorly understood connections between bleaching cascades and endpoints and highlight the role of a new mechanism of symbiont loss, i.e. 'symbiolysosomal digestion', which is different from symbiophagy. This review also increases the approachability of bleaching physiology for specialists and non-specialists by mapping the vast landscape of bleaching mechanisms in an atlas of comprehensible and detailed mechanistic models. We then discuss major knowledge gaps and how future research may improve the understanding of the connections between the diverse cascade of cellular pathways and the mechanisms of symbiont loss (endpoints).
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Helgoe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, OE 167, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Virginia M Weis
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, 2701 SW Campus Way, 2403 Cordley Hall, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Mauricio Rodriguez-Lanetty
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, OE 167, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL, USA
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5
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Strader ME, Wright RM, Pezner AK, Nuttall MF, Aichelman HE, Davies SW. Intersection of coral molecular responses to a localized mortality event and ex situ deoxygenation. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11275. [PMID: 38654712 PMCID: PMC11036075 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
In July 2016, East Bank of Flower Garden Banks (FGB) National Marine Sanctuary experienced a localized mortality event (LME) of multiple invertebrate species that ultimately led to reductions in coral cover. Abiotic data taken directly after the event suggested that acute deoxygenation contributed to the mortality. Despite the large impact of this event on the coral community, there was no direct evidence that this LME was driven by acute deoxygenation, and thus we explored whether gene expression responses of corals to the LME would indicate what abiotic factors may have contributed to the LME. Gene expression of affected and unaffected corals sampled during the mortality event revealed evidence of the physiological consequences of the LME on coral hosts and their algal symbionts from two congeneric species (Orbicella franksi and Orbicella faveolata). Affected colonies of both species differentially regulated genes involved in mitochondrial regulation and oxidative stress. To further test the hypothesis that deoxygenation led to the LME, we measured coral host and algal symbiont gene expression in response to ex situ experimental deoxygenation (control = 6.9 ± 0.08 mg L-1, anoxic = 0.083 ± 0.017 mg L-1) in healthy O. faveolata colonies from the FGB. However, this deoxygenation experiment revealed divergent gene expression patterns compared to the corals sampled during the LME and was more similar to a generalized coral environmental stress response. It is therefore likely that while the LME was connected to low oxygen, it was a series of interconnected stressors that elicited the unique gene expression responses observed here. These in situ and ex situ data highlight how field responses to stressors are unique from those in controlled laboratory conditions, and that the complexities of deoxygenation events in the field likely arise from interactions between multiple environmental factors simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie E. Strader
- Department of BiologyTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexasUSA
| | - Rachel M. Wright
- Department of Biological SciencesSouthern Methodist UniversityDallasTexasUSA
| | | | | | | | - Sarah W. Davies
- Department of BiologyBoston UniversityBostonMassachusettsUSA
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6
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Dilworth J, Million WC, Ruggeri M, Hall ER, Dungan AM, Muller EM, Kenkel CD. Synergistic response to climate stressors in coral is associated with genotypic variation in baseline expression. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232447. [PMID: 38531406 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
As environments are rapidly reshaped due to climate change, phenotypic plasticity plays an important role in the ability of organisms to persist and is considered an especially important acclimatization mechanism for long-lived sessile organisms such as reef-building corals. Often, this ability of a single genotype to display multiple phenotypes depending on the environment is modulated by changes in gene expression, which can vary in response to environmental changes via two mechanisms: baseline expression and expression plasticity. We used transcriptome-wide expression profiling of eleven genotypes of common-gardened Acropora cervicornis to explore genotypic variation in the expression response to thermal and acidification stress, both individually and in combination. We show that the combination of these two stressors elicits a synergistic gene expression response, and that both baseline expression and expression plasticity in response to stress show genotypic variation. Additionally, we demonstrate that frontloading of a large module of coexpressed genes is associated with greater retention of algal symbionts under combined stress. These results illustrate that variation in the gene expression response of individuals to climate change stressors can persist even when individuals have shared environmental histories, affecting their performance under future climate change scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Maria Ruggeri
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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7
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Huang W, Meng L, Xiao Z, Tan R, Yang E, Wang Y, Huang X, Yu K. Heat-tolerant intertidal rock pool coral Porites lutea can potentially adapt to future warming. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17273. [PMID: 38265168 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
The growing threat of global warming on coral reefs underscores the urgency of identifying heat-tolerant corals and discovering their adaptation mechanisms to high temperatures. Corals growing in intertidal rock pools that vary markedly in daily temperature may have improved heat tolerance. In this study, heat stress experiments were performed on scleractinian coral Porites lutea from subtidal habitat and intertidal rock pool of Weizhou Island in the northern South China Sea. Thermotolerance differences in corals from the two habitats and their mechanisms were explored through phenotype, physiological indicators, ITS2, 16S rRNA, and RNA sequencing. At the extremely high temperature of 34°C, rock pool P. lutea had a stronger heat tolerance than those in the subtidal habitat. The strong antioxidant capacity of the coral host and its microbial partners was important in the resistance of rock pool corals to high temperatures. The host of rock pool corals at 34°C had stronger immune and apoptotic regulation, downregulated host metabolism and disease-infection-related pathways compared to the subtidal habitat. P. lutea, in this habitat, upregulated Cladocopium C15 (Symbiodiniaceae) photosynthetic efficiency and photoprotection, and significantly increased bacterial diversity and coral probiotics, including ABY1, Ruegeria, and Alteromonas. These findings indicate that rock pool corals can tolerate high temperatures through the integrated response of coral holobionts. These corals may be 'touchstones' for future warming. Our research provides new insights into the complex mechanisms by which corals resist global warming and the theoretical basis for coral reef ecosystem restoration and selection of stress-resistant coral populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Huang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Linqing Meng
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Zunyong Xiao
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- School of Resources, Environment and Materials, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Ronghua Tan
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Enguang Yang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Yonggang Wang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Xueyong Huang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
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8
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Han T, Liao X, Guo Z, Chen JY, He C, Lu Z. Deciphering temporal gene expression dynamics in multiple coral species exposed to heat stress: Implications for predicting resilience. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169021. [PMID: 38061659 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Coral reefs are facing unprecedented threats due to global climate change, particularly elevated sea surface temperatures causing coral bleaching. Understanding coral responses at the molecular level is crucial for predicting their resilience and developing effective conservation strategies. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive gene expression analysis of four coral species to investigate their long-term molecular response to heat stress. We identified distinct gene expression patterns among the coral species, with laminar corals exhibiting a stronger response compared to branching corals. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) showed an overall decreasing expression trend, indicating the high energy cost associated with sustaining elevated HSP levels during prolonged heat stress. Peroxidases and oxidoreductases involved in oxidative stress response demonstrated significant upregulation, highlighting their role in maintaining cellular redox balance. Differential expression of genes related to calcium homeostasis and bioluminescence suggested distinct mechanisms for coping with heat stress among the coral species. Furthermore, the impact of heat stress on coral biomineralization varied, with downregulation of carbonic anhydrase and skeletal organic matrix proteins indicating reduced capacity for biomineralization in the later stages of heat stress. Our findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying coral responses to heat stress and highlight the importance of considering species-specific responses in assessing coral resilience. The identified biomarkers may serve as indicators of heat stress and contribute to early detection of coral bleaching events. These findings contribute to our understanding of coral resilience and provide a basis for future research aimed at enhancing coral survival in the face of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingyu Han
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Xin Liao
- Guangxi Key Lab of Mangrove Conservation and Utilization, Guangxi Mangrove Research Center, Beihai 536000, China
| | - Zhuojun Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - J-Y Chen
- Nanjing Institute of Paleontology and Geology, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Chunpeng He
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China.
| | - Zuhong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China.
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9
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Downie AT, Cramp RL, Franklin CE. The interactive impacts of a constant reef stressor, ultraviolet radiation, with environmental stressors on coral physiology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 907:168066. [PMID: 37890630 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Reef-building corals create one of the most biodiverse and economically important ecosystems on the planet. Unfortunately, global coral reef ecosystems experience threats from numerous natural stressors, which are amplified by human activities. One such threat is ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from the sun; a genotoxic stressor that is a double-edged sword for corals as they rely on sunlight for energy. More intense UVR has been shown to have greater direct impacts on animal physiology, and these may be exacerbated by co-occurring stressors. The aim of this systematic literature review was to examine if the same applies to corals; that is, if the co-exposure of a constant stressor (UVR) with other stressors has a greater impact on coral physiology than if these stressors occurred separately. We reviewed the biochemical and cellular processes impacted by UVR and the defenses corals have against UVR. The main stressors investigated with UVR were temperature, nitrate, nutrient, oil, water motion, and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). UVR generally worsened the physiological impacts of other stressors (e.g., by decreasing zooxanthellae and chlorophyll densities). There were species-specific differences in their tolerance to UVR (differences in zooxanthellae populations, sunscreen production and depth) and environmental stress (e.g., resilience to some oils), and that ambient levels of UVR were often beneficial (i.e., nullifying impacts of nitrates). We highlight areas of future investigation including examining and assessing other interacting stressors and their impacts (e.g., ocean acidification, ocean deoxygenation, toxins and pollutants), investigating impacts of multiple stressors with UVR on the coral microbiome, and elucidating the effects of multi-stressors with UVR across early-life history stages (especially larvae). UVR is a pervasive stressor to corals and can interact with other environmental conditions to compromise the resilience of corals. This environmental driver needs to be more comprehensively examined alongside climate change stressors (e.g., temperature increases, ocean acidification and hypoxia) to better understand future climate scenarios on reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam T Downie
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
| | - Rebecca L Cramp
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Craig E Franklin
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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10
