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Zhu W, Liu X, Zhang J, Zhao H, Li Z, Wang H, Chen R, Wang A, Li X. Response of coral bacterial composition and function to water quality variations under anthropogenic influence. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 884:163837. [PMID: 37137368 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Microbial communities play key roles in the adaptation of corals living in adverse environments, as the microbiome flexibility can enhance environmental plasticity of coral holobiont. However, the ecological association of coral microbiome and related function to locally deteriorating water quality remains underexplored. In this work, we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing and quantitative microbial element cycling (QMEC) to investigate the seasonal changes of bacterial communities, particularly their functional genes related to carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S) cycle, of the scleractinian coral Galaxea fascicularis from nearshore reefs exposed anthropogenic influence. We used nutrient concentrations as the indicator of anthropogenic activities in coastal reefs, and found a higher nutrient pressure in spring than summer. The bacterial diversity, community structure and dominant bacteria of coral shifted significantly due to seasonal variations dominated by nutrient concentrations. Additionally, the network structure and nutrient cycling gene profiles in summer under low nutrient stress was distinct from that under poor environmental conditions in spring, with lower network complexity and abundance of CNPS cycling genes in summer compared with spring. We further identified significant correlations between microbial community (taxonomic composition and co-occurrence network) and geochemical functions (abundance of multiple functional genes and functional community). Nutrient enrichment was proved to be the most important environmental fluctuation in controlling the diversity, community structure, interactional network and functional genes of the coral microbiome. These results highlight that seasonal shifts in coral-associated bacteria due to anthropogenic activities alter the functional potentials, and provide novel insight about the mechanisms of coral adaptation to locally deteriorating environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wentao Zhu
- College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xiangbo Liu
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Junling Zhang
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - He Zhao
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Zhuoran Li
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Hao Wang
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Rouwen Chen
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Aimin Wang
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xiubao Li
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China.
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Mohamed AR, Ochsenkühn MA, Kazlak AM, Moustafa A, Amin SA. The coral microbiome: towards an understanding of the molecular mechanisms of coral-microbiota interactions. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2023; 47:fuad005. [PMID: 36882224 PMCID: PMC10045912 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuad005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Corals live in a complex, multipartite symbiosis with diverse microbes across kingdoms, some of which are implicated in vital functions, such as those related to resilience against climate change. However, knowledge gaps and technical challenges limit our understanding of the nature and functional significance of complex symbiotic relationships within corals. Here, we provide an overview of the complexity of the coral microbiome focusing on taxonomic diversity and functions of well-studied and cryptic microbes. Mining the coral literature indicate that while corals collectively harbour a third of all marine bacterial phyla, known bacterial symbionts and antagonists of corals represent a minute fraction of this diversity and that these taxa cluster into select genera, suggesting selective evolutionary mechanisms enabled these bacteria to gain a niche within the holobiont. Recent advances in coral microbiome research aimed at leveraging microbiome manipulation to increase coral's fitness to help mitigate heat stress-related mortality are discussed. Then, insights into the potential mechanisms through which microbiota can communicate with and modify host responses are examined by describing known recognition patterns, potential microbially derived coral epigenome effector proteins and coral gene regulation. Finally, the power of omics tools used to study corals are highlighted with emphasis on an integrated host-microbiota multiomics framework to understand the underlying mechanisms during symbiosis and climate change-driven dysbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin R Mohamed
- Biology Program, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi 129188, United Arab Emirates
| | - Michael A Ochsenkühn
- Biology Program, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi 129188, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ahmed M Kazlak
- Systems Genomics Laboratory, American University in Cairo, New Cairo 11835, Egypt
- Biotechnology Graduate Program, American University in Cairo, New Cairo 11835, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Moustafa
- Systems Genomics Laboratory, American University in Cairo, New Cairo 11835, Egypt
- Biotechnology Graduate Program, American University in Cairo, New Cairo 11835, Egypt
- Department of Biology, American University in Cairo, New Cairo 11835, Egypt
| | - Shady A Amin
- Biology Program, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi 129188, United Arab Emirates
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology (CGSB), New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi 129188, United Arab Emirates
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3
