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Chen J, Yu X, Yu K, Chen B, Qin Z, Liao Z, Ma Y, Xu L, Wang Y. Potential adaptation of scleractinian coral Pocillopora damicornis during hypo-salinity stress caused by extreme pre-flood rainfall over south China. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 262:119848. [PMID: 39216737 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2024] [Revised: 08/23/2024] [Accepted: 08/25/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Global warming intensifies the water cycle, resulting in significant increases in precipitation and river runoff, which brings severe hypo-salinity stress to nearshore coral reefs. Ecological investigations have found that some corals exhibit remarkable adaptability to hypo-salinity stress during mass-bleaching events. However, the exact cause of this phenomenon remains unclear. To elucidate the potential molecular mechanism leading to high tolerance to hypo-salinity stress, Pocillopora damicornis was used as a research object in this study. We compared the differences in transcriptional responses and symbiotic microbiomes between bleaching and unbleaching P. damicornis during hypo-salinity stress caused by extreme pre-flood rainfall over South China in 2022. The results showed that: (1) Under hypo-salinity stress, the coral genes related to immune defense and cellular stress were significantly upregulated in bleaching corals, indicating more severe immune damage and stress, and the Symbiodiniaceae had no significant gene enrichment. Conversely, metabolic genes related to glycolysis/gluconeogenesis were significantly downregulated in unbleaching corals, whereas Symbiodiniaceae genes related to oxidative phosphorylation were significantly upregulated to meet the energy requirements of coral holobiont; (2) C1d was the dominant Symbiodiniaceae subclade in all samples, with no significant difference between the two groups; (3) The symbiotic bacterial community structure was reorganized under hypo-salinity stress. The abundance of opportunistic bacteria increased significantly in bleaching coral, whereas the relative abundance of probiotics was higher in unbleaching coral. This may be due to severe immune damage, making the coral more susceptible to opportunistic infection and bleaching. These results suggest that long-term hypo-salinity acclimation in the Pearl River Estuary enhances the tolerance of some corals to hypo-salinity stress. Corals with higher tolerance may reduce energy consumption by slowing down their metabolism, improve the energy metabolism of Symbiodiniaceae to meet the energy requirements of the coral holobiont, and alter the structure of symbiotic bacterial communities to avoid bleaching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junling Chen
- 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
| | - Xiaopeng 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
| | - 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.
| | - Biao Chen
- 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
| | - Zhenjun Qin
- 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
| | - Zhiheng Liao
- 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; Nanning Normal University, Nanning, China
| | - Yuling Ma
- 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
| | - Lijia Xu
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Yongzhi Wang
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou, China
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Paix B, van der Valk E, de Voogd NJ. Dynamics, diversity, and roles of bacterial transmission modes during the first asexual life stages of the freshwater sponge Spongilla lacustris. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2024; 19:37. [PMID: 38851755 PMCID: PMC11162577 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-024-00580-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sponge-associated bacteria play important roles in the physiology of their host, whose recruitment processes are crucial to maintain symbiotic associations. However, the acquisition of bacterial communities within freshwater sponges is still under explored. Spongilla lacustris is a model sponge widely distributed in European rivers and lakes, producing dormant cysts (named gemmules) for their asexual reproduction, before winter. Through an in vitro experiment, this study aims to describe the dynamics of bacterial communities and their transmission modes following the hatching of these gemmules. RESULTS An overall change of bacterial β-diversity was observed through the ontology of the juvenile sponges. These temporal differences were potentially linked, first to the osculum acquisition and the development of a canal system, and then, the increasing colonization of the Chlorella-like photosymbionts. Gemmules hatching with a sterilized surface were found to have a more dispersed and less diverse microbiome, revealing the importance of gemmule epibacteria for the whole holobiont stability. These epibacteria were suggested to be vertically transmitted from the maternal tissues to the gemmule surface. Vertical transmission through the incorporation of bacterial communities inside of the gemmule, was also found as a dominant transmission mode, especially with the nitrogen fixers Terasakiellaceae. Finally, we showed that almost no ASVs were shared between the free-living community and the juveniles, suggesting that horizontal recruitment is unlikely to happen during the first stages of development. However, the free-living bacteria filtered are probably used as a source of nutrients, allowing an enrichment of copiotrophic bacteria already present within its microbiome. CONCLUSIONS This study brings new insight for a better understanding of the microbiome acquisition during the first stages of freshwater sponge development. We showed the importance of epibacterial communities on gemmules for the whole holobiont stability, and demonstrated the near absence of recruitment of free-living bacteria during the first stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoit Paix
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- UMR CARRTEL, INRAE - Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, Thonon-les-Bains, France.
| | - Elodie van der Valk
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Institute of Biology (IBL), Leiden University, PO Box 9505, Leiden, 2333BE, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole J de Voogd
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Institute of Biology (IBL), Leiden University, PO Box 9505, Leiden, 2333BE, The Netherlands.
