1
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Voolstra CR, Raina JB, Dörr M, Cárdenas A, Pogoreutz C, Silveira CB, Mohamed AR, Bourne DG, Luo H, Amin SA, Peixoto RS. The coral microbiome in sickness, in health and in a changing world. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024; 22:460-475. [PMID: 38438489 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-024-01015-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Stony corals, the engines and engineers of reef ecosystems, face unprecedented threats from anthropogenic environmental change. Corals are holobionts that comprise the cnidarian animal host and a diverse community of bacteria, archaea, viruses and eukaryotic microorganisms. Recent research shows that the bacterial microbiome has a pivotal role in coral biology. A healthy bacterial assemblage contributes to nutrient cycling and stress resilience, but pollution, overfishing and climate change can break down these symbiotic relationships, which results in disease, bleaching and, ultimately, coral death. Although progress has been made in characterizing the spatial-temporal diversity of bacteria, we are only beginning to appreciate their functional contribution. In this Review, we summarize the ecological and metabolic interactions between bacteria and other holobiont members, highlight the biotic and abiotic factors influencing the structure of bacterial communities and discuss the impact of climate change on these communities and their coral hosts. We emphasize how microbiome-based interventions can help to decipher key mechanisms underpinning coral health and promote reef resilience. Finally, we explore how recent technological developments may be harnessed to address some of the most pressing challenges in coral microbiology, providing a road map for future research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jean-Baptiste Raina
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Melanie Dörr
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Anny Cárdenas
- Department of Biology, American University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Claudia Pogoreutz
- PSL Université Paris: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, UAR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, Perpignan, France
| | | | - Amin R Mohamed
- Marine Microbiomics Laboratory, Biology Program, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - David G Bourne
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Haiwei Luo
- Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology and Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Shady A Amin
- Marine Microbiomics Laboratory, Biology Program, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology (CGSB), New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Raquel S Peixoto
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) and Computational Biology Research Center (CBRC), Biological, Environmental Sciences, and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
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2
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Wallace BA, Varona NS, Hesketh-Best PJ, Stiffler AK, Silveira CB. Globally distributed bacteriophage genomes reveal mechanisms of tripartite phage-bacteria-coral interactions. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae132. [PMID: 39030686 PMCID: PMC11309003 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
Reef-building corals depend on an intricate community of microorganisms for functioning and resilience. The infection of coral-associated bacteria by bacteriophages can modify bacterial ecological interactions, yet very little is known about phage functions in the holobiont. This gap stems from methodological limitations that have prevented the recovery of high-quality viral genomes and bacterial host assignment from coral samples. Here, we introduce a size fractionation approach that increased bacterial and viral recovery in coral metagenomes by 9-fold and 2-fold, respectively, and enabled the assembly and binning of bacterial and viral genomes at relatively low sequencing coverage. We combined these viral genomes with those derived from 677 publicly available metagenomes, viromes, and bacterial isolates from stony corals to build a global coral virus database of over 20,000 viral genomic sequences spanning four viral realms. The tailed bacteriophage families Kyanoviridae and Autographiviridae were the most abundant, replacing groups formerly referred to as Myoviridae and Podoviridae, respectively. Prophage and CRISPR spacer linkages between these viruses and 626 bacterial metagenome-assembled genomes and bacterial isolates showed that most viruses infected Alphaproteobacteria, the most abundant class, and less abundant taxa like Halanaerobiia and Bacteroidia. A host-phage-gene network identified keystone viruses with the genomic capacity to modulate bacterial metabolic pathways and direct molecular interactions with eukaryotic cells. This study reveals the genomic basis of nested symbioses between bacteriophage, bacteria, and the coral host and its endosymbiotic algae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bailey A Wallace