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Morrow KM, Pankey MS, Lesser MP. Community structure of coral microbiomes is dependent on host morphology. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:113. [PMID: 35902906 PMCID: PMC9331152 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01308-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The importance of symbiosis has long been recognized on coral reefs, where the photosynthetic dinoflagellates of corals (Symbiodiniaceae) are the primary symbiont. Numerous studies have now shown that a diverse assemblage of prokaryotes also make-up part of the microbiome of corals. A subset of these prokaryotes is capable of fixing nitrogen, known as diazotrophs, and is also present in the microbiome of scleractinian corals where they have been shown to supplement the holobiont nitrogen budget. Here, an analysis of the microbiomes of 16 coral species collected from Australia, Curaçao, and Hawai'i using three different marker genes (16S rRNA, nifH, and ITS2) is presented. These data were used to examine the effects of biogeography, coral traits, and ecological life history characteristics on the composition and diversity of the microbiome in corals and their diazotrophic communities. RESULTS The prokaryotic microbiome community composition (i.e., beta diversity) based on the 16S rRNA gene varied between sites and ecological life history characteristics, but coral morphology was the most significant factor affecting the microbiome of the corals studied. For 15 of the corals studied, only two species Pocillopora acuta and Seriotopora hystrix, both brooders, showed a weak relationship between the 16S rRNA gene community structure and the diazotrophic members of the microbiome using the nifH marker gene, suggesting that many corals support a microbiome with diazotrophic capabilities. The order Rhizobiales, a taxon that contains primarily diazotrophs, are common members of the coral microbiome and were eight times greater in relative abundances in Hawai'i compared to corals from either Curacao or Australia. However, for the diazotrophic component of the coral microbiome, only host species significantly influenced the composition and diversity of the community. CONCLUSIONS The roles and interactions between members of the coral holobiont are still not well understood, especially critical functions provided by the coral microbiome (e.g., nitrogen fixation), and the variation of these functions across species. The findings presented here show the significant effect of morphology, a coral "super trait," on the overall community structure of the microbiome in corals and that there is a strong association of the diazotrophic community within the microbiome of corals. However, the underlying coral traits linking the effects of host species on diazotrophic communities remain unknown. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Morrow
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
- Present address: Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, 6560 Braddock Rd, Alexandria, VA, 22312, USA
| | - M Sabrina Pankey
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
| | - Michael P Lesser
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA.
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4
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Rädecker N, Pogoreutz C, Gegner HM, Cárdenas A, Perna G, Geißler L, Roth F, Bougoure J, Guagliardo P, Struck U, Wild C, Pernice M, Raina JB, Meibom A, Voolstra CR. Heat stress reduces the contribution of diazotrophs to coral holobiont nitrogen cycling. THE ISME JOURNAL 2021; 16:1110-1118. [PMID: 34857934 PMCID: PMC8941099 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01158-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Efficient nutrient cycling in the coral-algal symbiosis requires constant but limited nitrogen availability. Coral-associated diazotrophs, i.e., prokaryotes capable of fixing dinitrogen, may thus support productivity in a stable coral-algal symbiosis but could contribute to its breakdown when overstimulated. However, the effects of environmental conditions on diazotroph communities and their interaction with other members of the coral holobiont remain poorly understood. Here we assessed the effects of heat stress on diazotroph diversity and their contribution to holobiont nutrient cycling in the reef-building coral Stylophora pistillata from the central Red Sea. In a stable symbiotic state, we found that nitrogen fixation by coral-associated diazotrophs constitutes a source of nitrogen to the algal symbionts. Heat stress caused an increase in nitrogen fixation concomitant with a change in diazotroph communities. Yet, this additional fixed nitrogen was not assimilated by the coral tissue or the algal symbionts. We conclude that although diazotrophs may support coral holobiont functioning under low nitrogen availability, altered nutrient cycling during heat stress abates the dependence of the coral host and its algal symbionts on diazotroph-derived nitrogen. Consequently, the role of nitrogen fixation in the coral holobiont is strongly dependent on its nutritional status and varies dynamically with environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Rädecker
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. .,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany. .,Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Claudia Pogoreutz
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Hagen M Gegner
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.,Metabolomics Core Technology Platform, Centre for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anny Cárdenas
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Gabriela Perna
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Laura Geißler
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Florian Roth
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.,Baltic Sea Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jeremy Bougoure
- Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Paul Guagliardo
- Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Ulrich Struck
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Earth Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Wild
- Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, Marine Ecology Department, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Mathieu Pernice
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jean-Baptiste Raina
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Anders Meibom
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Center for Advanced Surface Analysis, Institute of Earth Sciences, Université de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christian R Voolstra
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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5
