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Chuang PS, Yu SP, Liu PY, Hsu MT, Chiou YJ, Lu CY, Tang SL. A gauge of coral physiology: re-examining temporal changes in Endozoicomonas abundance correlated with natural coral bleaching. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:ycae001. [PMID: 38371393 PMCID: PMC10872716 DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Bacteria contribute to many physiological functions of coral holobionts, including responses to bleaching. The bacterial genus, Endozoicomonas, dominates the microbial flora of many coral species and its abundance appears to be correlated with coral bleaching. However, evidences for decoupling of bleaching and Endozoicomonas abundance changes have also been reported. In 2020, a severe bleaching event was recorded at reefs in Taiwan, providing a unique opportunity to re-examine bleaching-Endozoicomonas association using multiple stony corals in natural environments. In this study, we monitored tissue color and microbiome changes in three coral species (Montipora sp., Porites sp., and Stylophora pistillata) in Kenting National Park, following the bleaching event. All tagged Montipora sp. and Porites sp. recovered from bleaching within 1 year, while high mortality occurred in S. pistillata. Microbiome analysis found no correlation of Endozoicomonas relative abundance and bleaching severity during the sampling period, but found a stronger correlation when the month in which bleaching occurred was excluded. Moreover, Endozoicomonas abundance increased during recovery months in Montipora sp. and Porites sp., whereas in S. pistillata it was nearly depleted. These results suggest that Endozoicomonas abundance may represent a gauge of coral health and reflect recovery of some corals from stress. Interestingly, even though different Endozoicomonas strains predominated in the three corals, these Endozoicomonas strains were also shared among coral taxa. Meanwhile, several Endozoicomonas strains showed secondary emergence during coral recovery, suggesting possible symbiont switching in Endozoicomonas. These findings indicate that it may be possible to introduce Endozoicomonas to non-native coral hosts as a coral probiotic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Shun Chuang
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Ping Yu
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Po-Yu Liu
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Tsung Hsu
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Jing Chiou
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Chih-Ying Lu
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
- Molecular and Biological Agricultural Sciences Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, National Chung Hsing University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
| | - Sen-Lin Tang
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
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Longley R, Benucci GMN, Pochon X, Bonito G, Bonito V. Species-specific coral microbiome assemblages support host bleaching resistance during an extreme marine heatwave. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167803. [PMID: 37838063 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167803] [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: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Scleractinian assemblages are threatened by marine heat waves with coral survivorship depending on host genetics and microbiome composition. We documented an extreme marine heat wave in Fiji and the response of corals in two thermally stressed reef flats. Through high-throughput amplicon sequencing of 16S and ITS rDNA phylogenetic markers, we assessed coral microbiomes (Symbiodiniaceae, prokaryotes, fungi, and Apicomplexa) of paired bleached and unbleached colonies of four common coral species representative of dominant genera in the South Pacific. While all coral species exhibited one or more pathways to bleaching resistance, harboring assemblages composed primarily of thermally tolerant photosymbionts did not always result in host bleaching resistance. Montipora and Pocillopora species, which associate with diverse Symbiodiniaceae and vertically transmit their photosymbionts, fared better than Acropora, which acquire their photosymbionts from the environment, and Porites, which associate with a narrow photosymbiont assemblage. Prokaryotic and fungal beta diversity did not differ between bleached and unbleached conspecifics, however, the relative abundance of the fungus Malassezia globosa was significantly greater in unbleached colonies of Montipora digitata. Each coral species harbored distinct assemblages of Symbiodiniaceae, prokaryotes, and Apicomplexa, but not fungi, reiterating the importance of host genetics in structuring components of its microbiome. Terrestrial fungal and prokaryotic taxa were detected at low abundance across coral microbiomes, indicating that allochthonous microbial inputs occur, but that coral microbiomes remain dominated by marine microbial taxa. Our study offers valuable insights into the microbiome assemblages associated with coral tolerance to extreme water temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reid Longley
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, 48824, MI, USA
| | | | - Xavier Pochon
- Cawthron Institute, 98 Halifax Street East, Nelson 7010, New Zealand; Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Gregory Bonito
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, 48824, MI, USA; Plant, Soil and Microbial Science Department, Michigan State University, East Lansing, 48824, MI, USA; Coral Coast Conservation Center, Votua Village, Fiji.
| | - Victor Bonito
- Coral Coast Conservation Center, Votua Village, Fiji; Reef Explorer Fiji, Votua Village, Fiji
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McRae CJ, Keshavmurthy S, Chen HK, Ye ZM, Meng PJ, Rosset SL, Huang WB, Chen CA, Fan TY, Côté IM. Baseline dynamics of Symbiodiniaceae genera and photochemical efficiency in corals from reefs with different thermal histories. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15421. [PMID: 37283898 PMCID: PMC10239617 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15421] [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: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Ocean warming and marine heatwaves induced by climate change are impacting coral reefs globally, leading to coral bleaching and mortality. Yet, coral resistance and resilience to warming are not uniform across reef sites and corals can show inter- and intraspecific variability. To understand changes in coral health and to elucidate mechanisms of coral thermal tolerance, baseline data on the dynamics of coral holobiont performance under non-stressed conditions are needed. We monitored the seasonal dynamics of algal symbionts (family Symbiodiniaceae) hosted by corals from a chronically warmed and thermally variable reef compared to a thermally stable reef in southern Taiwan over 15 months. We assessed the genera and photochemical efficiency of Symbiodiniaceae in three coral species: Acropora nana, Pocillopora acuta, and Porites lutea. Both Durusdinium and Cladocopium were present in all coral species at both reef sites across all seasons, but general trends in their detection (based on qPCR cycle) varied between sites and among species. Photochemical efficiency (i.e., maximum quantum yield; Fv/Fm) was relatively similar between reef sites but differed consistently among species; no clear evidence of seasonal trends in Fv/Fm was found. Quantifying natural Symbiodiniaceae dynamics can help facilitate a more comprehensive interpretation of thermal tolerance response as well as plasticity potential of the coral holobiont.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal J McRae
- Department of Planning and Research, National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium, Checheng, Pingtung, Taiwan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Hung-Kai Chen
- Department of Planning and Research, National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium, Checheng, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Zong-Min Ye
- Department of Planning and Research, National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium, Checheng, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Jie Meng
- Department of Planning and Research, National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium, Checheng, Pingtung, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Marine Biology, National Dong Hwa University, Checheng, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Sabrina L Rosset
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Wen-Bin Huang
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, National Dong Hwa University, Shoufeng, Hualien, Taiwan
| | | | - Tung-Yung Fan
- Department of Planning and Research, National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium, Checheng, Pingtung, Taiwan
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Isabelle M Côté
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
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