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, United States
| | - Natascha S Varona
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, United States
| | - Poppy J Hesketh-Best
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, United States
- Department Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, United States
| | - Alexandra K Stiffler
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, United States
| | - Cynthia B Silveira
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, United States
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33149, United States
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3
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Stante M, Weiland-Bräuer N, Repnik U, Werner A, Bramkamp M, Chibani CM, Schmitz RA. Four Novel Caudoviricetes Bacteriophages Isolated from Baltic Sea Water Infect Colonizers of Aurelia aurita. Viruses 2023; 15:1525. [PMID: 37515211 PMCID: PMC10383413 DOI: 10.3390/v15071525] [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: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The moon jellyfish Aurelia aurita is associated with a highly diverse microbiota changing with provenance, tissue, and life stage. While the crucial relevance of bacteria to host fitness is well known, bacteriophages have often been neglected. Here, we aimed to isolate virulent phages targeting bacteria that are part of the A. aurita-associated microbiota. Four phages (Pseudomonas phage BSwM KMM1, Citrobacter phages BSwM KMM2-BSwM KMM4) were isolated from the Baltic Sea water column and characterized. Phages KMM2/3/4 infected representatives of Citrobacter, Shigella, and Escherichia (Enterobacteriaceae), whereas KMM1 showed a remarkably broad host range, infecting Gram-negative Pseudomonas as well as Gram-positive Staphylococcus. All phages showed an up to 99% adsorption to host cells within 5 min, short latent periods (around 30 min), large burst sizes (mean of 128 pfu/cell), and high efficiency of plating (EOP > 0.5), demonstrating decent virulence, efficiency, and infectivity. Transmission electron microscopy and viral genome analysis revealed that all phages are novel species and belong to the class of Caudoviricetes harboring a tail and linear double-stranded DNA (formerly known as Siphovirus-like (KMM3) and Myovirus-like (KMM1/2/4) bacteriophages) with genome sizes between 50 and 138 kbp. In the future, these isolates will allow manipulation of the A. aurita-associated microbiota and provide new insights into phage impact on the multicellular host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Stante
- Institute for General Microbiology, Christian Albrechts University, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany; (M.S.); (N.W.-B.); (A.W.); (M.B.); (C.M.C.)
| | - Nancy Weiland-Bräuer
- Institute for General Microbiology, Christian Albrechts University, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany; (M.S.); (N.W.-B.); (A.W.); (M.B.); (C.M.C.)
| | - Urska Repnik
- Central Microscopy Facility, Christian Albrechts University, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany;
| | - Almut Werner
- Institute for General Microbiology, Christian Albrechts University, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany; (M.S.); (N.W.-B.); (A.W.); (M.B.); (C.M.C.)
| | - Marc Bramkamp
- Institute for General Microbiology, Christian Albrechts University, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany; (M.S.); (N.W.-B.); (A.W.); (M.B.); (C.M.C.)
- Central Microscopy Facility, Christian Albrechts University, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany;
| | - Cynthia M. Chibani
- Institute for General Microbiology, Christian Albrechts University, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany; (M.S.); (N.W.-B.); (A.W.); (M.B.); (C.M.C.)
| | - Ruth A. Schmitz
- Institute for General Microbiology, Christian Albrechts University, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, D-24118 Kiel, Germany; (M.S.); (N.W.-B.); (A.W.); (M.B.); (C.M.C.)