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Wei Y, Bu J, Long H, Zhang X, Cai X, Huang A, Ren W, Xie Z. Community Structure of Protease-Producing Bacteria Cultivated From Aquaculture Systems: Potential Impact of a Tropical Environment. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:638129. [PMID: 33613508 PMCID: PMC7889957 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.638129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Protease-producing bacteria play vital roles in degrading organic matter of aquaculture system, while the knowledge of diversity and bacterial community structure of protease-producing bacteria is limited in this system, especially in the tropical region. Herein, 1,179 cultivable protease-producing bacterial strains that belonged to Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria were isolated from tropical aquaculture systems, of which the most abundant genus was Bacillus, followed by Vibrio. The diversity and relative abundance of protease-producing bacteria in sediment were generally higher than those in water. Twenty-one genera from sediment and 16 genera from water were identified, of which Bacillus dominated by Bacillus hwajinpoensis in both and Vibrio dominated by Vibrio owensii in water were the dominant genera. The unique genera in sediment or water accounted for tiny percentage may play important roles in the stability of community structure. Eighty V. owensii isolates were clustered into four clusters (ET-1-ET-4) at 58% of similarity by ERIC-PCR (enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-polymerase chain reaction), which was identified as a novel branch of V. owensii. Additionally, V. owensii strains belonged to ET-3 and ET-4 were detected in most aquaculture ponds without outbreak of epidemics, indicating that these protease-producing bacteria may be used as potential beneficial bacteria for wastewater purification. Environmental variables played important roles in shaping protease-producing bacterial diversity and community structure in aquaculture systems. In sediment, dissolved oxygen (DO), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and salinity as the main factors positively affected the distributions of dominant genus (Vibrio) and unique genera (Planococcus and Psychrobacter), whereas temperature negatively affected that of Bacillus (except B. hwajinpoensis). In water, Alteromonas as unique genus and Photobacterium were negatively affected by NO3 --N and NO2 --N, respectively, whereas pH as the main factor positively affected the distribution of Photobacterium. These findings will lay a foundation for the development of protease-producing bacterial agents for wastewater purification and the construction of an environment-friendly tropical aquaculture model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China.,Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jun Bu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China.,Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Tropical Hydrobiology and Biotechnology, Hainan University, Haikou, China.,College of Marine Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Hao Long
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China.,Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Tropical Hydrobiology and Biotechnology, Hainan University, Haikou, China.,College of Marine Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China.,Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Tropical Hydrobiology and Biotechnology, Hainan University, Haikou, China.,College of Marine Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xiaoni Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China.,Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Tropical Hydrobiology and Biotechnology, Hainan University, Haikou, China.,College of Marine Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Aiyou Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China.,Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Tropical Hydrobiology and Biotechnology, Hainan University, Haikou, China.,College of Marine Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Wei Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China.,Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Tropical Hydrobiology and Biotechnology, Hainan University, Haikou, China.,College of Marine Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Zhenyu Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China.,Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Tropical Hydrobiology and Biotechnology, Hainan University, Haikou, China.,College of Marine Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
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Su H, Xiao Z, Yu K, Huang Q, Wang G, Wang Y, Liang J, Huang W, Huang X, Wei F, Chen B. Diversity of cultivable protease-producing bacteria and their extracellular proteases associated to scleractinian corals. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9055. [PMID: 32411529 PMCID: PMC7210813 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Protease-producing bacteria play a vital role in degrading organic nitrogen in marine environments. However, the diversity of the bacteria and extracellular proteases has seldom been addressed, especially in communities of coral reefs. In this study, 136 extracellular protease-producing bacterial strains were isolated from seven genera of scleractinian corals from Luhuitou fringing reef, and their protease types were characterized. The massive coral had more cultivable protease-producing bacteria than branching or foliose corals. The abundance of cultivable protease-producing bacteria reached 106 CFU g−1 of coral. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the isolates were assigned to 24 genera, from which 20 corresponded to the phyla Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. Bacillus and Fictibacillus were retrieved from all coral samples. Moreover, Vibrio and Pseudovibrio were most prevalent in massive or foliose coral Platygyra and Montipora. In contrast, 11 genera were each identified in only one isolate. Nearly all the extracellular proteases from the bacteria were serine proteases or metalloproteases; 45.83% of isolates also released cysteine or aspartic proteases. These proteases had different hydrolytic ability against different substrates. This study represents a novel insight on the diversity of cultivable protease-producing bacteria and their extracellular proteases in scleractinian corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongfei Su
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Zhenlun Xiao
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Qinyu Huang
- School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Guanghua Wang
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Yinghui Wang
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Jiayuan Liang
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Wen Huang
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Xueyong Huang
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Fen Wei
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Biao Chen
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
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7