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Amario M, Villela LB, Jardim-Messeder D, Silva-Lima AW, Rosado PM, de Moura RL, Sachetto-Martins G, Chaloub RM, Salomon PS. Physiological response of Symbiodiniaceae to thermal stress: Reactive oxygen species, photosynthesis, and relative cell size. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0284717. [PMID: 37535627 PMCID: PMC10399794 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the physiological response to heat stress of three genetically different Symbiodiniaceae strains isolated from the scleractinian coral Mussismilia braziliensis, endemic of the Abrolhos Bank, Brazil. Cultures of two Symbiodinium sp. and one Cladocopium sp. were exposed to a stepwise increase in temperature (2°C every second day) ranging from 26°C (modal temperature in Abrolhos) to 32°C (just above the maximum temperature registered in Abrolhos during the third global bleaching event-TGBE). After the cultures reached their final testing temperature, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, single cell attributes (relative cell size and chlorophyll fluorescence), and photosynthetic efficiency (effective (Y(II)) and maximum (Fv/Fm) quantum yields) were measured within 4 h and 72 h. Non-photochemical coefficient (NPQ) was estimated based on fluorescence values. Population average ROS production was variable across strains and exposure times, reaching up a 2-fold increase at 32°C in one of the Symbiodinium sp. strains. A marked intrapopulation difference was observed in ROS production, with 5 to 25% of the cells producing up to 10 times more than the population average, highlighting the importance of single cell approaches to assess population physiology. Average cell size increases at higher temperatures, likely resulting from cell cycle arrest, whereas chlorophyll fluorescence decreased, especially in 4 h, indicating a photoacclimation response. The conditions tested do not seem to have elicited loss of photosynthetic efficiency nor the activation of non-photochemical mechanisms in the cells. Our results unveiled a generalized thermotolerance in three Symbiodiniaceae strains originated from Abrolhos' corals. Inter and intra-specific variability could be detected, likely reflecting the genetic differences among the strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Amario
- Laboratório de Fitoplâncton Marinho, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética, Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Lívia Bonetti Villela
- Laboratório de Fitoplâncton Marinho, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética, Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Douglas Jardim-Messeder
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Transdução de Sinal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Plantas, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Arthur Weiss Silva-Lima
- Laboratório de Fitoplâncton Marinho, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Rodrigo Leão de Moura
- Laboratório de Monitoramento da Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biologia SAGE-COPPE, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gilberto Sachetto-Martins
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Transdução de Sinal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Moreira Chaloub
- Laboratório de Estudos Aplicados em Fotossíntese, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Paulo Sergio Salomon
- Laboratório de Fitoplâncton Marinho, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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11
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Nguyen PQ, Huang X, Collins DS, Collins JJ, Lu T. Harnessing synthetic biology to enhance ocean health. Trends Biotechnol 2023; 41:860-874. [PMID: 36669947 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Ocean health is faltering, its capability for regeneration and renewal being eroded by a steady pulse of anthropomorphic impacts. Plastic waste has infiltrated all ocean biomes, climate change threatens coral reefs with extinction, and eutrophication has unleashed vast algal blooms. In the face of these challenges, synthetic biology approaches may hold untapped solutions to mitigate adverse effects, repair ecosystems, and put us on a path towards sustainable stewardship of our planet. Leveraging synthetic biology tools would enable innovative engineering approaches to augment the natural adaptive capacity of ocean biological systems to cope with the swiftness of human-induced change. Here, we present a framework for developing synthetic biology solutions for the challenges of plastic pollution, coral bleaching, and harmful algal blooms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Q Nguyen
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xiaoning Huang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Daniel S Collins
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biology and Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - James J Collins
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Ting Lu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Department of Physics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
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12
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Contardi M, Fadda M, Isa V, Louis YD, Madaschi A, Vencato S, Montalbetti E, Bertolacci L, Ceseracciu L, Seveso D, Lavorano S, Galli P, Athanassiou A, Montano S. Biodegradable Zein-Based Biocomposite Films for Underwater Delivery of Curcumin Reduce Thermal Stress Effects in Corals. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023. [PMID: 37376819 PMCID: PMC10360034 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c01166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Massive coral bleaching episodes induced by thermal stress are one of the first causes of coral death worldwide. Overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been identified as one of the potential causes of symbiosis breakdown between polyps and algae in corals during extreme heat wave events. Here, we propose a new strategy for mitigating heat effects by delivering underwater an antioxidant to the corals. We fabricated zein/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-based biocomposite films laden with the strong and natural antioxidant curcumin as an advanced coral bleaching remediation tool. Biocomposites' mechanical, water contact angle (WCA), swelling, and release properties can be tuned thanks to different supramolecular rearrangements that occur by varying the zein/PVP weight ratio. Following immersion in seawater, the biocomposites became soft hydrogels that did not affect the coral's health in the short (24 h) and long periods (15 days). Laboratory bleaching experiments at 29 and 33 °C showed that coral colonies of Stylophora pistillata coated with the biocomposites had ameliorated conditions in terms of morphological aspects, chlorophyll content, and enzymatic activity compared to untreated colonies and did not bleach. Finally, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) confirmed the full biodegradability of the biocomposites, showing a low potential environmental impact in the case of open-field application. These insights may pave the way for new frontiers in mitigating extreme coral bleaching events by combining natural antioxidants and biocomposites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Contardi
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milan - Bicocca, Milan 20126, Italy
- MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Center), Magoodhoo Island, Faafu Atoll 12030, Republic of Maldives
| | - Marta Fadda
- Smart Materials, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16163, Italy
| | - Valerio Isa
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milan - Bicocca, Milan 20126, Italy
- MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Center), Magoodhoo Island, Faafu Atoll 12030, Republic of Maldives
| | - Yohan D Louis
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milan - Bicocca, Milan 20126, Italy
- MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Center), Magoodhoo Island, Faafu Atoll 12030, Republic of Maldives
| | - Andrea Madaschi
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milan - Bicocca, Milan 20126, Italy
- MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Center), Magoodhoo Island, Faafu Atoll 12030, Republic of Maldives
| | - Sara Vencato
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milan - Bicocca, Milan 20126, Italy
- MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Center), Magoodhoo Island, Faafu Atoll 12030, Republic of Maldives
| | - Enrico Montalbetti
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milan - Bicocca, Milan 20126, Italy
- MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Center), Magoodhoo Island, Faafu Atoll 12030, Republic of Maldives
| | - Laura Bertolacci
- Smart Materials, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16163, Italy
| | - Luca Ceseracciu
- Materials Characterization Facility, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16163, Italy
| | - Davide Seveso
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milan - Bicocca, Milan 20126, Italy
- MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Center), Magoodhoo Island, Faafu Atoll 12030, Republic of Maldives
| | - Silvia Lavorano
- Costa Edutainment SpA - Acquario di Genova, Genova 16128, Italy
| | - Paolo Galli
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milan - Bicocca, Milan 20126, Italy
- MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Center), Magoodhoo Island, Faafu Atoll 12030, Republic of Maldives
- Dubai Business School, University of Dubai, Dubai 14143, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Simone Montano
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milan - Bicocca, Milan 20126, Italy
- MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Center), Magoodhoo Island, Faafu Atoll 12030, Republic of Maldives
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13
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Rivera HE, Tramonte CA, Samaroo J, Dickerson H, Davies SW. Heat challenge elicits stronger physiological and gene expression responses than starvation in symbiotic Oculina arbuscula. J Hered 2023; 114:312-325. [PMID: 36921030 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esac068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Heterotrophy has been shown to mitigate coral-algal dysbiosis (coral bleaching) under heat challenge, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain largely unexplored. Here, we quantified coral physiology and gene expression of fragments from 13 genotypes of symbiotic Oculina arbuscula after a 28-d feeding experiment under (1) fed, ambient (24 °C); (2) unfed, ambient; (3) fed, heated (ramp to 33 °C); and (4) unfed, heated treatments. We monitored algal photosynthetic efficiency throughout the experiment, and after 28 d, profiled coral and algal carbohydrate and protein reserves, coral gene expression, algal cell densities, and chlorophyll-a and chlorophyll-c2 pigments. Contrary to previous findings, heterotrophy did little to mitigate the impacts of temperature, and we observed few significant differences in physiology between fed and unfed corals under heat challenge. Our results suggest the duration and intensity of starvation and thermal challenge play meaningful roles in coral energetics and stress response; future work exploring these thresholds and how they may impact coral responses under changing climate is urgently needed. Gene expression patterns under heat challenge in fed and unfed corals showed gene ontology enrichment patterns consistent with classic signatures of the environmental stress response. While gene expression differences between fed and unfed corals under heat challenge were subtle: Unfed, heated corals uniquely upregulated genes associated with cell cycle functions, an indication that starvation may induce the previously described, milder "type B" coral stress response. Future studies interested in disentangling the influence of heterotrophy on coral bleaching would benefit from leveraging the facultative species studied here, but using the coral in its symbiotic and aposymbiotic states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanny E Rivera
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | | | - Jason Samaroo
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | | | - Sarah W Davies
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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14
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Travesso M, Missionário M, Cruz S, Calado R, Madeira D. Combined effect of marine heatwaves and light intensity on the cellular stress response and photophysiology of the leather coral Sarcophyton cf. glaucum. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 861:160460. [PMID: 36435249 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Marine heatwaves (MHW) are threatening tropical coral reef ecosystems, leading to mass bleaching events worldwide. The combination of heat stress with high irradiance is known to shape the health and redox status of corals, but research is biased toward scleractinian corals, while much less is known on tropical symbiotic soft corals. Here, we evaluated the cellular stress response and the photophysiological performance of the soft coral Sarcophyton cf. glaucum, popularly termed as leather coral, under different global change scenarios. Corals were exposed to different light intensities (high light, low light, ∼662 and 253 μmol photons m-2 s-1) for 30 days (time-point 1) and a subsequent MHW simulation was carried out for 10 days (control 26 vs 32 °C) (time-point 2). Subsequently, corals were returned to control temperature and allowed to recover for 30 days (time-point 3). Photophysiological performance (maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), a measure of photosynthetic activity; dark-level fluorescence (F0), as a proxy of chlorophyll a content (Chl a); and zooxanthellae density) and stress biomarkers (total protein, antioxidants, lipid peroxidation, ubiquitin, and heat shock protein 70) were assessed in corals at these three time-points. Corals were especially sensitive to the combination of heat and high light stress, experiencing a decrease in their photosynthetic efficiency under these conditions. Heat stress resulted in bleaching via zooxanthellae loss while high light stress led to pigment (Chl a) loss. This species' antioxidant defenses, and protein degradation were particularly enhanced under heat stress. A recovery was clear for molecular parameters after 30 days of recovery, whereby photophysiological performance required more time to return to basal levels. We conclude that soft corals distributed along intertidal areas, where the light intensity is high, could be especially vulnerable to marine heatwave events, highlighting the need to direct conservation efforts toward these organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarida Travesso
- ECOMARE-Laboratory for Innovation and Sustainability of Marine Biological Resources, CESAM-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Estrada do Porto de Pesca Costeira, 3830-565 Gafanha da Nazaré, Portugal
| | - Madalena Missionário
- ECOMARE-Laboratory for Innovation and Sustainability of Marine Biological Resources, CESAM-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Estrada do Porto de Pesca Costeira, 3830-565 Gafanha da Nazaré, Portugal
| | - Sónia Cruz
- ECOMARE-Laboratory for Innovation and Sustainability of Marine Biological Resources, CESAM-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Estrada do Porto de Pesca Costeira, 3830-565 Gafanha da Nazaré, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Calado
- ECOMARE-Laboratory for Innovation and Sustainability of Marine Biological Resources, CESAM-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Estrada do Porto de Pesca Costeira, 3830-565 Gafanha da Nazaré, Portugal
| | - Diana Madeira
- ECOMARE-Laboratory for Innovation and Sustainability of Marine Biological Resources, CESAM-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Estrada do Porto de Pesca Costeira, 3830-565 Gafanha da Nazaré, Portugal.