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Ju H, Zhang J, Zou Y, Xie F, Tang X, Zhang S, Li J. Bacteria undergo significant shifts while archaea maintain stability in Pocillopora damicornis under sustained heat stress. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 250:118469. [PMID: 38354884 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118469] [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: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Global warming reportedly poses a critical risk to coral reef ecosystems. Bacteria and archaea are crucial components of the coral holobiont. The response of archaea associated with warming is less well understood than that of the bacterial community in corals. Also, there have been few studies on the dynamics of the microbial community in the coral holobiont under long-term heat stress. In order to track the dynamic alternations in the microbial communities within the heat-stressed coral holobiont, three-week heat-stress monitoring was carried out on the coral Pocillopora damicornis. The findings demonstrate that the corals were stressed at 32 °C, and showed a gradual decrease in Symbiodiniaceae density with increasing duration of heat stress. The archaeal community in the coral holobiont remained relatively unaltered by the increasing temperature, whereas the bacterial community was considerably altered. Sustained heat stress exacerbated the dissimilarities among parallel samples of the bacterial community, confirming the Anna Karenina Principle in animal microbiomes. Heat stress leads to more complex and unstable microbial networks, characterized by an increased average degree and decreased modularity, respectively. With the extension of heat stress duration, the relative abundances of the gene (nifH) and genus (Tistlia) associated with nitrogen fixation increased in coral samples, as well as the potential pathogenic bacteria (Flavobacteriales) and opportunistic bacteria (Bacteroides). Hence, our findings suggest that coral hosts might recruit nitrogen-fixing bacteria during the initial stages of suffering heat stress. An environment that is conducive to the colonization and development of opportunistic and pathogenic bacteria when the coral host becomes more susceptible as heat stress duration increases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Ju
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yiyang Zou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Feiyang Xie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Xiaoyu Tang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Si Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China
| | - Jie Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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Xu M, Cai Z, Cheng K, Chen G, Zhou J. Mitigation of Vibrio coralliilyticus-induced coral bleaching through bacterial dysbiosis prevention by Ruegeria profundi. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0227423. [PMID: 38470181 PMCID: PMC11022554 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02274-23] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Vibrio species are prevalent in ocean ecosystems, particularly Vibrio coralliilyticus, and pose a threat to corals and other marine organisms under global warming conditions. While microbiota manipulation is considered for coral disease management, understanding the role of commensal bacteria in stress resilience remains limited. Here, a single bacterial species (Ruegeria profundi) rather than a consortium of native was used to combat pathogenic V. coralliilyticus and protect corals from bleaching. R. profundi showed therapeutic activity in vivo, preventing a significant reduction in bacterial diversity in bleached corals. Notably, the structure of the bacterial community differed significantly among all the groups. In addition, compared with the bleached corals caused by V. coralliilyticus, the network analysis revealed that complex interactions and positive correlations in the bacterial community of the R. profundi protected non-bleached corals, indicating R. profundi's role in fostering synergistic associations. Many genera of bacteria significantly increased in abundance during V. coralliilyticus infection, including Vibrio, Alteromonas, Amphritea, and Nautella, contributing to the pathogenicity of the bacterial community. However, R. profundi effectively countered the proliferation of these genera, promoting potential probiotic Endozoicomonas and other taxa, while reducing the abundance of betaine lipids and the type VI section system of the bacterial community. These changes ultimately influenced the interactive relationships among symbionts and demonstrated that probiotic R. profundi intervention can modulate coral-associated bacterial community, alleviate pathogenic-induced dysbiosis, and preserve coral health. These findings elucidated the relationship between the behavior of the coral-associated bacterial community and the occurrence of pathological coral bleaching.IMPORTANCEChanges in the global climate and marine environment can influence coral host and pathogen repartition which refers to an increased likelihood of pathogen infection in hosts. The risk of Vibrio coralliilyticus-induced coral disease is significantly heightened, primarily due to its thermos-dependent expression of virulent and populations. This study investigates how coral-associated bacterial communities respond to bleaching induced by V. coralliilyticus. Our findings demonstrate that Ruegeria profundi exhibits clear evidence of defense against pathogenic bacterial infection, contributing to the maintenance of host health and symbiont homeostasis. This observation suggests that bacterial pathogens could cause dysbiosis in coral holobionts. Probiotic bacteria display an essential capability in restructuring and manipulating coral-associated bacterial communities. This restructuring effectively reduces bacterial community virulence and enhances the pathogenic resistance of holobionts. The study provides valuable insights into the correlation between the health status of corals and how coral-associated bacterial communities may respond to both pathogens and probiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiting Xu
- School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology (Weihai), Weihai, China
| | - Zhonghua Cai
- Shenzhen Public Platform for Screening and Application of Marine Microbial Resources, Institute for Ocean Engineering, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Keke Cheng
- Shenzhen Public Platform for Screening and Application of Marine Microbial Resources, Institute for Ocean Engineering, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guofu Chen
- School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology (Weihai), Weihai, China
| | - Jin Zhou
- Shenzhen Public Platform for Screening and Application of Marine Microbial Resources, Institute for Ocean Engineering, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