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Bednarz VN, van de Water JAJM, Rabouille S, Maguer JF, Grover R, Ferrier-Pagès C. Diazotrophic community and associated dinitrogen fixation within the temperate coral Oculina patagonica. Environ Microbiol 2018; 21:480-495. [PMID: 30452101 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Dinitrogen (N2 ) fixing bacteria (diazotrophs) are an important source of new nitrogen in oligotrophic environments and represent stable members of the microbiome in tropical corals, while information on corals from temperate oligotrophic regions is lacking. Therefore, this study provides new insights into the diversity and activity of diazotrophs associated with the temperate coral Oculina patagonica from the Mediterranean Sea by combining metabarcoding sequencing of amplicons of both the 16S rRNA and nifH genes and 15 N2 stable isotope tracer analysis to assess diazotroph-derived nitrogen (DDN) assimilation by the coral. Results show that the diazotrophic community of O. patagonica is dominated by autotrophic bacteria (i.e. Cyanobacteria and Chlorobia). The majority of DDN was assimilated into the tissue and skeletal matrix, and DDN assimilation significantly increased in bleached corals. Thus, diazotrophs may constitute an additional nitrogen source for the coral host, when nutrient exchange with Symbiodinium is disrupted (e.g. bleaching) and external food supply is limited (e.g. oligotrophic summer season). Furthermore, we hypothesize that DDN can facilitate the fast proliferation of endolithic algae, which provide an alternative carbon source for bleached O. patagonica. Overall, O. patagonica could serve as a good model for investigating the importance of diazotrophs in coral recovery from bleaching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa N Bednarz
- Marine Department, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine Ier, MC-98000, Monaco, Principality of Monaco
| | - Jeroen A J M van de Water
- Marine Department, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine Ier, MC-98000, Monaco, Principality of Monaco
| | - Sophie Rabouille
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR 7093, LOV, Observatoire océanologique, F-06230, Villefranche/mer, France.,CNRS, UMR 7093, LOV, Observatoire océanologique, F-06230, Villefranche/mer, France
| | - Jean-François Maguer
- LEMAR - UMR 6539 UBO/CNRS/IRD, Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, Place Nicolas Copernic, Plouzané 29280, France
| | - Renaud Grover
- Marine Department, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine Ier, MC-98000, Monaco, Principality of Monaco
| | - Christine Ferrier-Pagès
- Marine Department, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine Ier, MC-98000, Monaco, Principality of Monaco
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8
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How Does the Coral Microbiome Cause, Respond to, or Modulate the Bleaching Process? ECOLOGICAL STUDIES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-75393-5_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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9
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Abstract
Tropical scleractinian corals are dependent to varying degrees on their photosymbiotic partners. Under normal levels of temperature and irradiance, they can provide most, but not all, of the host's nutritional requirements. Heterotrophy is required to adequately supply critical nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus. Scleractinian corals are known as mesozooplankton predators, and most employ tentacle capture. The ability to trap nano- and picoplankton has been demonstrated by several coral species and appears to fulfill a substantial proportion of their daily metabolic requirements. The mechanism of capture likely involves mucociliary activity or extracoelenteric digestion, but the relative contribution of these avenues have not been evaluated. Many corals employ mesenterial filaments to procure food in various forms, but the functional morphology and chemical activities of these structures have been poorly documented. Corals are capable of acquiring nutrition from particulate and dissolved organic matter, although the degree of reliance on these sources generally has not been established. Corals, including tropical, deep- and cold-water species, are known as a major source of carbon and other nutrients for benthic communities through the secretion of mucus, despite wide variation in chemical composition. Mucus is cycled through the planktonic microbial loop, the benthos, and the microbial community within the sediments. The consensus indicates that the dissolved organic fraction of mucus usually exceeds the insoluble portion, and both serve as sources for the growth of nano- and picoplankton. As many corals employ mucus to trap food, a portion is taken back during feeding. The net gain or loss has not been evaluated, although production is generally thought to exceed consumption. The same is true for the net uptake and loss of dissolved organic matter by mucus secretion. Octocorals are thought not to employ mucus capture or mesenterial filaments during feeding and generally rely on tentacular filtration of weakly swimming mesozooplankton, particulates, dissolved organic matter, and picoplankton. Nonsymbiotic species in the tropics favor phytoplankton and weakly swimming zooplankton. Azooxanthellate soft corals are opportunistic feeders and shift their diet according to the season from phyto- and nanoplankton in summer to primarily particulate organic matter (POM) in winter. Cold-water species favor POM, phytodetritus, microplankton, and larger zooplankton when available. Antipatharians apparently feed on mesozooplankton but also use mucus nets, possibly for capture of POM. Feeding modes in this group are poorly known.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter M Goldberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
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10
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Diazotroph diversity and nitrogen fixation in the coral Stylophora pistillata from the Great Barrier Reef. ISME JOURNAL 2017; 12:813-824. [PMID: 29222444 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-017-0008-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 10/15/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Diazotrophs, both Bacteria and Archaea, capable of fixing nitrogen (N2), are present in the tissues and mucous, of corals and can supplement the coral holobiont nitrogen budget with fixed nitrogen (N) in the form of ammonia (NH3). Stylophora pistillata from Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef collected at 5 and 15 m, and experimentally manipulated in the laboratory, showed that the rates of net photosynthesis, steady state quantum yields of photosystem II (PSII) fluorescence (∆Fv/Fm') and calcification varied based on irradiance as expected. Rates of N2 fixation were, however, invariant across treatments while the amount of fixed N contributing to Symbiodinium spp. N demand is irradiance dependent. Additionally, both the Symbiodinium and diazotrophic communities are significantly different based on depth, and novel Cluster V nifH gene phylotypes, which are not known to fix nitrogen, were recovered. A functional analysis using PICRUSt also showed that shallow corals were enriched in genes involved in nitrogen metabolism, and N2 fixation specifically. Corals have evolved a number of strategies to derive nitrogen from organic (e.g., heterotrophic feeding) and inorganic sources (e.g., N2 fixation) to maintain critical pathways such as protein synthesis to succeed ecologically in nitrogen-limited habitats.