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15
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Walker NS, Nestor V, Golbuu Y, Palumbi SR. Coral bleaching resistance variation is linked to differential mortality and skeletal growth during recovery. Evol Appl 2023; 16:504-517. [PMID: 36793702 PMCID: PMC9923480 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of global coral bleaching has focused much attention on the possibility of interventions to increase heat resistance. However, if high heat resistance is linked to fitness tradeoffs that may disadvantage corals in other areas, then a more holistic view of heat resilience may be beneficial. In particular, overall resilience of a species to heat stress is likely to be the product of both resistance to heat and recovery from heat stress. Here, we investigate heat resistance and recovery among individual Acropora hyacinthus colonies in Palau. We divided corals into low, moderate, and high heat resistance categories based on the number of days (4-9) needed to reach significant pigmentation loss due to experimental heat stress. Afterward, we deployed corals back onto a reef in a common garden 6-month recovery experiment that monitored chlorophyll a, mortality, and skeletal growth. Heat resistance was negatively correlated with mortality during early recovery (0-1 month) but not late recovery (4-6 months), and chlorophyll a concentration recovered in heat-stressed corals by 1-month postbleaching. However, moderate-resistance corals had significantly greater skeletal growth than high-resistance corals by 4 months of recovery. High- and low-resistance corals on average did not exhibit skeletal growth within the observed recovery period. These data suggest complex tradeoffs may exist between coral heat resistance and recovery and highlight the importance of incorporating multiple aspects of resilience into future reef management programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nia S Walker
- Department of Biology Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University Pacific Grove California USA.,Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Kāne'ohe Hawaii USA
| | | | | | - Stephen R Palumbi
- Department of Biology Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University Pacific Grove California USA
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16
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Marques JA, Gafni A, Adler O, Levy O, Bar-Zeev E. Antiscalants used in the desalination industry impact the physiology of the coral Montipora capricornis. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 229:119411. [PMID: 36463678 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Many coral reefs are found in arid and semi-arid regions that often face severe water scarcity and depend on seawater desalination for freshwater supply. Alongside freshwater production, desalination plants discharge brine waste into the sea. Brine includes various chemicals (e.g., antiscalants) that may harm the coastal environment. Although widely used, little is known about the ecotoxicological effects of antiscalants (AS) on hard corals. This study compared the impacts of polyphosphonate-based and polymer-based ASs on the coral Montipora capricornis. After two weeks of exposure, we determined the effects of AS on coral physiology, symbiotic microalgae, and associated bacteria, using various analytical approaches such as optical coherence tomography, pulse amplitude modulated fluorometry, and oxidative stress biomarkers. Both ASs reduced polyp activity (∼25%) and caused tissue damage (30% and 41% for polymer and polyphosphonate based AS, respectively). In addition, exposure to polyphosphonate-based AS decreased the abundance of endosymbiotic algae (39%) and upregulated the antioxidant capacity of the animal host (45%). The microalgal symbionts were under oxidative stress, with increased levels of antioxidant capacity and oxidative damage (a 2-fold increase compared to the control). Interestingly, exposure to AS enhanced the numbers of associated bacteria (∼40% compared to the control seawater) regardless of the AS type. Our results introduce new insights into the effects of brine on the physiology of hard corals, highlighting that choosing AS type must be examined according to the receiving ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseane A Marques
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research (ZIWR), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boker 84990, Israel; The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences, Eilat 8810369, Israel.
| | - Almog Gafni
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research (ZIWR), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boker 84990, Israel
| | - Osher Adler
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research (ZIWR), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boker 84990, Israel
| | - Oren Levy
- Faculty of Life Sciences, The Mina and Everard Goodman, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel; The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences, Eilat 8810369, Israel
| | - Edo Bar-Zeev
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research (ZIWR), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boker 84990, Israel.
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17
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Hernández Elizárraga VH, Olguín-López N, Hernández-Matehuala R, Caballero-Pérez J, Ibarra-Alvarado C, Rojas-Molina A. Transcriptomic differences between bleached and unbleached hydrozoan Millepora complanata following the 2015-2016 ENSO in the Mexican Caribbean. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14626. [PMID: 36691486 PMCID: PMC9864129 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The 2015-2016 El Niño-southern oscillation or "ENSO" caused many M. complanata colonies that live in the Mexican Caribbean to experience extensive bleaching. The purpose of this work was to analyze the effect of bleaching on the cellular response of M. complanata, employing a transcriptomic approach with RNA-seq. As expected, bleached specimens contained a significantly lower chlorophyll content than unbleached hydrocorals. The presence of algae of the genera Durusdinium and Cladocopium was only found in tissues of unbleached M. complanata, which could be associated to the greater resistance that these colonies exhibited during bleaching. We found that 299 genes were differentially expressed in M. complanata bleached colonies following the 2015-2016 ENSO in the Mexican Caribbean. The differential expression analysis of bleached M. complanata specimens evidenced enriched terms for functional categories, such as ribosome, RNA polymerase and basal transcription factors, chaperone, oxidoreductase, among others. Our results suggest that the heat-shock response mechanisms displayed by M. complanata include: an up-regulation of endogenous antioxidant defenses; a higher expression of heat stress response genes; up-regulation of transcription-related genes, higher expression of genes associated to transport processes, inter alia. This study constitutes the first differential gene expression analysis of the molecular response of a reef-forming hydrozoan during bleaching.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Norma Olguín-López
- Posgrado en Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, México
| | - Rosalina Hernández-Matehuala
- Posgrado en Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, México
| | | | - César Ibarra-Alvarado
- Laboratorio de Investigación Química y Farmacológica de Productos Naturales, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, México
| | - Alejandra Rojas-Molina
- Laboratorio de Investigación Química y Farmacológica de Productos Naturales, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, México
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18
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Keshavmurthy S, Chen TR, Liu PJ, Wang JT, Chen CA. Learning from the past is not enough to survive present and future bleaching threshold temperatures. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 852:158379. [PMID: 36055494 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In the past decade, the frequency of mass coral bleaching events has increased due to seawater temperature anomalies persisting for longer periods. Coral survival from temperature anomalies has been based on how each species in each location responds to stress, which is unique to individual species and may be due to the way stressful experiences accumulate through time in the form of ecological and physiological memory. A deeper understanding of ecological and physiological memory in corals is necessary to understand their survival strategies into the future. Laboratory experiments can help us simulate seawater temperatures experienced by corals in the past and compare their responses to those of the present and future. In this study, we sampled corals with different life history traits from one location perturbed by seawater temperature incursions (variable site) and from a second, relatively undisturbed location (stable site). We sampled across two seasons to observe the responses to bleaching threshold temperatures in the past (1998-29 °C), present (2018-31 °C), and future (2050-33 °C). Corals were healthy at 29 °C and 31 °C, but a fast-growing, temperature-susceptible coral species experienced high mortality at 33 °C compared to a slow-growing, temperature-resistant coral species. Moreover, corals from the variable site and during the spring season fared better under temperature stress. The results of this study provide insight into the possible role of life-history traits on coral's response to seasons and locations in terms of memory to long-term and short-term thermal anomalies and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ting-Ru Chen
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Academia Sinica, Nangang, Taipei 115, Taiwan; Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Jen Liu
- Institute of Marine Biology, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien 974, Taiwan
| | - Jih-Terng Wang
- Department of Oceanography, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
| | - Chaolun Allen Chen
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Academia Sinica, Nangang, Taipei 115, Taiwan; Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 106, Taiwan; Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung 404, Taiwan.
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19
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Vega Thurber R, Schmeltzer ER, Grottoli AG, van Woesik R, Toonen RJ, Warner M, Dobson KL, McLachlan RH, Barott K, Barshis DJ, Baumann J, Chapron L, Combosch DJ, Correa AMS, DeCarlo TM, Hagedorn M, Hédouin L, Hoadley K, Felis T, Ferrier-Pagès C, Kenkel C, Kuffner IB, Matthews J, Medina M, Meyer C, Oster C, Price J, Putnam HM, Sawall Y. Unified methods in collecting, preserving, and archiving coral bleaching and restoration specimens to increase sample utility and interdisciplinary collaboration. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14176. [PMID: 36345483 PMCID: PMC9636870 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are declining worldwide primarily because of bleaching and subsequent mortality resulting from thermal stress. Currently, extensive efforts to engage in more holistic research and restoration endeavors have considerably expanded the techniques applied to examine coral samples. Despite such advances, coral bleaching and restoration studies are often conducted within a specific disciplinary focus, where specimens are collected, preserved, and archived in ways that are not always conducive to further downstream analyses by specialists in other disciplines. This approach may prevent the full utilization of unexpended specimens, leading to siloed research, duplicative efforts, unnecessary loss of additional corals to research endeavors, and overall increased costs. A recent US National Science Foundation-sponsored workshop set out to consolidate our collective knowledge across the disciplines of Omics, Physiology, and Microscopy and Imaging regarding the methods used for coral sample collection, preservation, and archiving. Here, we highlight knowledge gaps and propose some simple steps for collecting, preserving, and archiving coral-bleaching specimens that can increase the impact of individual coral bleaching and restoration studies, as well as foster additional analyses and future discoveries through collaboration. Rapid freezing of samples in liquid nitrogen or placing at -80 °C to -20 °C is optimal for most Omics and Physiology studies with a few exceptions; however, freezing samples removes the potential for many Microscopy and Imaging-based analyses due to the alteration of tissue integrity during freezing. For Microscopy and Imaging, samples are best stored in aldehydes. The use of sterile gloves and receptacles during collection supports the downstream analysis of host-associated bacterial and viral communities which are particularly germane to disease and restoration efforts. Across all disciplines, the use of aseptic techniques during collection, preservation, and archiving maximizes the research potential of coral specimens and allows for the greatest number of possible downstream analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Vega Thurber
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Emily R. Schmeltzer
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Andréa G. Grottoli
- School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Robert van Woesik
- Institute for Global Ecology, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Fl, United States
| | - Robert J. Toonen
- Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Kāne’ohe, HI, United States
| | - Mark Warner
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, United States
| | - Kerri L. Dobson
- School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Rowan H. McLachlan
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States,School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Katie Barott
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Daniel J. Barshis
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - Justin Baumann
- Biology Department, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, United States
| | - Leila Chapron
- School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | | | | | - Thomas M. DeCarlo
- College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Hawai’i Pacific University, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Mary Hagedorn
- Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Kāne’ohe, HI, United States,Conservation Biology Institute, Smithsonian, Kāne’ohe, HI, United States
| | - Laetitia Hédouin
- Centre de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l’Environnement, Chargée de Recherches CNRS, Papetō’ai, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Kenneth Hoadley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Thomas Felis
- MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | | | - Carly Kenkel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | | | - Jennifer Matthews
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mónica Medina
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Christopher Meyer
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian, Washington DC, United States
| | - Corinna Oster
- MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - James Price
- School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Hollie M. Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | - Yvonne Sawall
- Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, St. George’s, St. George’s, Bermuda
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20
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Kitchen SA, Jiang D, Harii S, Satoh N, Weis VM, Shinzato C. Coral larvae suppress heat stress response during the onset of symbiosis decreasing their odds of survival. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:5813-5830. [PMID: 36168983 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The endosymbiosis between most corals and their photosynthetic dinoflagellate partners begins early in the host life history, when corals are larvae or juvenile polyps. The capacity of coral larvae to buffer climate-induced stress while in the process of symbiont acquisition could come with physiological trade-offs that alter behaviour, development, settlement and survivorship. Here we examined the joint effects of thermal stress and symbiosis onset on colonization dynamics, survival, metamorphosis and host gene expression of Acropora digitifera larvae. We found that thermal stress decreased symbiont colonization of hosts by 50% and symbiont density by 98.5% over 2 weeks. Temperature and colonization also influenced larval survival and metamorphosis in an additive manner, where colonized larvae fared worse or prematurely metamorphosed more often than noncolonized larvae under thermal stress. Transcriptomic responses to colonization and thermal stress treatments were largely independent, while the interaction of these treatments revealed contrasting expression profiles of genes that function in the stress response, immunity, inflammation and cell cycle regulation. The combined treatment either cancelled or lowered the magnitude of expression of heat-stress responsive genes in the presence of symbionts, revealing a physiological cost to acquiring symbionts at the larval stage with elevated temperatures. In addition, host immune suppression, a hallmark of symbiosis onset under ambient temperature, turned to immune activation under heat stress. Thus, by integrating the physical environment and biotic pressures that mediate presettlement event in corals, our results suggest that colonization may hinder larval survival and recruitment under projected climate scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila A Kitchen