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Estaque T, Basthard-Bogain S, Bianchimani O, Blondeaux V, Cheminée A, Fargetton M, Richaume J, Bally M. Investigating the outcomes of a threatened gorgonian in situ transplantation: Survival and microbiome diversity in Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1827). MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 196:106384. [PMID: 38320428 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106384] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Gorgonian octocorals are threatened by global and local stressors that can act synergistically to affect their health. In recent years, mass mortality events triggered by marine heatwaves have caused demographic declines in Mediterranean gorgonian populations that may lead to their collapse. Potential changes in microbiome composition under stressful conditions may further increase the susceptibility of the gorgonian holobiont to disease. Given the low recovery capacity of gorgonians, restoration approaches using transplantation are becoming an increasingly attractive option to counteract their decline. Here, we compared the survival and microbiome diversity of Paramuricea clavata colonies transplanted to sites differing in depth and local environmental conditions. Gorgonians sampled at a greater depth than the transplantation site were more likely to suffer necrosis after 1 year of monitoring. Gorgonian transplantation into environments disturbed by an anthropogenic source of pollution resulted in an imbalance of the microbiome with potential consequences on the success of restoration initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan Estaque
- Septentrion Environnement, Campus Nature Provence, Marseille, France.
| | | | | | - Vincent Blondeaux
- Septentrion Environnement, Campus Nature Provence, Marseille, France
| | - Adrien Cheminée
- Septentrion Environnement, Campus Nature Provence, Marseille, France
| | - Margaux Fargetton
- Septentrion Environnement, Campus Nature Provence, Marseille, France
| | - Justine Richaume
- Septentrion Environnement, Campus Nature Provence, Marseille, France
| | - Marc Bally
- Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO, Marseille, France
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Jia S, Geng X, Cai Z, Wang Y, Shen J, Li Y, Wu Z, Chen S, Wang D. Comparison of physiological and transcriptome responses of corals to strong light and high temperature. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 273:116143. [PMID: 38430582 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116143] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/04/2024]
Abstract
Coral reefs are essential for marine ecology and biodiversity. Global climate change has resulted in severe coral reef degradation, partly via coral bleaching, which is caused by rising sea temperatures and solar light intensity. In this study, we examined the impact of strong light (300 µmol.m-2.s-1) and high temperature (33°C) on the growth, immunity, and gene expression of Galaxea fascicularis. Strong light caused coral bleaching in the absence of high sea temperatures, while no obvious bleaching was observed under high temperature alone. The effect of strong light on calcification rate of G. fascicularis is significantly weaker than that of high temperature. Both strong light and high temperatures significantly affected the immune enzyme activity of G. fascicularis symbionts, with the former having a strong effect on their photosystem. Temperature affected the digestive system, replication and repair, and cell growth and death of coral hosts, as indicated by transcriptomics analysis. These results provide a valuable for strategies to mitigate coral bleaching. TEASER: We explored the effects of strong light exposure and high temperature on coral reefs and their symbiont algae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuwen Jia
- Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou 571136, China; Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan province, Yazhou Bay Innovation Institute, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya 572000, China; Key laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources (Hainan Tropical Ocean University), Ministry of Education, Sanya 572022, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Geng
- Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou 571136, China; Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan province, Yazhou Bay Innovation Institute, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya 572000, China; Key laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources (Hainan Tropical Ocean University), Ministry of Education, Sanya 572022, China
| | - Zefu Cai
- Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou 571136, China; Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan province, Yazhou Bay Innovation Institute, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya 572000, China; Key laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources (Hainan Tropical Ocean University), Ministry of Education, Sanya 572022, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou 571136, China; Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan province, Yazhou Bay Innovation Institute, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya 572000, China; Key laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources (Hainan Tropical Ocean University), Ministry of Education, Sanya 572022, China
| | - Jie Shen
- Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou 571136, China; Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan province, Yazhou Bay Innovation Institute, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya 572000, China; Key laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources (Hainan Tropical Ocean University), Ministry of Education, Sanya 572022, China
| | - Yuanchao Li
- Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou 571136, China; Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan province, Yazhou Bay Innovation Institute, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya 572000, China; Key laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources (Hainan Tropical Ocean University), Ministry of Education, Sanya 572022, China
| | - Zhongjie Wu
- Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou 571136, China; Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan province, Yazhou Bay Innovation Institute, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya 572000, China; Key laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources (Hainan Tropical Ocean University), Ministry of Education, Sanya 572022, China
| | - Shiquan Chen
- Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou 571136, China; Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan province, Yazhou Bay Innovation Institute, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya 572000, China; Key laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources (Hainan Tropical Ocean University), Ministry of Education, Sanya 572022, China.
| | - Daoru Wang
- Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou 571136, China; Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan province, Yazhou Bay Innovation Institute, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya 572000, China; Key laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources (Hainan Tropical Ocean University), Ministry of Education, Sanya 572022, China.