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11
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Jarett JK, MacManes MD, Morrow KM, Pankey MS, Lesser MP. Comparative Genomics of Color Morphs In the Coral Montastraea cavernosa. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16039. [PMID: 29167578 PMCID: PMC5700045 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16371-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Montastraea cavernosa is a common coral in the Caribbean basin found in several color morphs. To investigate the causes for brown and orange morphs we undertook a genomics approach on corals collected at the same time and depth in the Bahamas. The coral holobiont includes the host, symbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium spp.), and a diverse microbiome. While the coral host showed significant genetic differentiation between color morphs both the composition of the Symbiodinium spp. communities and the prokaryotic communities did not. Both targeted and global gene expression differences in the transcriptome of the host show no difference in fluorescent proteins while the metatranscriptome of the microbiome shows that pigments such as phycoerythrin and orange carotenoid protein of cyanobacterial origin are significantly greater in orange morphs, which is also consistent with the significantly greater number of cyanobacteria quantified by 16S rRNA reads and flow cytometry. The microbiome of orange color morphs expressed significantly more nitrogenase (nifH) transcripts consistent with their known ability to fix nitrogen. Both coral and Symbiodinium spp. transcriptomes from orange morphs had significantly increased expression of genes related to immune response and apoptosis, which may potentially be involved in maintaining and regulating the unique symbiont population in orange morphs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica K Jarett
- Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
- US Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute, 2800 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek, CA, 94598, USA
| | - Matthew D MacManes
- Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
| | - Kathleen M Morrow
- Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
| | - M Sabrina Pankey
- Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
| | - Michael P Lesser
- Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA.
- School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA.
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12
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Silveira CB, Cavalcanti GS, Walter JM, Silva-Lima AW, Dinsdale EA, Bourne DG, Thompson CC, Thompson FL. Microbial processes driving coral reef organic carbon flow. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2017; 41:575-595. [PMID: 28486655 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fux018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet, with primary production rates compared to that of rain forests. Benthic organisms release 10-50% of their gross organic production as mucus that stimulates heterotrophic microbial metabolism in the water column. As a result, coral reef microbes grow up to 50 times faster than open ocean communities. Anthropogenic disturbances cause once coral-dominated reefs to become dominated by fleshy organisms, with several outcomes for trophic relationships. Here we review microbial processes implicated in organic carbon flux in coral reefs displaying species phase shifts. The first section presents microbial players and interactions within the coral holobiont that contribute to reef carbon flow. In the second section, we identify four ecosystem-level microbial features that directly respond to benthic species phase shifts: community composition, biomass, metabolism and viral predation. The third section discusses the significance of microbial consumption of benthic organic matter to reef trophic relationships. In the fourth section, we propose that the 'microbial phase shifts' discussed here are conducive to lower resilience, facilitating the transition to new degradation states in coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia B Silveira
- Institute of Biology and COPPE/SAGE, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Cidade Universitária, RJ 21941-599, Brazil.,Biology Department, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanille Dr, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Giselle S Cavalcanti
- Institute of Biology and COPPE/SAGE, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Cidade Universitária, RJ 21941-599, Brazil.,Biology Department, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanille Dr, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Juline M Walter
- Institute of Biology and COPPE/SAGE, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Cidade Universitária, RJ 21941-599, Brazil
| | - Arthur W Silva-Lima
- Institute of Biology and COPPE/SAGE, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Cidade Universitária, RJ 21941-599, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth A Dinsdale
- Biology Department, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanille Dr, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - David G Bourne
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University and Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland 4810, Australia
| | - Cristiane C Thompson
- Institute of Biology and COPPE/SAGE, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Cidade Universitária, RJ 21941-599, Brazil
| | - Fabiano L Thompson
- Institute of Biology and COPPE/SAGE, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Cidade Universitária, RJ 21941-599, Brazil
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13
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Pogoreutz C, Rädecker N, Cárdenas A, Gärdes A, Voolstra CR, Wild C. Sugar enrichment provides evidence for a role of nitrogen fixation in coral bleaching. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:3838-3848. [PMID: 28429531 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2016] [Revised: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The disruption of the coral-algae symbiosis (coral bleaching) due to rising sea surface temperatures has become an unprecedented global threat to coral reefs. Despite decades of research, our ability to manage mass bleaching events remains hampered by an incomplete mechanistic understanding of the processes involved. In this study, we induced a coral bleaching phenotype in the absence of heat and light stress by adding sugars. The sugar addition resulted in coral symbiotic breakdown accompanied by a fourfold increase of coral-associated microbial nitrogen fixation. Concomitantly, increased N:P ratios by the coral host and algal symbionts suggest excess availability of nitrogen and a disruption of the nitrogen limitation within the coral holobiont. As nitrogen fixation is similarly stimulated in ocean warming scenarios, here we propose a refined coral bleaching model integrating the cascading effects of stimulated microbial nitrogen fixation. This model highlights the putative role of nitrogen-fixing microbes in coral holobiont functioning and breakdown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Pogoreutz