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Duo Jiang
- Statistics Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Saki Harii
- Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Satoh
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Virginia M Weis
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Chuya Shinzato
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
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21
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Alderdice R, Perna G, Cárdenas A, Hume BCC, Wolf M, Kühl M, Pernice M, Suggett DJ, Voolstra CR. Deoxygenation lowers the thermal threshold of coral bleaching. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18273. [PMID: 36316371 PMCID: PMC9622859 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22604-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to deoxygenation from climate warming and pollution is emerging as a contributing factor of coral bleaching and mortality. However, the combined effects of heating and deoxygenation on bleaching susceptibility remain unknown. Here, we employed short-term thermal stress assays to show that deoxygenated seawater can lower the thermal limit of an Acropora coral by as much as 1 °C or 0.4 °C based on bleaching index scores or dark-acclimated photosynthetic efficiencies, respectively. Using RNA-Seq, we show similar stress responses to heat with and without deoxygenated seawater, both activating putative key genes of the hypoxia-inducible factor response system indicative of cellular hypoxia. We also detect distinct deoxygenation responses, including a disruption of O2-dependent photo-reception/-protection, redox status, and activation of an immune response prior to the onset of bleaching. Thus, corals are even more vulnerable when faced with heat stress in deoxygenated waters. This highlights the need to integrate dissolved O2 measurements into global monitoring programs of coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Alderdice
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Gabriela Perna
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Anny Cárdenas
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Benjamin C C Hume
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Martin Wolf
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Michael Kühl
- Marine Biology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Strandpromenaden 5, 3000, Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Mathieu Pernice
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - David J Suggett
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
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22
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Zhang J, Richards ZT, Adam AAS, Chan CX, Shinzato C, Gilmour J, Thomas L, Strugnell JM, Miller DJ, Cooke I. Evolutionary responses of a reef-building coral to climate change at the end of the last glacial maximum. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:msac201. [PMID: 36219871 PMCID: PMC9578555 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change threatens the survival of coral reefs on a global scale, primarily through mass bleaching and mortality as a result of marine heatwaves. While these short-term effects are clear, predicting the fate of coral reefs over the coming century is a major challenge. One way to understand the longer-term effects of rapid climate change is to examine the response of coral populations to past climate shifts. Coastal and shallow-water marine ecosystems such as coral reefs have been reshaped many times by sea-level changes during the Pleistocene, yet, few studies have directly linked this with its consequences on population demographics, dispersal, and adaptation. Here we use powerful analytical techniques, afforded by haplotype phased whole-genomes, to establish such links for the reef-building coral, Acropora digitifera. We show that three genetically distinct populations are present in northwestern Australia, and that their rapid divergence since the last glacial maximum (LGM) can be explained by a combination of founder-effects and restricted gene flow. Signatures of selective sweeps, too strong to be explained by demographic history, are present in all three populations and overlap with genes that show different patterns of functional enrichment between inshore and offshore habitats. In contrast to rapid divergence in the host, we find that photosymbiont communities are largely undifferentiated between corals from all three locations, spanning almost 1000 km, indicating that selection on host genes and not acquisition of novel symbionts, has been the primary driver of adaptation for this species in northwestern Australia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Zoe T Richards
- Coral Conservation and Research Group, Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
- Collections and Research, Western Australian Museum, 49 Kew Street Welshpool, WA 6106, Australia
| | - Arne A S Adam
- Coral Conservation and Research Group, Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Cheong Xin Chan
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Chuya Shinzato
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo277-8564, Chiba, Japan
| | - James Gilmour
- Australia Institute of Marine Science, Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Luke Thomas
- Australia Institute of Marine Science, Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
- Oceans Graduate School, The UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Jan M Strugnell
- Department of Marine Biology and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- Centre for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - David J Miller
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- Marine Climate Change Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Onna-son, Okinawa, Japan 904-0495
| | - Ira Cooke
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
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23
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Ip JCH, Zhang Y, Xie JY, Yeung YH, Qiu JW. Comparative transcriptomics of two coral holobionts collected during the 2017 El Niño heat wave reveal differential stress response mechanisms. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 182:114017. [PMID: 35963227 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Although coral species exhibit differential susceptibility to stressors, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. Here we compared scleractinian corals Montipora peltiformis and Platygyra carnosa collected during the 2017 El Niño heat wave. Zooxanthellae density and chlorophyll a content declined and increased substantially during and after heat stress event, respective. However, the magnitude of change was larger in M. peltiformis. Transcriptome analysis showed that heat-stressed corals corresponded to metabolic depression and catabolism of amino acids in both hosts which might promote their survival. However, only M. peltiformis has developed the bleached coral phenotype with corresponding strong stress- and immune-related responses in the host and symbiont, and strong suppression of photosynthesis-related genes in the symbiont. Overall, our study reveals differences among species in the homeostatic capacity to prevent the development of the bleached phenotype under environmental stressors, eventually determining their likelihood of survival in the warming ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Chi-Ho Ip
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; HKBU Institute of Research and Continuing Education, Virtual University Park, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yanjie Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China.
| | - James Y Xie
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yip Hung Yeung
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jian-Wen Qiu
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; HKBU Institute of Research and Continuing Education, Virtual University Park, Shenzhen, China.
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24
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Cziesielski MJ, Liew YJ, Cui G, Aranda M. Increased incompatibility of heterologous algal symbionts under thermal stress in the cnidarian-dinoflagellate model Aiptasia. Commun Biol 2022; 5:760. [PMID: 35902758 PMCID: PMC9334593 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03724-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Rising ocean temperatures are increasing the rate and intensity of coral mass bleaching events, leading to the collapse of coral reef ecosystems. To better understand the dynamics of coral-algae symbioses, it is critical to decipher the role each partner plays in the holobiont's thermotolerance. Here, we investigated the role of the symbiont by comparing transcriptional heat stress responses of anemones from two thermally distinct locations, Florida (CC7) and Hawaii (H2) as well as a heterologous host-symbiont combination composed of CC7 host anemones inoculated with the symbiont Breviolum minutum (SSB01) from H2 anemones (CC7-B01). We find that oxidative stress and apoptosis responses are strongly influenced by symbiont type, as further confirmed by caspase-3 activation assays, but that the overall response to heat stress is dictated by the compatibility of both partners. Expression of genes essential to symbiosis revealed a shift from a nitrogen- to a carbon-limited state only in the heterologous combination CC7-B01, suggesting a bioenergetic disruption of symbiosis during stress. Our results indicate that symbiosis is highly fine-tuned towards particular partner combinations and that heterologous host-symbiont combinations are metabolically less compatible under stress. These results are essential for future strategies aiming at increasing coral resilience using heterologous thermotolerant symbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maha J Cziesielski
- Marine Science Program, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.,Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Yi Jin Liew
- Marine Science Program, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.,Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.,CSIRO Health & Biosecurity, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Guoxin Cui
- Marine Science Program, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.,Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Manuel Aranda
- Marine Science Program, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. .,Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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25
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Madeira C, Dias M, Ferreira A, Gouveia R, Cabral H, Diniz MS, Vinagre C. Does Predation Exacerbate the Risk of Endosymbiont Loss in Heat Stressed Hermatypic Corals? Molecular Cues Provide Insights Into Species-Specific Health Outcomes in a Multi-Stressor Ocean. Front Physiol 2022; 13:801672. [PMID: 35299660 PMCID: PMC8922028 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.801672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Ocean warming has been a major driver of coral reef bleaching and mass mortality. Coupled to other biotic pressures, corals’ ability for acclimatization and adaptation may become compromised. Here, we tested the combined effects of warming scenarios (26, 30, and 32°C) and predation (wound vs. no wound) in coral health condition (paleness, bleaching, and mortality), cellular stress responses (heat shock protein 70 kDa Hsp70, total ubiquitin Ub, and total antioxidant capacity TAC), and physiological state (integrated biomarker response index, IBR) of seven Scleractinian coral species, after being exposed for 60 days. Results show that although temperature was the main factor driving coral health condition, thermotolerant species (Galaxea fascicularis, Psammocora contigua, and Turbinaria reniformis) displayed increased paleness, bleaching, and mortality in predation treatments at high temperature, whereas thermosensitive species (Acropora tenuis, Echinopora lamellosa, and Montipora capricornis brown and green morphotypes) all died at 32°C, regardless of predation condition. At the molecular level, results show that there were significant main and interactive effects of species, temperature, and predation in the biomarkers assessed. Temperature affected Hsp70, Ub, and TAC, evidencing the role of protein folding and turnover, as well as reactive oxygen species scavenging in heat stress management. Predation increased Hsp70 and Ub, suggesting the activation of the pro-phenoloxidase system and cytokine activity, whereas the combination of both stressors mainly affected TAC during moderate stress and Ub under severe stress, suggesting that redox balance and defense of homeostasis are crucial in tissue repair at high temperature. IBR levels showed an increasing trend at 32°C in predated coral fragments (although non-significant). We conclude that coral responses to the combination of high temperature and predation pressure display high inter-species variability, but these stressors may pose a higher risk of endosymbiont loss, depending on species physiology and stress intensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Madeira
- i4HB – Associate Laboratory Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
- UCIBIO – Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
- MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Carolina Madeira, , orcid.org/0000-0003-1632-634X
| | - Marta Dias
- MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Marta Dias, , orcid.org/0000-0003-0447-6009
| | - Ana Ferreira
- Biology Department, Oceanário de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Raúl Gouveia
- Biology Department, Oceanário de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Henrique Cabral
- MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- INRAE – National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, UR EABX, Cestas, France
| | - Mário S. Diniz
- i4HB – Associate Laboratory Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
- UCIBIO – Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Catarina Vinagre
- MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- CCMAR – Centre of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
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26
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Kaposi K, Courtney R, Seymour J. Implications of bleaching on cnidarian venom ecology. Toxicon X 2022; 13:100094. [PMID: 35146416 PMCID: PMC8819380 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxcx.2022.100094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Cnidarian bleaching research often focuses on the effects on a cnidarian's physiological health and fitness, whilst little focus has been towards the impacts of these events on their venom ecology. Given the importance of a cnidarian's venom to their survival and the increasing threat of bleaching events, it is important to understand the effects that this threat may have on this important aspect of their ecology as it may have unforeseen impacts on their ability to catch prey and defend themselves. This review aims to explore evidence that suggests that bleaching may impact on each of the key aspects of a cnidarians' venom ecology: cnidae, venom composition, and venom toxicity. Additionally, the resulting energy deficit, compensatory heterotrophic feeding, and increased defensive measures have been highlighted as possible ecological factors driving these changes. Suggestions are also made to guide the success of research in this field into the future, specifically in regards to selecting a study organism, the importance of accurate symbiont and cnidae identification, use of appropriate bleaching methods, determination of bleaching, and animal handling. Ultimately, this review highlights a significant and important gap in our knowledge into how cnidarians are, and will, continue to be impacted by bleaching stress. Information on the effects of bleaching on cnidarian venom ecology is limited. There is evidence to suggest nematocysts, venom composition and venom toxicity may each be impacted by bleaching. Bleaching may result in depleted energy, increased heterotrophy and/or the need for stronger defensive strategies. To fully understand how cnidarians may be impacted by bleaching stress further research in this field is needed. Future studies should consider the model organism and methodologies, thereby minimising indirect confounding effects.