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Bhattacharya D, Stephens TG, Chille EE, Benites LF, Chan CX. Facultative lifestyle drives diversity of coral algal symbionts. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:239-247. [PMID: 37953106 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.10.005] [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] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
The photosynthetic symbionts of corals sustain biodiverse reefs in nutrient-poor, tropical waters. Recent genomic data illuminate the evolution of coral symbionts under genome size constraints and suggest that retention of the facultative lifestyle, widespread among these algae, confers a selective advantage when compared with a strict symbiotic existence. We posit that the coral symbiosis is analogous to a 'bioreactor' that selects winner genotypes and allows them to rise to high numbers in a sheltered habitat prior to release by the coral host. Our observations lead to a novel hypothesis, the 'stepping-stone model', which predicts that local adaptation under both the symbiotic and free-living stages, in a stepwise fashion, accelerates coral alga diversity and the origin of endemic strains and species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debashish Bhattacharya
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
| | - Timothy G Stephens
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Erin E Chille
- Ecology and Evolution Graduate Program, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - L Felipe Benites
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Cheong Xin Chan
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, QLD, Australia.
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Bonacolta AM, Miravall J, Gómez-Gras D, Ledoux JB, López-Sendino P, Garrabou J, Massana R, Del Campo J. Differential apicomplexan presence predicts thermal stress mortality in the Mediterranean coral Paramuricea clavata. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16548. [PMID: 38072822 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Paramuricea clavata is an ecosystem architect of the Mediterranean temperate reefs that is currently threatened by episodic mass mortality events related to global warming. The microbiome may play an active role in the thermal stress susceptibility of corals, potentially holding the answer as to why corals show differential sensitivity to heat stress. To investigate this, the prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbiome of P. clavata collected from around the Mediterranean was characterised before experimental heat stress to determine if its microbial composition influences the thermal response of the holobiont. We found that members of P. clavata's microeukaryotic community were significantly correlated with thermal stress sensitivity. Syndiniales from the Dino-Group I Clade 1 were significantly enriched in thermally resistant corals, while the apicomplexan corallicolids were significantly enriched in thermally susceptible corals. We hypothesise that P. clavata mortality following heat stress may be caused by a shift from apparent commensalism to parasitism in the corallicolid-coral host relationship driven by the added stress. Our results show the potential importance of corallicolids and the rest of the microeukaryotic community of corals to understanding thermal stress response in corals and provide a useful tool to guide conservation efforts and future research into coral-associated microeukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony M Bonacolta
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
- Programa de Biodiversiat, Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jordi Miravall
- Departament de Biologia Marina i Oceanografia, Institut de Ciències del Mar-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Daniel Gómez-Gras
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kaneohe, Hawaii, USA
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBIO), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jean-Baptiste Ledoux
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula López-Sendino
- Departament de Biologia Marina i Oceanografia, Institut de Ciències del Mar-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Joaquim Garrabou
- Departament de Biologia Marina i Oceanografia, Institut de Ciències del Mar-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ramon Massana
- Departament de Biologia Marina i Oceanografia, Institut de Ciències del Mar-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Javier Del Campo
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
- Programa de Biodiversiat, Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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9
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Li J, Zou Y, Li Q, Zhang J, Bourne DG, Lyu Y, Liu C, Zhang S. A coral-associated actinobacterium mitigates coral bleaching under heat stress. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2023; 18:83. [PMID: 37996910 PMCID: PMC10668361 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-023-00540-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The positive effects of exposing corals to microorganisms have been reported though how the benefits are conferred are poorly understood. Here, we isolated an actinobacterial strain (SCSIO 13291) from Pocillopora damicornis with capabilities to synthesize antioxidants, vitamins, and antibacterial and antiviral compounds supported with phenotypic and/or genomic evidence. Strain SCSIO 13291 was labeled with 5 (and - 6)-carboxytetramethylrhodamine, succinimidyl ester and the labeled cell suspension directly inoculated onto the coral polyp tissues when nubbins were under thermal stress in a mesocosm experiment. We then visualized the labelled bacterial cells and analyzed the coral physiological, transcriptome and microbiome to elucidate the effect this strain conferred on the coral holobiont under thermal stress. RESULTS Subsequent microscopic observations confirmed the presence of the bacterium attached to the coral polyps. Addition of the SCSIO 13291 strain reduced signs of bleaching in the corals subjected to heat stress. At the same time, alterations in gene expression, which were involved in reactive oxygen species and light damage mitigation, attenuated apoptosis and exocytosis in addition to metabolite utilization, were observed in the coral host and Symbiodiniaceae populations. In addition, the coral associated bacterial community altered with a more stable ecological network for samples inoculated with the bacterial strain. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide insights into the benefits of a putative actinobacterial probiotic strain that mitigate coral bleaching signs. This study suggests that the inoculation of bacteria can potentially directly benefit the coral holobiont through conferring metabolic activities or through indirect mechanisms of suppling additional nutrient sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
- Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, China.