- Coral Reef Ecology Group (CORE), Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry (FB 2), University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Department of Ecology, Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology, Bremen, Germany
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nils Rädecker
- Coral Reef Ecology Group (CORE), Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry (FB 2), University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anny Cárdenas
- Coral Reef Ecology Group (CORE), Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry (FB 2), University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biogeochemistry, Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Astrid Gärdes
- Department of Biogeochemistry, Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Christian R Voolstra
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Christian Wild
- Coral Reef Ecology Group (CORE), Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry (FB 2), University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Department of Ecology, Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology, Bremen, Germany
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14
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Messer LF, Brown MV, Furnas MJ, Carney RL, McKinnon AD, Seymour JR. Diversity and Activity of Diazotrophs in Great Barrier Reef Surface Waters. Front Microbiol 2017. [PMID: 28638369 PMCID: PMC5461343 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Discrepancies between bioavailable nitrogen (N) concentrations and phytoplankton growth rates in the oligotrophic waters of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) suggest that undetermined N sources must play a significant role in supporting primary productivity. One such source could be biological dinitrogen (N2) fixation through the activity of “diazotrophic” bacterioplankton. Here, we investigated N2 fixation and diazotroph community composition over 10° S of latitude within GBR surface waters. Qualitative N2 fixation rates were found to be variable across the GBR but were relatively high in coastal, inner and outer GBR waters, reaching 68 nmol L-1 d-1. Diazotroph assemblages, identified by amplicon sequencing of the nifH gene, were dominated by the cyanobacterium Trichodesmium erythraeum, γ-proteobacteria from the Gamma A clade, and δ-proteobacterial phylotypes related to sulfate-reducing genera. However, diazotroph communities exhibited significant spatial heterogeneity, correlated with shifts in dissolved inorganic nutrient concentrations. Specifically, heterotrophic diazotrophs generally increased in relative abundance with increasing concentrations of phosphate and N, while Trichodesmium was proportionally more abundant when concentrations of these nutrients were low. This study provides the first in-depth characterization of diazotroph community composition and N2 fixation dynamics within the oligotrophic, N-limited surface waters of the GBR. Our observations highlight the need to re-evaluate N cycling dynamics within oligotrophic coral reef systems, to include diverse N2 fixing assemblages as a potentially significant source of dissolved N within the water column.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren F Messer
- Climate Change Cluster, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, SydneyNSW, Australia.,School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, SydneyNSW, Australia
| | - Mark V Brown
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, SydneyNSW, Australia
| | - Miles J Furnas
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, TownsvilleQLD, Australia
| | - Richard L Carney
- Climate Change Cluster, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, SydneyNSW, Australia
| | - A D McKinnon
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, TownsvilleQLD, Australia
| | - Justin R Seymour
- Climate Change Cluster, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, SydneyNSW, Australia
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15
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Thurber RV, Payet JP, Thurber AR, Correa AMS. Virus-host interactions and their roles in coral reef health and disease. Nat Rev Microbiol 2017; 15:205-216. [PMID: 28090075 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro.2016.176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Coral reefs occur in nutrient-poor shallow waters, constitute biodiversity and productivity hotspots, and are threatened by anthropogenic disturbance. This Review provides an introduction to coral reef virology and emphasizes the links between viruses, coral mortality and reef ecosystem decline. We describe the distinctive benthic-associated and water-column- associated viromes that are unique to coral reefs, which have received less attention than viruses in open-ocean systems. We hypothesize that viruses of bacteria and eukaryotes dynamically interact with their hosts in the water column and with scleractinian (stony) corals to influence microbial community dynamics, coral bleaching and disease, and reef biogeochemical cycling. Last, we outline how marine viruses are an integral part of the reef system and suggest that the influence of viruses on reef function is an essential component of these globally important environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Vega Thurber
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA
| | - Jérôme P Payet
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA.,College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA
| | - Andrew R Thurber
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA.,College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA
| | - Adrienne M S Correa
- BioSciences Department, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