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27
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Zhang Y, Ip JCH, Xie JY, Yeung YH, Sun Y, Qiu JW. Host-symbiont transcriptomic changes during natural bleaching and recovery in the leaf coral Pavona decussata. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:150656. [PMID: 34597574 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Coral bleaching has become a major threat to coral reefs worldwide, but for most coral species little is known about their resilience to environmental changes. We aimed to understand the gene expressional regulation underlying natural bleaching and recovery in Pavona decussata, a dominant species of scleractinian coral in the northern South China Sea. Analyzing samples collected in 2017 from the field revealed distinct zooxanthellae density, chlorophyll a concentration and transcriptomic signatures corresponding to changes in health conditions of the coral holobiont. In the host, normal-looking tissues of partially bleached colonies were frontloaded with stress responsive genes, as indicated by upregulation of immune defense, response to endoplasmic reticulum, and oxidative stress genes. Bleaching was characterized by upregulation of apoptosis-related genes which could cause a reduction in algal symbionts, and downregulation of genes involved in stress responses and metabolic processes. The transcription factors stat5b and irf1 played key roles in bleaching by regulating immune and apoptosis pathways. Recovery from bleaching was characterized by enrichment of pathways involved in mitosis, DNA replication, and recombination for tissue repairing, as well as restoration of energy and metabolism. In the symbionts, bleaching corresponded to imbalance in photosystems I and II activities which enhanced oxidative stress and limited energy production and nutrient assimilation. Overall, our study revealed distinct gene expressional profiles and regulation in the different phases of the bleaching and recovery process, and provided new insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying the holobiont's resilience that may determine the species' fate in response to global and regional environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjie Zhang
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jack Chi-Ho Ip
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - James Y Xie
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yip Hung Yeung
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yanan Sun
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jian-Wen Qiu
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.
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28
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Wang JT, Wang YT, Chen CA, Meng PJ, Tew KS, Chiang PW, Tang SL. Extra high superoxide dismutase in host tissue is associated with improving bleaching resistance in "thermal adapted" and Durusdinium trenchii-associating coral. PeerJ 2022; 10:e12746. [PMID: 35070504 PMCID: PMC8760857 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Global warming threatens reef-building corals with large-scale bleaching events; therefore, it is important to discover potential adaptive capabilities for increasing their temperature resistance before it is too late. This study presents two coral species (Platygyra verweyi and Isopora palifera) surviving on a reef having regular hot water influxes via a nearby nuclear power plant that exhibited completely different bleaching susceptibilities to thermal stress, even though both species shared several so-called "winner" characteristics (e.g., containing Durusdinium trenchii, thick tissue, etc.). During acute heating treatment, algal density did not decline in P. verweyi corals within three days of being directly transferred from 25 to 31 °C; however, the same treatment caused I. palifera to lose < 70% of its algal symbionts within 24 h. The most distinctive feature between the two coral species was an overwhelmingly higher constitutive superoxide dismutase (ca. 10-fold) and catalase (ca. 3-fold) in P. verweyi over I. palifera. Moreover, P. verweyi also contained significantly higher saturated and lower mono-unsaturated fatty acids, especially a long-chain saturated fatty acid (C22:0), than I. palifera, and was consistently associated with the symbiotic bacteria Endozoicomonas, which was not found in I. palifera. However, antibiotic treatment and inoculation tests did not support Endozoicomonas having a direct contribution to thermal resistance. This study highlights that, besides its association with a thermally tolerable algal symbiont, a high level of constitutive antioxidant enzymes in the coral host is crucial for coral survivorship in the more fluctuating and higher temperature environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jih-Terng Wang
- Department of Oceanography, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ting Wang
- Department of Oceanography, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | | | - Pei-Jei Meng
- General Education Center, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan,National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Kwee Siong Tew
- National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung, Taiwan,Institute of Marine Biodiversity and Evolution, National Dong Hwa University, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Wen Chiang
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Sen-Lin Tang
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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29
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Traylor-Knowles N, Emery M. Analysis of Spatial Gene Expression at the Cellular Level in Stony Corals. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2450:359-371. [PMID: 35359318 PMCID: PMC9761507 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2172-1_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Scleractinians, or stony corals, are colonial animals that possess a high regenerative capacity and a highly diverse innate immune system. As such they present the opportunity to investigate the interconnection between regeneration and immunity in a colonial animal. Understanding the relationship between regeneration and immunity in stony corals is of further interest as it has major implications for coral reef health. One method for understanding the role of innate immunity in scleractinian regeneration is in situ hybridization using RNA probes. Here we describe a protocol for in situ hybridization in adult stony corals using a digoxigenin (DIG)-labeled RNA antisense probe which can be utilized to investigate the spatial expression of immune factors during regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikki Traylor-Knowles
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Madison Emery
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
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30
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Gao C, Garren M, Penn K, Fernandez VI, Seymour JR, Thompson JR, Raina JB, Stocker R. Coral mucus rapidly induces chemokinesis and genome-wide transcriptional shifts toward early pathogenesis in a bacterial coral pathogen. THE ISME JOURNAL 2021; 15:3668-3682. [PMID: 34168314 PMCID: PMC8630044 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01024-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Elevated seawater temperatures have contributed to the rise of coral disease mediated by bacterial pathogens, such as the globally distributed Vibrio coralliilyticus, which utilizes coral mucus as a chemical cue to locate stressed corals. However, the physiological events in the pathogens that follow their entry into the coral host environment remain unknown. Here, we present simultaneous measurements of the behavioral and transcriptional responses of V. coralliilyticus BAA-450 incubated in coral mucus. Video microscopy revealed a strong and rapid chemokinetic behavioral response by the pathogen, characterized by a two-fold increase in average swimming speed within 6 min of coral mucus exposure. RNA sequencing showed that this bacterial behavior was accompanied by an equally rapid differential expression of 53% of the genes in the V. coralliilyticus genome. Specifically, transcript abundance 10 min after mucus exposure showed upregulation of genes involved in quorum sensing, biofilm formation, and nutrient metabolism, and downregulation of flagella synthesis and chemotaxis genes. After 60 min, we observed upregulation of genes associated with virulence, including zinc metalloproteases responsible for causing coral tissue damage and algal symbiont photoinactivation, and secretion systems that may export toxins. Together, our results suggest that V. coralliilyticus employs a suite of behavioral and transcriptional responses to rapidly shift into a distinct infection mode within minutes of exposure to the coral microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cherry Gao
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Melissa Garren
- Working Ocean Strategies LLC, Carmel, CA, USA
- Department of Applied Environmental Science, California State University Monterey Bay, Seaside, CA, USA
| | - Kevin Penn
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Vicente I Fernandez
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Justin R Seymour
- Climate Change Cluster (C3), University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Janelle R Thompson
- Singapore Center for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jean-Baptiste Raina
- Climate Change Cluster (C3), University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Roman Stocker
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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31
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Titelboim D, Thangarjan S, Raposo D, Morard R, Kucera M, Ashckenazi‐Polivoda S, Almogi‐Labin A, Herut B, Manda S, Abramovich S, Gold DA, Abdu U. The transcriptomic signature of cold and heat stress in benthic foraminifera—Implications for range expansions of marine calcifiers. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Débora Raposo
- MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences University of Bremen Bremen Germany
| | - Raphaël Morard
- MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences University of Bremen Bremen Germany
| | - Michal Kucera
- MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences University of Bremen Bremen Germany
| | - Sarit Ashckenazi‐Polivoda
- Dead Sea and Arava Science Center Masada National Park Mount Masada Israel
- Ben‐Gurion University of the Negev Eilat Campus Eilat Israel
| | | | - Barak Herut
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Haifa Israel
| | - Sneha Manda
- Ben‐Gurion University of the Negev Beer Sheva Israel
| | | | - David A. Gold
- Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences University of California Davis California USA
| | - Uri Abdu
- Ben‐Gurion University of the Negev Beer Sheva Israel
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32
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Bollati E, Rosenberg Y, Simon-Blecher N, Tamir R, Levy O, Huang D. Untangling the molecular basis of coral response to sedimentation. Mol Ecol 2021; 31:884-901. [PMID: 34738686 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Urbanized coral reefs are often chronically affected by sedimentation and reduced light levels, yet many species of corals appear to be able to thrive under these highly disturbed conditions. Recently, these marginal ecosystems have gained attention as potential climate change refugia due to the shading effect of suspended sediment, as well as potential reservoirs for stress-tolerant species. However, little research exists on the impact of sedimentation on coral physiology, particularly at the molecular level. Here, we investigated the transcriptomic response to sediment stress in corals of the family Merulinidae from a chronically turbid reef (one genet each of Goniastrea pectinata and Mycedium elephantotus from Singapore) and a clear-water reef (multiple genets of G. pectinata from the Gulf of Aqaba/Eilat). In two ex-situ experiments, we exposed corals to either natural sediment or artificial sediment enriched with organic matter and used whole-transcriptome sequencing (RNA sequencing) to quantify gene expression. Analysis revealed a shared basis for the coral transcriptomic response to sediment stress, which involves the expression of genes broadly related to energy metabolism and immune response. In particular, sediment exposure induced upregulation of anaerobic glycolysis and glyoxylate bypass enzymes, as well as genes involved in hydrogen sulphide metabolism and in pathogen pattern recognition. Our results point towards hypoxia as a probable driver of this transcriptomic response, providing a molecular basis to previous work that identified hypoxia as a primary cause of tissue necrosis in sediment-stressed corals. Potential metabolic and immunity trade-offs of corals living under chronic sedimentation should be considered in future studies on the ecology and conservation of turbid reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Bollati
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Biology, Marine Biology Section, University of Copenhagen, Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Yaeli Rosenberg
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Noa Simon-Blecher
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Raz Tamir
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, Eilat, Israel
| | - Oren Levy
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.,The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, Eilat, Israel
| | - Danwei Huang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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33
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Wuitchik DM, Almanzar A, Benson BE, Brennan S, Chavez JD, Liesegang MB, Reavis JL, Reyes CL, Schniedewind MK, Trumble IF, Davies SW. Title: Characterizing environmental stress responses of aposymbiotic Astrangia poculata to divergent thermal challenges. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:5064-5079. [PMID: 34379848 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic climate change threatens corals globally and both high and low temperatures are known to induce coral bleaching. However, coral stress responses across wide thermal breadths remain understudied. Disentangling the role of symbiosis on the stress response in obligately symbiotic corals is challenging because this response is inherently coupled with nutritional stress. Here, we leverage aposymbiotic colonies of the facultatively symbiotic coral, Astrangia poculata, which lives naturally with and without its algal symbionts, to examine how broad thermal challenges influence coral hosts in the absence of symbiosis. A. poculata were collected from their northern range limit and thermally challenged in two independent 16-day common garden experiments (heat and cold challenge) and behavioral responses to food stimuli and genome-wide gene expression profiling (TagSeq) were performed. Both thermal challenges elicited significant reductions in polyp extension. However, there were five times as many differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under cold challenge compared to heat challenge. Despite an overall stronger response to cold challenge, there was significant overlap in DEGs between thermal challenges. We contrasted these responses to a previously identified module of genes associated with the environmental stress response (ESR) in tropical reef-building corals. Cold challenged corals exhibited a pattern consistent with more severe stressors while the heat challenge response was consistent with lower intensity stressors. Given that these responses were observed in aposymbiotic colonies, many genes previously implicated in ESRs in tropical symbiotic species may represent the coral host's stress response in or out of symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- D M Wuitchik
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - A Almanzar
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - B E Benson
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - S Brennan
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J D Chavez
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M B Liesegang
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.,Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - J L Reavis
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - C L Reyes
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - I F Trumble
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - S W Davies
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
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34