| | - Yiyang Zou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiqi Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - David G Bourne
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Yuanjiao Lyu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Cong Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Si Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, Hainan, China
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10
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Oury N, Noël C, Mona S, Aurelle D, Magalon H. From genomics to integrative species delimitation? The case study of the Indo-Pacific Pocillopora corals. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2023; 184:107803. [PMID: 37120114 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
With the advent of genomics, sequencing thousands of loci from hundreds of individuals now appears feasible at reasonable costs, allowing complex phylogenies to be resolved. This is particularly relevant for cnidarians, for which insufficient data is available due to the small number of currently available markers and obscures species boundaries. Difficulties in inferring gene trees and morphological incongruences further blur the study and conservation of these organisms. Yet, can genomics alone be used to delimit species? Here, focusing on the coral genus Pocillopora, whose colonies play key roles in Indo-Pacific reef ecosystems but have challenged taxonomists for decades, we explored and discussed the usefulness of multiple criteria (genetics, morphology, biogeography and symbiosis ecology) to delimit species of this genus. Phylogenetic inferences, clustering approaches and species delimitation methods based on genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were first used to resolve Pocillopora phylogeny and propose genomic species hypotheses from 356 colonies sampled across the Indo-Pacific (western Indian Ocean, tropical southwestern Pacific and south-east Polynesia). These species hypotheses were then compared to other lines of evidence based on genetic, morphology, biogeography and symbiont associations. Out of 21 species hypotheses delimited by genomics, 13 were strongly supported by all approaches, while six could represent either undescribed species or nominal species that have been synonymised incorrectly. Altogether, our results support (1) the obsolescence of macromorphology (i.e., overall colony and branches shape) but the relevance of micromorphology (i.e., corallite structures) to refine Pocillopora species boundaries, (2) the relevance of the mtORF (coupled with other markers in some cases) as a diagnostic marker of most species, (3) the requirement of molecular identification when species identity of colonies is absolutely necessary to interpret results, as morphology can blur species identification in the field, and (4) the need for a taxonomic revision of the genus Pocillopora. These results give new insights into the usefulness of multiple criteria for resolving Pocillopora, and more widely, scleractinian species boundaries, and will ultimately contribute to the taxonomic revision of this genus and the conservation of its species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Oury
- UMR ENTROPIE (Université de La Réunion, IRD, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie, CNRS), Université de La Réunion, St Denis, La Réunion, France; Laboratoire Cogitamus, Paris, France.
| | - Cyril Noël
- IFREMER - IRSI - Service de Bioinformatique (SeBiMER), Plouzané, France
| | - Stefano Mona
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, EPHE-PSL, Université PSL, CNRS, SU, UA, Paris, France; EPHE, PSL Research University, Paris, France; Laboratoire d'Excellence CORAIL, Perpignan, France
| | - Didier Aurelle
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, EPHE-PSL, Université PSL, CNRS, SU, UA, Paris, France; Aix Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO, Marseille, France
| | - Hélène Magalon
- UMR ENTROPIE (Université de La Réunion, IRD, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie, CNRS), Université de La Réunion, St Denis, La Réunion, France; Laboratoire Cogitamus, Paris, France; Laboratoire d'Excellence CORAIL, Perpignan, France
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11
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Rouan A, Pousse M, Tambutté E, Djerbi N, Zozaya W, Capasso L, Zoccola D, Tambutté S, Gilson E. Telomere dysfunction is associated with dark-induced bleaching in the reef coral Stylophora pistillata. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:6087-6099. [PMID: 34587336 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Telomere DNA length is a complex trait controlled by both multiple loci and environmental factors. A growing number of studies are focusing on the impact of stress and stress accumulation on telomere length and the link with survival and fitness in ecological contexts. Here, we investigated the telomere changes occurring in a symbiotic coral, Stylophora pistillata, that has experienced continuous darkness over 6 months. This stress condition led to the loss of its symbionts in a similar manner to that observed during large-scale bleaching events due to climate changes and anthropogenic activities, threatening reef ecosystems worldwide. We found that continuous darkness was associated with telomere length shortening. This result, together with a phylogenetic analysis of the telomere coral proteins and a transcriptome survey of the continuous darkness condition, paves the way for future studies on the role of telomeres in the coral stress response and the importance of environmentally induced telomere shortening in endangered coral species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Rouan
- Université Côte d'Azur-CNRS-Inserm, IRCAN, Nice, France
| | | | - Eric Tambutté
- Department of Marine Biology, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monte Carlo, Principality of Monaco
| | - Nadir Djerbi
- Université Côte d'Azur-CNRS-Inserm, IRCAN, Nice, France
| | | | - Laura Capasso
- Department of Marine Biology, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monte Carlo, Principality of Monaco.,Collège Doctoral, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Didier Zoccola
- Department of Marine Biology, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monte Carlo, Principality of Monaco
| | - Sylvie Tambutté
- Department of Marine Biology, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monte Carlo, Principality of Monaco
| | - Eric Gilson