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16
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Benavides M, Houlbrèque F, Camps M, Lorrain A, Grosso O, Bonnet S. Diazotrophs: a non-negligible source of nitrogen for the tropical coral Stylophora pistillata. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 219:2608-12. [PMID: 27335448 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.139451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Corals are mixotrophs: they are able to fix inorganic carbon through the activity of their symbiotic dinoflagellates and to gain nitrogen from predation on plankton and uptake of dissolved organic and inorganic nutrients. They also live in close association with diverse diazotrophic communities, inhabiting their skeleton, tissue and mucus layer, which are able to fix dinitrogen (N2). The quantity of fixed N2 transferred to the corals and its distribution within coral compartments as well as the quantity of nitrogen assimilated through the ingestion of planktonic diazotrophs are still unknown. Here, we quantified nitrogen assimilation via (i) N2 fixation by symbiont diazotrophs, (ii) ingestion of cultured unicellular diazotrophs and (iii) ingestion of natural planktonic diazotrophs. We estimate that the ingestion of diazotrophs provides 0.76±0.15 µg N cm(-2) h(-1), suggesting that diazotrophs represent a non-negligible source of nitrogen for scleractinian corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mar Benavides
- Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO) - IRD/CNRS/Aix-Marseille University, Noumea 98848, New Caledonia
| | - Fanny Houlbrèque
- Laboratoire d'Excellence CORAIL, ENTROPIE (UMR9220), IRD, Noumea 98848, New Caledonia
| | - Mercedes Camps
- Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO) - IRD/CNRS/Aix-Marseille University, Noumea 98848, New Caledonia
| | - Anne Lorrain
- Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin, LEMAR (UMR 6539 UBO), CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, IRD Nouméa, Noumea 98848, New Caledonia
| | - Olivier Grosso
- Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO) - IRD/CNRS/Aix-Marseille University, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Sophie Bonnet
- Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO) - IRD/CNRS/Aix-Marseille University, Noumea 98848, New Caledonia
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17
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Lawler SN, Kellogg CA, France SC, Clostio RW, Brooke SD, Ross SW. Coral-Associated Bacterial Diversity Is Conserved across Two Deep-Sea Anthothela Species. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:458. [PMID: 27092120 PMCID: PMC4820459 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cold-water corals, similar to tropical corals, contain diverse and complex microbial assemblages. These bacteria provide essential biological functions within coral holobionts, facilitating increased nutrient utilization and production of antimicrobial compounds. To date, few cold-water octocoral species have been analyzed to explore the diversity and abundance of their microbial associates. For this study, 23 samples of the family Anthothelidae were collected from Norfolk (n = 12) and Baltimore Canyons (n = 11) from the western Atlantic in August 2012 and May 2013. Genetic testing found that these samples comprised two Anthothela species (Anthothela grandiflora and Anthothela sp.) and Alcyonium grandiflorum. DNA was extracted and sequenced with primers targeting the V4–V5 variable region of the 16S rRNA gene using 454 pyrosequencing with GS FLX Titanium chemistry. Results demonstrated that the coral host was the primary driver of bacterial community composition. Al. grandiflorum, dominated by Alteromonadales and Pirellulales had much higher species richness, and a distinct bacterial community compared to Anthothela samples. Anthothela species (A. grandiflora and Anthothela sp.) had very similar bacterial communities, dominated by Oceanospirillales and Spirochaetes. Additional analysis of core-conserved bacteria at 90% sample coverage revealed genus level conservation across Anthothela samples. This core included unclassified Oceanospirillales, Kiloniellales, Campylobacterales, and genus Spirochaeta. Members of this core were previously recognized for their functional capabilities in nitrogen cycling and suggest the possibility of a nearly complete nitrogen cycle within Anthothela species. Overall, many of the bacterial associates identified in this study have the potential to contribute to the acquisition and cycling of nutrients within the coral holobiont.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie N Lawler
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg FL, USA
| | - Christina A Kellogg
- U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg FL, USA
| | - Scott C France
- Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette, LA, USA
| | - Rachel W Clostio
- Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette, LA, USA
| | - Sandra D Brooke
- Coastal and Marine Laboratory, Florida State University, St. Teresa FL, USA
| | - Steve W Ross
- Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC, USA
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18
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Rädecker N, Pogoreutz C, Voolstra CR, Wiedenmann J, Wild C. Nitrogen cycling in corals: the key to understanding holobiont functioning? Trends Microbiol 2015; 23:490-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2015.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 233] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2015] [Revised: 03/08/2015] [Accepted: 03/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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19