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Herrera M, Liew YJ, Venn A, Tambutté E, Zoccola D, Tambutté S, Cui G, Aranda M. New Insights From Transcriptomic Data Reveal Differential Effects of CO 2 Acidification Stress on Photosynthesis of an Endosymbiotic Dinoflagellate in hospite. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:666510. [PMID: 34349734 PMCID: PMC8326563 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.666510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Ocean acidification (OA) has both detrimental as well as beneficial effects on marine life; it negatively affects calcifiers while enhancing the productivity of photosynthetic organisms. To date, many studies have focused on the impacts of OA on calcification in reef-building corals, a process particularly susceptible to acidification. However, little is known about the effects of OA on their photosynthetic algal partners, with some studies suggesting potential benefits for symbiont productivity. Here, we investigated the transcriptomic response of the endosymbiont Symbiodinium microadriaticum (CCMP2467) in the Red Sea coral Stylophora pistillata subjected to different long-term (2 years) OA treatments (pH 8.0, 7.8, 7.4, 7.2). Transcriptomic analyses revealed that symbionts from corals under lower pH treatments responded to acidification by increasing the expression of genes related to photosynthesis and carbon-concentrating mechanisms. These processes were mostly up-regulated and associated metabolic pathways were significantly enriched, suggesting an overall positive effect of OA on the expression of photosynthesis-related genes. To test this conclusion on a physiological level, we analyzed the symbiont’s photochemical performance across treatments. However, in contrast to the beneficial effects suggested by the observed gene expression changes, we found significant impairment of photosynthesis with increasing pCO2. Collectively, our data suggest that over-expression of photosynthesis-related genes is not a beneficial effect of OA but rather an acclimation response of the holobiont to different water chemistries. Our study highlights the complex effects of ocean acidification on these symbiotic organisms and the role of the host in determining symbiont productivity and performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Herrera
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yi Jin Liew
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alexander Venn
- Marine Department, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco, Monaco
| | - Eric Tambutté
- Marine Department, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco, Monaco
| | - Didier Zoccola
- Marine Department, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco, Monaco
| | - Sylvie Tambutté
- Marine Department, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco, Monaco
| | - Guoxin Cui
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Manuel Aranda
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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35
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Wong KH, Goodbody-Gringley G, de Putron SJ, Becker DM, Chequer A, Putnam HM. Brooded coral offspring physiology depends on the combined effects of parental press and pulse thermal history. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:3179-3195. [PMID: 33914388 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Reef-building corals respond to the temporal integration of both pulse events (i.e., heat waves) and press thermal history (i.e., local environment) via physiological changes, with ecological consequences. We used a "press-pulse-press" experimental framework to expose the brooding coral Porites astreoides to various thermal histories to understand the physiological response of temporal dynamics within and across generations. We collected adult colonies from two reefs (outer Rim reef and inner Patch reef) in Bermuda with naturally contrasting thermal regimes as our initial "press" scenario, followed by a 21-day ex situ "pulse" thermal stress of 30.4°C during larval brooding, and a "press" year-long adult reciprocal transplant between the original sites. Higher endosymbiont density and holobiont protein was found in corals originating from the lower thermal variability site (Rim) compared to the higher thermal variability site (Patch). The thermal pulse event drove significant declines in photosynthesis, endosymbiont density, and chlorophyll a, with bleaching phenotype convergence for adults from both histories. Following the reciprocal transplant, photosynthesis was higher in previously heated corals, indicating recovery from the thermal pulse. The effect of origin (initial press) modulated the response to transplant site for endosymbiont density and chlorophyll a, suggesting contrasting acclimation strategies. Higher respiration and photosynthetic rates were found in corals originating from the Rim site, indicating greater energy available for reproduction, supported by larger larvae released from Rim corals post-transplantation. Notably, parental exposure to the pulse thermal event resulted in increased offspring plasticity when parents were transplanted to foreign sites, highlighting the legacy of the pulse event and the importance of the environment during recovery in contributing to cross-generational or developmental plasticity. Together, these findings provide novel insight into the role of historical disturbance events in driving differential outcomes within and across generations, which is of critical importance in forecasting reef futures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin H Wong
- Department of Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Gretchen Goodbody-Gringley
- Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, St. George's, Bermuda
- Central Caribbean Marine Institute, Little Cayman Island, Cayman Islands
| | | | - Danielle M Becker
- Department of Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Alex Chequer
- Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, St. George's, Bermuda
| | - Hollie M Putnam
- Department of Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
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36
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Reich HG, Kitchen SA, Stankiewicz KH, Devlin-Durante M, Fogarty ND, Baums IB. Genomic variation of an endosymbiotic dinoflagellate (Symbiodinium 'fitti') among closely related coral hosts. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:3500-3514. [PMID: 33964051 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Mutualisms where hosts are coupled metabolically to their symbionts often exhibit high partner fidelity. Most reef-building coral species form obligate symbioses with a specific species of photosymbionts, dinoflagellates in the family Symbiodiniaceae, despite needing to acquire symbionts early in their development from environmental sources. Three Caribbean acroporids (Acropora palmata, A. cervicornis and their F1 hybrid) are sympatric across much of their range, but often occupy different depth and light habitats. Throughout this range, both species and their hybrid associate with the endosymbiotic dinoflagellate Symbiodinium 'fitti'. Because light (and therefore depth) influences the physiology of dinoflagellates, we investigated whether S. 'fitti' populations from each host taxon were differentiated genetically. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among S. 'fitti' strains were identified by aligning shallow metagenomic sequences of acroporid colonies sampled from across the Caribbean to a ~600-Mb draft assembly of the S. 'fitti' genome (from the CFL14120 A. cervicornis metagenome). Phylogenomic and multivariate analyses revealed that genomic variation among S. 'fitti' strains partitioned to each host taxon rather than by biogeographical origin. This is particularly noteworthy because the hybrid has a sparse fossil record and may be of relatively recent origin. A subset (37.6%) of the SNPs putatively under selection were nonsynonymous mutations predicted to alter protein efficiency. Differences in genomic variation of S. 'fitti' strains from each host taxon may reflect the unique selection pressures created by the microenvironments associated with each host. The nonrandom sorting among S. 'fitti' strains to different hosts could be the basis for lineage diversification via disruptive selection, leading to ecological specialization and ultimately speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah G Reich
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Sheila A Kitchen
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | | | | | - Nicole D Fogarty
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA
| | - Iliana B Baums
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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37
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Roger LM, Reich HG, Lawrence E, Li S, Vizgaudis W, Brenner N, Kumar L, Klein-Seetharaman J, Yang J, Putnam HM, Lewinski NA. Applying model approaches in non-model systems: A review and case study on coral cell culture. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0248953. [PMID: 33831033 PMCID: PMC8031391 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Model systems approaches search for commonality in patterns underlying biological diversity and complexity led by common evolutionary paths. The success of the approach does not rest on the species chosen but on the scalability of the model and methods used to develop the model and engage research. Fine-tuning approaches to improve coral cell cultures will provide a robust platform for studying symbiosis breakdown, the calcification mechanism and its disruption, protein interactions, micronutrient transport/exchange, and the toxicity of nanoparticles, among other key biological aspects, with the added advantage of minimizing the ethical conundrum of repeated testing on ecologically threatened organisms. The work presented here aimed to lay the foundation towards development of effective methods to sort and culture reef-building coral cells with the ultimate goal of obtaining immortal cell lines for the study of bleaching, disease and toxicity at the cellular and polyp levels. To achieve this objective, the team conducted a thorough review and tested the available methods (i.e. cell dissociation, isolation, sorting, attachment and proliferation). The most effective and reproducible techniques were combined to consolidate culture methods and generate uncontaminated coral cell cultures for ~7 days (10 days maximum). The tests were conducted on scleractinian corals Pocillopora acuta of the same genotype to harmonize results and reduce variation linked to genetic diversity. The development of cell separation and identification methods in conjunction with further investigations into coral cell-type specific metabolic requirements will allow us to tailor growth media for optimized monocultures as a tool for studying essential reef-building coral traits such as symbiosis, wound healing and calcification at multiple scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liza M. Roger
- Life Science and Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail: ,
| | - Hannah G. Reich
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Evan Lawrence
- Life Science and Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Shuaifeng Li
- Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Whitney Vizgaudis
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Nathan Brenner
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Lokender Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | | | - Jinkyu Yang
- Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Hollie M. Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Nastassja A. Lewinski
- Life Science and Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
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38
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Keller-Costa T, Lago-Lestón A, Saraiva JP, Toscan R, Silva SG, Gonçalves J, Cox CJ, Kyrpides N, Nunes da Rocha U, Costa R. Metagenomic insights into the taxonomy, function, and dysbiosis of prokaryotic communities in octocorals. MICROBIOME 2021; 9:72. [PMID: 33766108 PMCID: PMC7993494 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01031-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In octocorals (Cnidaria Octocorallia), the functional relationship between host health and its symbiotic consortium has yet to be determined. Here, we employed comparative metagenomics to uncover the distinct functional and phylogenetic features of the microbiomes of healthy Eunicella gazella, Eunicella verrucosa, and Leptogorgia sarmentosa tissues, in contrast with the microbiomes found in seawater and sediments. We further explored how the octocoral microbiome shifts to a pathobiome state in E. gazella. RESULTS Multivariate analyses based on 16S rRNA genes, Clusters of Orthologous Groups of proteins (COGs), Protein families (Pfams), and secondary metabolite-biosynthetic gene clusters annotated from 20 Illumina-sequenced metagenomes each revealed separate clustering of the prokaryotic communities of healthy tissue samples of the three octocoral species from those of necrotic E. gazella tissue and surrounding environments. While the healthy octocoral microbiome was distinguished by so-far uncultivated Endozoicomonadaceae, Oceanospirillales, and Alteromonadales phylotypes in all host species, a pronounced increase of Flavobacteriaceae and Alphaproteobacteria, originating from seawater, was observed in necrotic E. gazella tissue. Increased abundances of eukaryotic-like proteins, exonucleases, restriction endonucleases, CRISPR/Cas proteins, and genes encoding for heat-shock proteins, inorganic ion transport, and iron storage distinguished the prokaryotic communities of healthy octocoral tissue regardless of the host species. An increase of arginase and nitric oxide reductase genes, observed in necrotic E. gazella tissues, suggests the existence of a mechanism for suppression of nitrite oxide production by which octocoral pathogens may overcome the host's immune system. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to employ primer-less, shotgun metagenome sequencing to unveil the taxonomic, functional, and secondary metabolism features of prokaryotic communities in octocorals. Our analyses reveal that the octocoral microbiome is distinct from those of the environmental surroundings, is host genus (but not species) specific, and undergoes large, complex structural changes in the transition to the dysbiotic state. Host-symbiont recognition, abiotic-stress response, micronutrient acquisition, and an antiviral defense arsenal comprising multiple restriction endonucleases, CRISPR/Cas systems, and phage lysogenization regulators are signatures of prokaryotic communities in octocorals. We argue that these features collectively contribute to the stabilization of symbiosis in the octocoral holobiont and constitute beneficial traits that can guide future studies on coral reef conservation and microbiome therapy. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. Keller-Costa
- Instituto de Bioengenharia e Biociências (iBB), Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - A. Lago-Lestón
- División de Biología Experimental y Aplicada (DBEA), Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), Carr. Ensenada-Tijuana 3918, Zona Playitas, C.P 22860 Ensenada, Baja California Mexico
| | - J. P. Saraiva
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, 04318 Germany
| | - R. Toscan
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, 04318 Germany
| | - S. G. Silva
- Instituto de Bioengenharia e Biociências (iBB), Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - J. Gonçalves
- Centro de Ciências do Mar (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - C. J. Cox
- Centro de Ciências do Mar (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - N. Kyrpides
- Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - U. Nunes da Rocha
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, 04318 Germany
| | - R. Costa
- Instituto de Bioengenharia e Biociências (iBB), Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
- Centro de Ciências do Mar (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
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39
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Keshavmurthy S, Beals M, Hsieh HJ, Choi KS, Chen CA. Physiological plasticity of corals to temperature stress in marginal coral communities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 758:143628. [PMID: 33248756 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Adaptation and/or acclimatization through various mechanisms have been suggested to help some tropical coral species to overcome temperature-induced bleaching that is intensifying with climate change; however, while much research has been done on the physiological responses of tropical and subtropical corals to stress, little is known about these responses in corals in marginal environments-e.g., high-latitude and non-reefal communities. In this study, we examined the thermal-tolerant physiology of the flowerpot coral, Alveopora japonica, endemic to the high-latitude Jeju Island (33.39°N), South Korea and Oulastrea crispata and Coelastrea aspera from the subtropical non-reefal coral community on the Penghu Islands (23.34°N), Taiwan. Analysis of physiological parameters; photochemical efficiency, Chlorophyll pigment, Symbiodiniaceae cell number and host soluble proteins - showed that A. japonica can survive through a wide range of temperature stresses (10-32 °C) over a period of 8 days without showing signs of bleaching. In addition, corals O. crispata and C. aspera withstood temperature stresses of up to 33 °C and repeated temperature fluctuations without bleaching. Our results indicate that, under large seasonal variations and asymmetrical daily fluctuations in temperature, corals currently living in marginal environments could have thermal plasticity, allowing them to survive in the future climate change scenarios. This study reiterates the importance of studying the eco-physiology of corals that are generally ignored because of their neutral or positive responses to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Morgan Beals
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Academia Sinica, Nangang, Taipei 115, Taiwan; Department of Life Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Hernyi Justin Hsieh
- Penghu Marine Biology Research Center, Fishery Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Magong, Penghu 880, Taiwan
| | - Kwang-Sik Choi
- School of Marine Biomedical Science (BK 21 PLUS), Jeju National University, 102 Jejudaehakno, Jeju 63243, Republic of Korea
| | - Chaolun Allen Chen
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Academia Sinica, Nangang, Taipei 115, Taiwan; Taiwan International Graduate Program-Biodiversity, Academia Sinica, Nangang, Taipei 115, Taiwan; Department of Life Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 106, Taiwan; Department of Life Sciences, Tunghai University, Taichung 404, Taiwan.