- Université Côte d'Azur-CNRS-Inserm, IRCAN, Nice, France.,Department of Medical Genetics, CHU, Nice, France
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12
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Jiang L, Sun YF, Zhou GW, Tong HY, Huang LT, Yu XL, Liu CY, Zhang YY, Yuan XC, Qian PY, Huang H. Ocean acidification elicits differential bleaching and gene expression patterns in larval reef coral Pocillopora damicornis under heat stress. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 842:156851. [PMID: 35750167 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The successful dispersal of coral larvae is vital to the population replenishment and reef recovery and resilience. Despite that this critical early stage is susceptible to ocean warming and acidification, little is known about the responses of coral larvae to warming and acidification across different biological scales. This study explored the influences of elevated temperature (29 °C versus 33 °C) and pCO2 (500 μatm versus 1000 μatm) on brooded larvae of Pocillopora damicornis at the organismal, cellular and gene expression levels. Heat stress caused bleaching, depressed light-enhanced dark respiration, photosynthesis and autotrophy, whereas high pCO2 stimulated photosynthesis. Although survival was unaffected, larvae at 33 °C were ten-times more likely to settle than those at 29 °C, suggesting reduced capacity to disperse and differentiate suitable substrate. Remarkably, heat stress induced greater symbiont loss at ambient pCO2 than at high pCO2, while cell-specific pigment concentrations of symbionts at 33 °C increased twofold under ambient pCO2 relative to high pCO2, suggesting pCO2-dependent bleaching patterns. Considerable increases in activities of host antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) at 33 °C indicated oxidative stress, whereas lipid peroxidation and caspase activities were contained, thereby restraining larval mortality at 33 °C. Furthermore, the coral host mounted stronger transcriptional responses than symbionts. High pCO2 stimulated host metabolic pathways, possibly because of the boosted algal productivity. In contrast, host metabolic processes and symbiont photosystem genes were downregulated at 33 °C. Interestingly, the upregulation of extracellular matrix genes and glycosaminoglycan degradation pathway at 33 °C was more evident under ambient pCO2 than high pCO2, suggesting compromised host tissue integrity that could have facilitated symbiont expulsion and bleaching. Our results provide insights into how coral larvae respond to warming and acidification at different levels of biological organization, and demonstrate that ocean acidification can mediate thermal bleaching and gene expression in coral larvae under heat stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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 (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, 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 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - You-Fang 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 (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, 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 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Guo-Wei 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 (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, 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 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Hao-Ya Tong
- Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Lin-Tao 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 (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, 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 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Xiao-Lei 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 (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, 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 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Cheng-Yue 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 (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, 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 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Yu-Yang 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 (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, 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 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Xiang-Cheng 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 (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, 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 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Pei-Yuan Qian
- Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, 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 (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, 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 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China.
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13
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Full-Length Transcriptome Maps of Reef-Building Coral Illuminate the Molecular Basis of Calcification, Symbiosis, and Circa-Dian Genes. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911135. [PMID: 36232445 PMCID: PMC9570262 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911135] [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: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral transcriptomic data largely rely on short-read sequencing, which severely limits the understanding of coral molecular mechanisms and leaves many important biological questions unresolved. Here, we sequence the full-length transcriptomes of four common and frequently dominant reef-building corals using the PacBio Sequel II platform. We obtain information on reported gene functions, structures, and expression profiles. Among them, a comparative analysis of biomineralization-related genes provides insights into the molecular basis of coral skeletal density. The gene expression profiles of the symbiont Symbiodiniaceae are also isolated and annotated from the holobiont sequence data. Finally, a phylogenetic analysis of key circadian clock genes among 40 evolutionarily representative species indicates that there are four key members in early metazoans, including cry genes; Clock or Npas2; cyc or Arntl; and tim, while per, as the fifth member, occurs in Bilateria. In summary, this work provides a foundation for further work on the manipulation of skeleton production or symbiosis to promote the survival of these important organisms.