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4
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Howe-Kerr LI, Grupstra CGB, Rabbitt KM, Conetta D, Coy SR, Klinges JG, Maher RL, McConnell KM, Meiling SS, Messyasz A, Schmeltzer ER, Seabrook S, Sims JA, Veglia AJ, Thurber AR, Thurber RLV, Correa AMS. Viruses of a key coral symbiont exhibit temperature-driven productivity across a reefscape. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:27. [PMID: 37009785 PMCID: PMC10068613 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00227-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Viruses can affect coral health by infecting their symbiotic dinoflagellate partners (Symbiodiniaceae). Yet, viral dynamics in coral colonies exposed to environmental stress have not been studied at the reef scale, particularly within individual viral lineages. We sequenced the viral major capsid protein (mcp) gene of positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses known to infect symbiotic dinoflagellates ('dinoRNAVs') to analyze their dynamics in the reef-building coral, Porites lobata. We repeatedly sampled 54 colonies harboring Cladocopium C15 dinoflagellates, across three environmentally distinct reef zones (fringing reef, back reef, and forereef) around the island of Moorea, French Polynesia over a 3-year period and spanning a reef-wide thermal stress event. By the end of the sampling period, 28% (5/18) of corals in the fringing reef experienced partial mortality versus 78% (14/18) of corals in the forereef. Over 90% (50/54) of colonies had detectable dinoRNAV infections. Reef zone influenced the composition and richness of viral mcp amino acid types ('aminotypes'), with the fringing reef containing the highest aminotype richness. The reef-wide thermal stress event significantly increased aminotype dispersion, and this pattern was strongest in the colonies that experienced partial mortality. These findings demonstrate that dinoRNAV infections respond to environmental fluctuations experienced in situ on reefs. Further, viral productivity will likely increase as ocean temperatures continue to rise, potentially impacting the foundational symbiosis underpinning coral reef ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carsten G B Grupstra
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kristen M Rabbitt
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dennis Conetta
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Samantha R Coy
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Oceanography, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - J Grace Klinges
- Mote Marine Laboratory, Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration, Summerland Key, FL, USA
| | - Rebecca L Maher
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | | | - Sonora S Meiling
- University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, USA
| | - Adriana Messyasz
- Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | | | - Sarah Seabrook
- Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Jordan A Sims
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Alex J Veglia
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
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5
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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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6
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Grupstra CGB, Howe-Kerr LI, Veglia AJ, Bryant RL, Coy SR, Blackwelder PL, Correa AMS. Thermal stress triggers productive viral infection of a key coral reef symbiont. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:1430-1441. [PMID: 35046559 PMCID: PMC9038915 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-022-01194-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 04/27/2023]
Abstract
Climate change-driven ocean warming is increasing the frequency and severity of bleaching events, in which corals appear whitened after losing their dinoflagellate endosymbionts (family Symbiodiniaceae). Viral infections of Symbiodiniaceae may contribute to some bleaching signs, but little empirical evidence exists to support this hypothesis. We present the first temporal analysis of a lineage of Symbiodiniaceae-infecting positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses ("dinoRNAVs") in coral colonies, which were exposed to a 5-day heat treatment (+2.1 °C). A total of 124 dinoRNAV major capsid protein gene "aminotypes" (unique amino acid sequences) were detected from five colonies of two closely related Pocillopora-Cladocopium (coral-symbiont) combinations in the experiment; most dinoRNAV aminotypes were shared between the two coral-symbiont combinations (64%) and among multiple colonies (82%). Throughout the experiment, seventeen dinoRNAV aminotypes were found only in heat-treated fragments, and 22 aminotypes were detected at higher relative abundances in heat-treated fragments. DinoRNAVs in fragments of some colonies exhibited higher alpha diversity and dispersion under heat stress. Together, these findings provide the first empirical evidence that exposure to high temperatures triggers some dinoRNAVs to switch from a persistent to a productive infection mode within heat-stressed corals. Over extended time frames, we hypothesize that cumulative dinoRNAV production in the Pocillopora-Cladocopium system could affect colony symbiotic status, for example, by decreasing Symbiodiniaceae densities within corals. This study sets the stage for reef-scale investigations of dinoRNAV dynamics during bleaching events.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alex J Veglia
- BioSciences at Rice, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Reb L Bryant
- BioSciences at Rice, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | | | - Patricia L Blackwelder
- Department of Chemistry, University of Miami Center for Advanced Microscopy (UMCAM), 1301 Memorial Dr, Coral Gables, FL, 33146-0630, USA
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7