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40
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Putnam HM. Avenues of reef-building coral acclimatization in response to rapid environmental change. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:224/Suppl_1/jeb239319. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.239319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The swiftly changing climate presents a challenge to organismal fitness by creating a mismatch between the current environment and phenotypes adapted to historic conditions. Acclimatory mechanisms may be especially crucial for sessile benthic marine taxa, such as reef-building corals, where climate change factors including ocean acidification and increasing temperature elicit strong negative physiological responses such as bleaching, disease and mortality. Here, within the context of multiple stressors threatening marine organisms, I describe the wealth of metaorganism response mechanisms to rapid ocean change and the ontogenetic shifts in organism interactions with the environment that can generate plasticity. I then highlight the need to consider the interactions of rapid and evolutionary responses in an adaptive (epi)genetic continuum. Building on the definitions of these mechanisms and continuum, I also present how the interplay of the microbiome, epigenetics and parental effects creates additional avenues for rapid acclimatization. To consider under what conditions epigenetic inheritance has a more substantial role, I propose investigation into the offset of timing of gametogenesis leading to different environmental integration times between eggs and sperm and the consequences of this for gamete epigenetic compatibility. Collectively, non-genetic, yet heritable phenotypic plasticity will have significant ecological and evolutionary implications for sessile marine organism persistence under rapid climate change. As such, reef-building corals present ideal and time-sensitive models for further development of our understanding of adaptive feedback loops in a multi-player (epi)genetic continuum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hollie M. Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
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41
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Dou J, Schenkel F, Hu L, Khan A, Khan MZ, Yu Y, Wang Y, Wang Y. Genome-wide identification and functional prediction of long non-coding RNAs in Sprague-Dawley rats during heat stress. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:122. [PMID: 33596828 PMCID: PMC7891137 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07421-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Heat stress (HS) is a major stress event in the life of an animal, with detrimental upshots in production and health. Long-non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in many biological processes by transcriptional regulation. However, no research has been reported on the characterization and functionality of lncRNAs in heat-stressed rats. Results We studied expression levels of lncRNAs in rats during HS, using strand-specific RNA sequencing. Six rats, three in each of Control (22 ± 1 °C) and H120 (42 °C for 120 min) experimental groups, were used to screen for lncRNAs in their liver and adrenal glands. Totally, 4498 and 7627 putative lncRNAs were identified in liver and adrenal glands of the Control and H120 groups, respectively. The majority of lncRNAs were relatively shorter and contained fewer exons than protein-coding transcripts. In total, 482 (174 up-regulated and 308 down-regulated) and 271 (126 up-regulated and 145 down-regulated) differentially-expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs, P < 0.05) were identified in the liver and adrenal glands of the Control and H120 groups, respectively. Furthermore, 1274, 121, and 73 target differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) in the liver were predicted to interact with DElncRNAs based on trans−/cis- and sequence similarity regulatory modes. Functional annotation analyses indicated that these DEGs were mostly significantly enriched in insulin signalling, myeloid leukaemia, and glucagon signalling pathways. Similarly, 437, 73 and 41 target DEGs in the adrenal glands were mostly significantly enriched in the cell cycle (trans-prediction) and lysosome pathways (cis-prediction). The DElncRNAs interacting with DEGs that encode heat shock proteins (HSPs) may play an important role in HS response, which include Hsf4, Dnaja1, Dnajb4, Hsph1 and Hspb1 in the liver, and Dnajb13 and Hspb8 in the adrenal glands. The strand-specific RNA sequencing findings were also further verified through RT-qPCR. Conclusions This study is the first to provide a detailed characterization and functional analysis of expression levels of lncRNAs in liver and adrenal glands of heat-stressed rats, which provides basis for further studies on the biological functions of lncRNAs under heat stress in rats and other mammalian species. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07421-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhuan Dou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Flavio Schenkel
- Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Lirong Hu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Adnan Khan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Muhammad Zahoor Khan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Yu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yajing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Beijing Engineering Technology Research Centre of Raw Milk Quality and Safety Control, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yachun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
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42
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Reich HG, Tu WC, Rodriguez IB, Chou Y, Keister EF, Kemp DW, LaJeunesse TC, Ho TY. Iron Availability Modulates the Response of Endosymbiotic Dinoflagellates to Heat Stress. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2021; 57:3-13. [PMID: 32996595 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Warming and nutrient limitation are stressors known to weaken the health of microalgae. In situations of stress, access to energy reserves can minimize physiological damage. Because of its widespread requirements in biochemical processes, iron is an important trace metal, especially for photosynthetic organisms. Lowered iron availability in oceans experiencing rising temperatures may contribute to the thermal sensitivity of reef-building corals, which rely on mutualisms with dinoflagellates to survive. To test the influence of iron concentration on thermal sensitivity, the physiological responses of cultured symbiotic dinoflagellates (genus Breviolum; family Symbiodiniaceae) were evaluated when exposed to increasing temperatures (26 to 30°C) and iron concentrations ranging from replete (500 pM Fe') to limiting (50 pM Fe') under a diurnal light cycle with saturating radiance. Declines in photosynthetic efficiency at elevated temperatures indicated sensitivity to heat stress. Furthermore, five times the amount of iron was needed to reach exponential growth during heat stress (50 pM Fe' at 26-28°C vs. 250 pM Fe' at 30°C). In treatments where exponential growth was reached, Breviolum psygmophilum grew faster than B.minutum, possibly due to greater cellular contents of iron and other trace metals. The metal composition of B.psygmophilum shifted only at the highest temperature (30°C), whereas changes in B.minutum were observed at lower temperatures (28°C). The influence of iron availability in modulating each alga's response to thermal stress suggests the importance of trace metals to the health of coral-algal mutualisms. Ultimately, a greater ability to acquire scarce metals may improve the tolerance of corals to physiological stressors and contribute to the differences in performance associated with hosting one symbiont species over another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah G Reich
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802, USA
| | - Wan-Chen Tu
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Irene B Rodriguez
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yalan Chou
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Elise F Keister
- Department of Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, USA
| | - Dustin W Kemp
- Department of Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, USA
| | - Todd C LaJeunesse
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802, USA
| | - Tung-Yuan Ho
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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43
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Lawson CA, Raina JB, Deschaseaux E, Hrebien V, Possell M, Seymour JR, Suggett DJ. Heat stress decreases the diversity, abundance and functional potential of coral gas emissions. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:879-891. [PMID: 33253484 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Terrestrial ecosystems emit large quantities of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), many of which play important roles in abiotic stress responses, pathogen and grazing defences, inter- and intra-species communications, and climate regulation. Conversely, comparatively little is known about the diversity and functional potential of BVOCs produced in the marine environment, especially in highly productive coral reefs. Here we describe the first 'volatilomes' of two common reef-building corals, Acropora intermedia and Pocillopora damicornis, and how the functional potential of their gaseous emissions is altered by heat stress events that are driving rapid deterioration of coral reef ecosystems worldwide. A total of 87 BVOCs were detected from the two species and the chemical richness of both coral volatilomes-particularly the chemical classes of alkanes and carboxylic acids-decreased during heat stress by 41% and 62% in A. intermedia and P. damicornis, respectively. Across both coral species, the abundance of individual compounds changed significantly during heat stress, with the majority (>86%) significantly decreasing compared to control conditions. Additionally, almost 60% of the coral volatilome (or 52 BVOCs) could be assigned to four key functional groups based on their activities in other species or systems, including stress response, chemical signalling, climate regulation and antimicrobial activity. The total number of compounds assigned to these functions decreased significantly under heat stress for both A. intermedia (by 35%) and P. damicornis (by 64%), with most dramatic losses found for climatically active BVOCs in P. damicornis and antimicrobial BVOCs in A. intermedia. Together, our observations suggest that future heat stress events predicted for coral reefs will reduce the diversity, quantity and functional potential of BVOCs emitted by reef-building corals, potentially further compromising the healthy functioning of these ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin A Lawson
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, NSW, Australia
| | - Jean-Baptiste Raina
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Elisabeth Deschaseaux
- Centre for Coastal Biogeochemistry, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia
| | - Victoria Hrebien
- Centre for Coastal Biogeochemistry, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia
| | - Malcolm Possell
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Justin R Seymour
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - David J Suggett
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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44
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Alderdice R, Suggett DJ, Cárdenas A, Hughes DJ, Kühl M, Pernice M, Voolstra CR. Divergent expression of hypoxia response systems under deoxygenation in reef-forming corals aligns with bleaching susceptibility. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:312-326. [PMID: 33197302 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Exposure of marine life to low oxygen is accelerating worldwide via climate change and localized pollution. Mass coral bleaching and mortality have recently occurred where reefs have experienced chronic low oxygen events. However, the mechanistic basis of tolerance to oxygen levels inadequate to sustain normal functioning (i.e. hypoxia) and whether it contributes to bleaching susceptibility, remain unknown. We therefore experimentally exposed colonies of the environmentally resilient Acropora tenuis, a common reef-building coral from the Great Barrier Reef, to deoxygenation-reoxygenation stress that was aligned to their natural night-day light cycle. Specifically, the treatment involved removing the 'night-time O2 buffer' to challenge the inherent hypoxia thresholds. RNA-Seq analysis revealed that coral possess a complete and active hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-mediated hypoxia response system (HRS) homologous to other metazoans. As expected, A. tenuis exhibited bleaching resistance and showed a strong inducibility of HIF target genes in response to deoxygenation stress. We applied this same approach in parallel to a colony of Acropora selago, known to be environmnetally susceptible, which conversely exhibited a bleaching phenotype response. This phenotypic divergence of A. selago was accompanied by contrasting gene expression profiles indicative of varied effectiveness of their HIF-HRS. Based on our RNA-Seq analysis, we propose (a) that the HIF-HRS is central for corals to manage deoxygenation stress and (b) that key genes of this system (and the wider gene network) may contribute to variation in coral bleaching susceptibility. Our analysis suggests that heat shock protein (hsp) 70 and 90 are important for low oxygen stress tolerance and further highlights how hsp90 expression might also affect the inducibility of coral HIF-HRS in overcoming a metabolic crisis under deoxygenation stress. We propose that differences in coral HIF-HRS could be central in regulating sensitivity to other climate change stressors-notably thermal stress-that commonly drive bleaching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Alderdice
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - David J Suggett
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Anny Cárdenas
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - David J Hughes
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Michael Kühl
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
- Marine Biology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Mathieu Pernice
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
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45