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14
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Li J, Zou Y, Yang J, Li Q, Bourne DG, Sweet M, Liu C, Guo A, Zhang S. Cultured Bacteria Provide Insight into the Functional Potential of the Coral-Associated Microbiome. mSystems 2022; 7:e0032722. [PMID: 35695425 PMCID: PMC9426491 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00327-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Improving the availability of representative isolates from the coral microbiome is essential for investigating symbiotic mechanisms and applying beneficial microorganisms to improve coral health. However, few studies have explored the diversity of bacteria which can be isolated from a single species. Here, we isolated a total of 395 bacterial strains affiliated with 49 families across nine classes from the coral Pocillopora damicornis. Identification results showed that most of the strains represent potential novel bacterial species or genera. We also sequenced and assembled the genomes of 118 of these isolates, and then the putative functions of these isolates were identified based on genetic signatures derived from the genomes and this information was combined with isolate-specific phenotypic data. Genomic information derived from the isolates identified putative functions including nitrification and denitrification, dimethylsulfoniopropionate transformation, and supply of fixed carbon, amino acids, and B vitamins which may support their eukaryotic partners. Furthermore, the isolates contained genes associated with chemotaxis, biofilm formation, quorum sensing, membrane transport, signal transduction, and eukaryote-like repeat-containing and cell-cell attachment proteins, all of which potentially help the bacterium establish association with the coral host. Our work expands on the existing culture collection of coral-associated bacteria and provides important information on the metabolic potential of these isolates which can be used to refine understanding of the role of bacteria in coral health and are now available to be applied to novel strategies aimed at improving coral resilience through microbiome manipulation. IMPORTANCE Microbes underpin the health of corals which are the building blocks of diverse and productive reef ecosystems. Studying the culturable fraction of coral-associated bacteria has received less attention in recent times than using culture-independent molecular methods. However, the genomic and phenotypic characterization of isolated strains allows assessment of their functional role in underpinning coral health and identification of beneficial microbes for microbiome manipulation. Here, we isolated 395 bacterial strains from tissues of Pocillopora damicornis with many representing potentially novel taxa and therefore providing a significant contribution to coral microbiology through greatly enlarging the existing cultured coral-associated bacterial bank. Through analysis of the genomes obtained in this study for the coral-associated bacteria and coral host, we elucidate putative metabolic linkages and symbiotic establishment. The results of this study will help to elucidate the role of specific isolates in coral health and provide beneficial microbes for efforts aimed at improving coral health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yiyang Zou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jian Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiqi Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - David G. Bourne
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Michael Sweet
- Aquatic Research Facility, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, University of Derby, Derby, United Kingdom
| | - Cong Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Anjie Guo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Si Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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15
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Subedi SC, Allen P, Vidales R, Sternberg L, Ross M, Afkhami ME. Salinity legacy: Foliar microbiome's history affects mutualist-conferred salinity tolerance. Ecology 2022; 103:e3679. [PMID: 35302649 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The rapid human-driven changes in the environment during the Anthropocene have placed extreme stress on many plants and animals. Beneficial interactions with microorganisms may be crucial for ameliorating these stressors and facilitating the ecosystem services host organisms provide. Foliar endophytes, microorganisms that reside within leaves, are found in essentially all plants and can provide important benefits (e.g., enhanced drought tolerance or resistance to herbivory). However, it remains unclear how important the legacy effects of the abiotic stressors that select on these microbiomes are for affecting the degree of stress amelioration provided to their hosts. To elucidate foliar endophytes' role in host plant salt-tolerance, especially if salinity experienced in the field selects for endophytes that are better suited to improve salt-tolerance of their hosts, we combined field collections of 90 endophyte communities from 30 sites across the coastal Everglades with a manipulative growth experiment assessing endophyte inoculation effects on host plant performance. Specifically, we grew >350 red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) seedlings in a factorial design that manipulated the salinity environment the seedlings experienced (freshwater vs. saltwater), the introduction of field-collected endophytes (live vs. sterilized inoculum), and the legacy of salinity stress experienced by these introduced endophytes [ranging from no salt stress (0 ppt salinity) to high salt stress (40 ppt) environments]. We found that inoculation with field-collected endophytes significantly increased mangrove performance across almost all metrics examined (15-20% increase on average) and these beneficial effects typically occurred when grown in saltwater. Importantly, our study revealed the novel result that endophyte-conferred salinity tolerance depended on microbiome salinity legacy in a key coastal foundation species. Salt-stressed mangroves inoculated with endophyte microbiomes from high salinity environments performed, on average, as well as plants grown in low-stress freshwater, while endophytes from freshwater environments did not relieve host salinity stress. Given the increasing salinity stress imposed by sea level rise and the importance of foundation species like mangroves for ecosystem services, our results indicate that consideration of endophytic associations and their salinity legacy may be critical for successful restoration and management of coastal habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suresh C Subedi