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Fiore CL, Labrie M, Jarett JK, Lesser MP. Transcriptional activity of the giant barrel sponge, Xestospongia muta Holobiont: molecular evidence for metabolic interchange. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:364. [PMID: 25972851 PMCID: PMC4412061 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Accepted: 04/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Compared to our understanding of the taxonomic composition of the symbiotic microbes in marine sponges, the functional diversity of these symbionts is largely unknown. Furthermore, the application of genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic techniques to functional questions on sponge host-symbiont interactions is in its infancy. In this study, we generated a transcriptome for the host and a metatranscriptome of its microbial symbionts for the giant barrel sponge, Xestospongia muta, from the Caribbean. In combination with a gene-specific approach, our goals were to (1) characterize genetic evidence for nitrogen cycling in X. muta, an important limiting nutrient on coral reefs (2) identify which prokaryotic symbiont lineages are metabolically active and, (3) characterize the metabolic potential of the prokaryotic community. Xestospongia muta expresses genes from multiple nitrogen transformation pathways that when combined with the abundance of this sponge, and previous data on dissolved inorganic nitrogen fluxes, shows that this sponge is an important contributor to nitrogen cycling biogeochemistry on coral reefs. Additionally, we observed significant differences in gene expression of the archaeal amoA gene, which is involved in ammonia oxidation, between coral reef locations consistent with differences in the fluxes of dissolved inorganic nitrogen previously reported. In regards to symbiont metabolic potential, the genes in the biosynthetic pathways of several amino acids were present in the prokaryotic metatranscriptome dataset but in the host-derived transcripts only the catabolic reactions for these amino acids were present. A similar pattern was observed for the B vitamins (riboflavin, biotin, thiamin, cobalamin). These results expand our understanding of biogeochemical cycling in sponges, and the metabolic interchange highlighted here advances the field of symbiont physiology by elucidating specific metabolic pathways where there is high potential for host-prokaryote interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara L. Fiore
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New HampshireDurham, NH, USA
| | - Micheline Labrie
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New HampshireDurham, NH, USA
| | - Jessica K. Jarett
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New HampshireDurham, NH, USA
| | - Michael P. Lesser
- School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, University of New HampshireDurham, NH, USA
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20
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Thompson JR, Rivera HE, Closek CJ, Medina M. Microbes in the coral holobiont: partners through evolution, development, and ecological interactions. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2015; 4:176. [PMID: 25621279 PMCID: PMC4286716 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2014.00176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2014] [Accepted: 12/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last two decades, genetic and genomic studies have revealed the astonishing diversity and ubiquity of microorganisms. Emergence and expansion of the human microbiome project has reshaped our thinking about how microbes control host health-not only as pathogens, but also as symbionts. In coral reef environments, scientists have begun to examine the role that microorganisms play in coral life history. Herein, we review the current literature on coral-microbe interactions within the context of their role in evolution, development, and ecology. We ask the following questions, first posed by McFall-Ngai et al. (2013) in their review of animal evolution, with specific attention to how coral-microbial interactions may be affected under future environmental conditions: (1) How do corals and their microbiome affect each other's genomes? (2) How does coral development depend on microbial partners? (3) How is homeostasis maintained between corals and their microbial symbionts? (4) How can ecological approaches deepen our understanding of the multiple levels of coral-microbial interactions? Elucidating the role that microorganisms play in the structure and function of the holobiont is essential for understanding how corals maintain homeostasis and acclimate to changing environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janelle R. Thompson
- Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hanny E. Rivera
- Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionWoods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Collin J. Closek
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park, PA, USA
| | - Mónica Medina
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park, PA, USA
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21
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Serrano X, Baums IB, O'Reilly K, Smith TB, Jones RJ, Shearer TL, Nunes FLD, Baker AC. Geographic differences in vertical connectivity in the Caribbean coralMontastraea cavernosadespite high levels of horizontal connectivity at shallow depths. Mol Ecol 2014; 23:4226-40. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2013] [Revised: 07/04/2014] [Accepted: 07/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- X. Serrano
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology; Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science; University of Miami; 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami FL 33149 USA
| | - I. B. Baums
- Department of Biology; The Pennsylvania State University; 208 Mueller Laboratory University Park PA 16802 USA
| | - K. O'Reilly
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology; Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science; University of Miami; 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami FL 33149 USA
| | - T. B. Smith
- Center for Marine and Environmental Studies; University of the Virgin Islands; #2 John Brewer's Bay St. Thomas USVI 00802-9990 USA
| | - R. J. Jones
- Australian Institute of Marine Science; The UWA Oceans Institute; 35 Stirling Highway Crawley WA 6009 Australia
| | - T. L. Shearer
- School of Biology; Georgia Institute of Technology; 310 Ferst Dr. Atlanta GA 30332 USA
| | - F. L. D. Nunes
- Laboratory of Artificial and Natural Evolution; Department of Genetics & Evolution; University of Geneva; Sciences III, 30 quai Ernest Ansermet 1211 Geneva 4 Switzerland
- Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin; Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer; Université de Bretagne Occidentale; Technopole Brest Iroise 29280 Plouzané France
| | - A. C. Baker
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology; Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science; University of Miami; 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami FL 33149 USA
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