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Cleves PA, Krediet CJ, Lehnert EM, Onishi M, Pringle JR. Insights into coral bleaching under heat stress from analysis of gene expression in a sea anemone model system. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:28906-28917. [PMID: 33168733 PMCID: PMC7682557 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2015737117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss of endosymbiotic algae ("bleaching") under heat stress has become a major problem for reef-building corals worldwide. To identify genes that might be involved in triggering or executing bleaching, or in protecting corals from it, we used RNAseq to analyze gene-expression changes during heat stress in a coral relative, the sea anemone Aiptasia. We identified >500 genes that showed rapid and extensive up-regulation upon temperature increase. These genes fell into two clusters. In both clusters, most genes showed similar expression patterns in symbiotic and aposymbiotic anemones, suggesting that this early stress response is largely independent of the symbiosis. Cluster I was highly enriched for genes involved in innate immunity and apoptosis, and most transcript levels returned to baseline many hours before bleaching was first detected, raising doubts about their possible roles in this process. Cluster II was highly enriched for genes involved in protein folding, and most transcript levels returned more slowly to baseline, so that roles in either promoting or preventing bleaching seem plausible. Many of the genes in clusters I and II appear to be targets of the transcription factors NFκB and HSF1, respectively. We also examined the behavior of 337 genes whose much higher levels of expression in symbiotic than aposymbiotic anemones in the absence of stress suggest that they are important for the symbiosis. Unexpectedly, in many cases, these expression levels declined precipitously long before bleaching itself was evident, suggesting that loss of expression of symbiosis-supporting genes may be involved in triggering bleaching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip A Cleves
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Cory J Krediet
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
- Department of Marine Science, Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL 33711
| | - Erik M Lehnert
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Masayuki Onishi
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - John R Pringle
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305;
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Sun Y, Jiang L, Gong S, Guo M, Yuan X, Zhou G, Lei X, Zhang Y, Yuan T, Lian J, Qian P, Huang H. Impact of Ocean Warming and Acidification on Symbiosis Establishment and Gene Expression Profiles in Recruits of Reef Coral Acropora intermedia. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:532447. [PMID: 33117302 PMCID: PMC7561415 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.532447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The onset of symbiosis and the early development of most broadcast spawning corals play pivotal roles in recruitment success, yet these critical early stages are threatened by multiple stressors. However, molecular mechanisms governing these critical processes under ocean warming and acidification are still poorly understood. The present study investigated the interactive impact of elevated temperature (∼28.0°C and ∼30.5°C) and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) (∼600 and ∼1,200 μatm) on early development and the gene expression patterns in juvenile Acropora intermedia over 33 days. The results showed that coral survival was >89% and was unaffected by high temperature, pCO2, or the combined treatment. Notably, high temperature completely arrested successful symbiosis establishment and the budding process, whereas acidification had a negligible effect. Moreover, there was a positive exponential relationship between symbiosis establishment and budding rates (y = 0.0004e6.43x, R = 0.72, P < 0.0001), which indicated the importance of symbiosis in fueling asexual budding. Compared with corals at the control temperature (28°C), those under elevated temperature preferentially harbored Durusdinium spp., despite unsuccessful symbiosis establishment. In addition, compared to the control, 351 and 153 differentially expressed genes were detected in the symbiont and coral host in response to experimental conditions, respectively. In coral host, some genes involved in nutrient transportation and tissue fluorescence were affected by high temperature. In the symbionts, a suite of genes related to cell growth, ribosomal proteins, photosynthesis, and energy production was downregulated under high temperatures, which may have severely hampered successful cell proliferation of the endosymbionts and explains the failure of symbiosis establishment. Therefore, our results suggest that the responses of symbionts to future ocean conditions could play a vital role in shaping successful symbiosis in juvenile coral.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youfang Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, China.,CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, China.,CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sanqiang Gong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, China
| | - Minglan Guo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, China.,CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiangcheng Yuan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, China.,CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guowei Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, China.,CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinming Lei
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, China.,CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuyang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, China.,CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao Yuan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, China.,CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiansheng Lian
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, China.,CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peiyuan Qian
- CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.,Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hui Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, China.,CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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Herrera M, Klein SG, Schmidt‐Roach S, Campana S, Cziesielski MJ, Chen JE, Duarte CM, Aranda M. Unfamiliar partnerships limit cnidarian holobiont acclimation to warming. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:5539-5553. [PMID: 32627905 PMCID: PMC7539969 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Enhancing the resilience of corals to rising temperatures is now a matter of urgency, leading to growing efforts to explore the use of heat tolerant symbiont species to improve their thermal resilience. The notion that adaptive traits can be retained by transferring the symbionts alone, however, challenges the holobiont concept, a fundamental paradigm in coral research. Holobiont traits are products of a specific community (holobiont) and all its co-evolutionary and local adaptations, which might limit the retention or transference of holobiont traits by exchanging only one partner. Here we evaluate how interchanging partners affect the short- and long-term performance of holobionts under heat stress using clonal lineages of the cnidarian model system Aiptasia (host and Symbiodiniaceae strains) originating from distinct thermal environments. Our results show that holobionts from more thermally variable environments have higher plasticity to heat stress, but this resilience could not be transferred to other host genotypes through the exchange of symbionts. Importantly, our findings highlight the role of the host in determining holobiont productivity in response to thermal stress and indicate that local adaptations of holobionts will likely limit the efficacy of interchanging unfamiliar compartments to enhance thermal tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Herrera
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences & Engineering Division (BESE)King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)ThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Shannon G. Klein
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences & Engineering Division (BESE)King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)ThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Sebastian Schmidt‐Roach
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences & Engineering Division (BESE)King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)ThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Sara Campana
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences & Engineering Division (BESE)King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)ThuwalSaudi Arabia
- Present address:
Faculty of ScienceInstitute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem DynamicsUniversity of Amsterdam1090 GEAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Maha J. Cziesielski
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences & Engineering Division (BESE)King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)ThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Jit Ern Chen
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences & Engineering Division (BESE)King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)ThuwalSaudi Arabia
- Present address:
School of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Biological SciencesSunway UniversitySubang JayaSelangorMalaysia
| | - Carlos M. Duarte
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences & Engineering Division (BESE)King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)ThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Manuel Aranda
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences & Engineering Division (BESE)King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)ThuwalSaudi Arabia
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48
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Temperature transcends partner specificity in the symbiosis establishment of a cnidarian. ISME JOURNAL 2020; 15:141-153. [PMID: 32934356 PMCID: PMC7852570 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-00768-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Coral reef research has predominantly focused on the effect of temperature on the breakdown of coral-dinoflagellate symbioses. However, less is known about how increasing temperature affects the establishment of new coral-dinoflagellate associations. Inter-partner specificity and environment-dependent colonization are two constraints proposed to limit the acquisition of more heat tolerant symbionts. Here, we investigated the symbiotic dynamics of various photosymbionts in different host genotypes under “optimal” and elevated temperature conditions. To do this, we inoculated symbiont-free polyps of the sea anemone Exaiptasia pallida originating from Hawaii (H2), North Carolina (CC7), and the Red Sea (RS) with the same mixture of native symbiont strains (Breviolum minutum, Symbiodinium linucheae, S. microadriaticum, and a Breviolum type from the Red Sea) at 25 and 32 °C, and assessed their ITS2 composition, colonization rates, and PSII photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm). Symbiont communities across thermal conditions differed significantly for all hosts, suggesting that temperature rather than partner specificity had a stronger effect on symbiosis establishment. Overall, we detected higher abundances of more heat resistant Symbiodiniaceae types in the 32 °C treatments. Our data further showed that PSII photophysiology under elevated temperature improved with thermal pre-exposure (i.e., higher Fv/Fm), yet, this effect depended on host genotype and was influenced by active feeding as photochemical efficiency dropped in response to food deprivation. These findings highlight the role of temperature and partner fidelity in the establishment and performance of symbiosis and demonstrate the importance of heterotrophy for symbiotic cnidarians to endure and recover from stress.
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Dixon G, Abbott E, Matz M. Meta-analysis of the coral environmental stress response: Acropora corals show opposing responses depending on stress intensity. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:2855-2870. [PMID: 32615003 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
As climate change progresses, reef-building corals must contend more often with suboptimal conditions, motivating a need to understand coral stress response. Here, we test the hypothesis that there is a stereotyped transcriptional response that corals enact under all stressful conditions, functionally characterized by downregulation of growth, and activation of cell death, response to reactive oxygen species, immunity, and protein folding and degradation. We analyse RNA-seq and Tag-Seq data from 14 previously published studies and supplement them with four new experiments involving different stressors, totaling over 600 gene expression profiles from the genus Acropora. Contrary to expectations, we found not one, but two distinct types of response. The type A response was observed under all kinds of high-intensity stress, was correlated between independent projects and was functionally consistent with the hypothesized stereotyped response. The consistent correlation between projects, irrespective of stress type, supports the type A response as the general coral environmental stress response (ESR), a blanket solution to severely stressful conditions. The distinct type B response was observed under lower intensity stress and was more variable among studies. Unexpectedly, at the level of individual genes and functional categories, the type B response was broadly opposite the type A response. Finally, taking advantage of the breadth of the data set, we present contextual annotations for previously unannotated genes based on consistent stress-induced differences across independent projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Groves Dixon
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Evelyn Abbott
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Mikhail Matz
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
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50
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Vanwonterghem I, Webster NS. Coral Reef Microorganisms in a Changing Climate. iScience 2020; 23:100972. [PMID: 32208346 PMCID: PMC7096749 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.100972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are one of the most diverse and productive ecosystems on the planet, yet they have suffered tremendous losses due to anthropogenic disturbances and are predicted to be one of the most adversely affected habitats under future climate change conditions. Coral reefs can be viewed as microbially driven ecosystems that rely on the efficient capture, retention, and recycling of nutrients in order to thrive in oligotrophic waters. Microorganisms play vital roles in maintaining holobiont health and ecosystem resilience under environmental stress; however, they are also key players in positive feedback loops that intensify coral reef decline, with cascading effects on biogeochemical cycles and marine food webs. There is an urgent need to develop a fundamental understanding of the complex microbial interactions within coral reefs and their role in ecosystem acclimatization, and it is important to include microorganisms in reef conservation in order to secure a future for these unique environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inka Vanwonterghem
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Nicole S Webster
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia
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