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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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8
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Assisted gene flow using cryopreserved sperm in critically endangered coral. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2110559118. [PMID: 34493583 PMCID: PMC8463791 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2110559118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Global change threatens the genetic diversity of economically important and foundational ecosystem-building species such as corals. We tested whether cryopreserved coral sperm could be used to transfer genetic diversity among genetically isolated populations of the critically endangered Caribbean elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata. Here we report successful assisted gene flow (AGF) in corals using cryopreserved sperm, yielding the largest living wildlife population ever created from cryopreserved cells. Furthermore, we produced direct evidence that genetically distinct populations of Caribbean coral can interbreed. Thus, we demonstrated that sperm cryopreservation can enable efficient, large-scale AGF in corals. This form of assisted genetic migration can enhance genetic diversity and help critically endangered species adapt to local environments in the face of rapid global change. Assisted gene flow (AGF) is a conservation intervention to accelerate species adaptation to climate change by importing genetic diversity into at-risk populations. Corals exemplify both the need for AGF and its technical challenges; corals have declined in abundance, suffered pervasive reproductive failures, and struggled to adapt to climate change, yet mature corals cannot be easily moved for breeding, and coral gametes lose viability within hours. Here, we report the successful demonstration of AGF in corals using cryopreserved sperm that was frozen for 2 to 10 y. We fertilized Acropora palmata eggs from the western Caribbean (Curaçao) with cryopreserved sperm from genetically distinct populations in the eastern and central Caribbean (Florida and Puerto Rico, respectively). We then confirmed interpopulation parentage in the Curaçao–Florida offspring using 19,696 single-nucleotide polymorphism markers. Thus, we provide evidence of reproductive compatibility of a Caribbean coral across a recognized barrier to gene flow. The 6-mo survival of AGF offspring was 42%, the highest ever achieved in this species, yielding the largest wildlife population ever raised from cryopreserved material. By breeding a critically endangered coral across its range without moving adults, we show that AGF using cryopreservation is a viable conservation tool to increase genetic diversity in threatened marine populations.
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9
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Differential Patterns of Microbiota Recovery in Symbiotic and Aposymbiotic Corals following Antibiotic Disturbance. mSystems 2021; 6:6/2/e01086-20. [PMID: 33850041 PMCID: PMC8546993 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01086-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial relationships are critical to coral health, and changes in microbiomes are often exhibited following environmental disturbance. However, the dynamics of coral-microbial composition and external factors that govern coral microbiome assembly and response to disturbance remain largely uncharacterized. Here, we investigated how antibiotic-induced disturbance affects the coral mucus microbiota in the facultatively symbiotic temperate coral Astrangia poculata, which occurs naturally with high (symbiotic) or low (aposymbiotic) densities of the endosymbiotic dinoflagellate Breviolum psygmophilum. We also explored how differences in the mucus microbiome of natural and disturbed A. poculata colonies affected levels of extracellular superoxide, a reactive oxygen species thought to have both beneficial and detrimental effects on coral health. Using a bacterial and archaeal small-subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequencing approach, we found that antibiotic exposure significantly altered the composition of the mucus microbiota but that it did not influence superoxide levels, suggesting that superoxide production in A. poculata is not influenced by the mucus microbiota. In antibiotic-treated A. poculata exposed to ambient seawater, mucus microbiota recovered to its initial state within 2 weeks following exposure, and six bacterial taxa played a prominent role in this reassembly. Microbial composition among symbiotic colonies was more similar throughout the 2-week recovery period than that among aposymbiotic colonies, whose microbiota exhibited significantly more interindividual variability after antibiotic treatment and during recovery. This work suggests that the A. poculata mucus microbiome can rapidly reestablish itself and that the presence of B. psygmophilum, perhaps by supplying nutrients, photosynthate, or other signaling molecules, exerts influence on this process. IMPORTANCE Corals are animals whose health is often maintained by symbiotic microalgae and other microorganisms, yet they are highly susceptible to environmental-related disturbances. Here, we used a known disruptor, antibiotics, to understand how the coral mucus microbial community reassembles itself following disturbance. We show that the Astrangia poculata microbiome can recover from this disturbance and that individuals with algal symbionts reestablish their microbiomes in a more consistent manner compared to corals lacking symbionts. This work is important because it suggests that this coral may be able to recover its mucus microbiome following disturbance, it identifies specific microbes that may be important to reassembly, and it demonstrates that algal symbionts may play a previously undocumented role in microbial recovery and resilience to environmental change.