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida
| | - Preston Allen
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida
| | - Rosario Vidales
- Department of Earth and environment, Florida International University, Miami, Florida
| | - Leonel Sternberg
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida
| | - Michael Ross
- Department of Earth and environment, Florida International University, Miami, Florida.,Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, Florida
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16
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Maire J, Buerger P, Chan WY, Deore P, Dungan AM, Nitschke MR, van Oppen MJH. Effects of Ocean Warming on the Underexplored Members of the Coral Microbiome. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:1700-1709. [PMID: 35259253 PMCID: PMC9801979 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The climate crisis is one of the most significant threats to marine ecosystems. It is leading to severe increases in sea surface temperatures and in the frequency and magnitude of marine heatwaves. These changing conditions are directly impacting coral reef ecosystems, which are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth. Coral-associated symbionts are particularly affected because summer heatwaves cause coral bleaching-the loss of endosymbiotic microalgae (Symbiodiniaceae) from coral tissues, leading to coral starvation and death. Coral-associated Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria have been extensively studied in the context of climate change, especially in terms of community diversity and dynamics. However, data on other microorganisms and their response to climate change are scarce. Here, we review current knowledge on how increasing temperatures affect understudied coral-associated microorganisms such as archaea, fungi, viruses, and protists other than Symbiodiniaceae, as well as microbe-microbe interactions. We show that the coral-microbe symbiosis equilibrium is at risk under current and predicted future climate change and argue that coral reef conservation initiatives should include microbe-focused approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Patrick Buerger
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia,Applied BioSciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Wing Yan Chan
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Pranali Deore
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Ashley M Dungan
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | | | - Madeleine J H van Oppen
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia,Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia
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Interaction and Assembly of Bacterial Communities in High-Latitude Coral Habitat Associated Seawater. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10030558. [PMID: 35336132 PMCID: PMC8955259 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10030558] [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: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Threatened by climate change and ocean warming, coral reef ecosystems have been shifting in geographic ranges toward a higher latitude area. The water-associated microbial communities and their potential role in primary production contribution are well studied in tropical coral reefs, but poorly defined in high-latitude coral habitats to date. In this study, amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA and cbbL gene, co-occurrence network, and βNTI were used. The community structure of bacterial and carbon-fixation bacterial communities showed a significant difference between the center of coral, transitional, and non-coral area. Nitrite, DOC, pH, and coral coverage ratio significantly impacted the β-diversity of bacterial and carbon-fixation communities. The interaction of heterotrophs and autotrophic carbon-fixers was more complex in the bottom than in surface water. Carbon-fixers correlated with diverse heterotrophs in surface water but fewer lineages of heterotrophic taxa in the bottom. Bacterial community assembly showed an increase by deterministic process with decrease of coral coverage in bottom water, which may correlate with the gradient of nitrite and pH in the habitat. A deterministic process dominated the assembly of carbon-fixation bacterial community in surface water, while stochastic process dominated t the bottom. In conclusion, the structure and assembly of bacterial and carbon-fixer community were affected by multi-environmental variables in high-latitude coral habitat-associated seawater.
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Zhu W, Xia J, Ren Y, Xie M, Yin H, Liu X, Huang J, Zhu M, Li X. Coastal corals during heat stress and eutrophication: A case study in Northwest Hainan coastal areas. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 173:113048. [PMID: 34678546 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This study initially investigated the coral status during the unexpected bleaching event in three coastal areas in Northwest Hainan coastal areas and analyzed changes in coral holobionts of the healthy and bleached Galaxea fascicularis. Coral coverage had declined severely, and the bleaching rate was extremely high during heat stress. The bleached corals had lower maximum photosynthetic yield, actual photosynthetic yield, zooxanthellae density, and chlorophyll a content than the healthy G. fascicularis, but there was no significant difference in protein, carbohydrate and lipid in eutrophic waters. The diversity and community composition of Symbiodiniaceae and symbiotic bacteria between healthy and bleached G. fascicularis showed no difference. Function prediction of the symbiotic bacteria revealed that the metabolism process was the main pathway of annotation. Present findings suggested that energy reserve functioning and high stability of the holobiont structure and might provide opportunities to G. fascicularis to adapt to eutrophication and heat stress.
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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
| | - Jingquan Xia
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Yuxiao Ren
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Minrui Xie
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Hongyang Yin
- College of Marine Science, 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
| | - Jianzhong Huang
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Ming Zhu
- 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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