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10
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Chiba Y, Tomaru Y, Shimabukuro H, Kimura K, Hirai M, Takaki Y, Hagiwara D, Nunoura T, Urayama SI. Viral RNA Genomes Identified from Marine Macroalgae and a Diatom. Microbes Environ 2021; 35. [PMID: 32554943 PMCID: PMC7511793 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me20016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Protists provide insights into the diversity and function of RNA viruses in marine systems. Among them, marine macroalgae are good targets for RNA virome analyses because they have a sufficient biomass in nature. However, RNA viruses in macroalgae have not yet been examined in detail, and only partial genome sequences have been reported for the majority of RNA viruses. Therefore, to obtain further insights into the distribution and diversity of RNA viruses associated with marine protists, we herein examined RNA viruses in macroalgae and a diatom. We report the putative complete genome sequences of six novel RNA viruses from two marine macroalgae and one diatom holobiont. Four viruses were not classified into established viral genera or families. Furthermore, a virus classified into Totiviridae showed a genome structure that has not yet been reported in this family. These results suggest that a number of distinct RNA viruses are widespread in a broad range of protists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuto Chiba
- Laboratory of Fungal Interaction and Molecular Biology (donated by IFO), Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba.,Faculty of Science, International College of Arts and Science, Yokohama City University
| | - Yuji Tomaru
- Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, National Research Institute of Fisheries and Environment of the Inland Sea
| | - Hiromori Shimabukuro
- Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, National Research Institute of Fisheries and Environment of the Inland Sea
| | | | - Miho Hirai
- Super-cutting-edge Grand and Advanced Research (SUGAR) Program, JAMSTEC
| | - Yoshihiro Takaki
- Super-cutting-edge Grand and Advanced Research (SUGAR) Program, JAMSTEC
| | - Daisuke Hagiwara
- Laboratory of Fungal Interaction and Molecular Biology (donated by IFO), Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba.,Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability (MiCS), University of Tsukuba
| | - Takuro Nunoura
- Research Center for Bioscience and Nanoscience (CeBN), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
| | - Syun-Ichi Urayama
- Laboratory of Fungal Interaction and Molecular Biology (donated by IFO), Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba.,Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability (MiCS), University of Tsukuba.,Research Center for Bioscience and Nanoscience (CeBN), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
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11
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Vishnyakov AE, Karagodina NP, Lim-Fong G, Ivanov PA, Schwaha TF, Letarov AV, Ostrovsky AN. First evidence of virus-like particles in the bacterial symbionts of Bryozoa. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4. [PMID: 33420126 PMCID: PMC7794531 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78616-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophage communities associated with humans and vertebrate animals have been extensively studied, but the data on phages living in invertebrates remain scarce. In fact, they have never been reported for most animal phyla. Our ultrastructural study showed for the first time a variety of virus-like particles (VLPs) and supposed virus-related structures inside symbiotic bacteria in two marine species from the phylum Bryozoa, the cheilostomes Bugula neritina and Paralicornia sinuosa. We also documented the effect of VLPs on bacterial hosts: we explain different bacterial 'ultrastructural types' detected in bryozoan tissues as stages in the gradual destruction of prokaryotic cells caused by viral multiplication during the lytic cycle. We speculate that viruses destroying bacteria regulate symbiont numbers in the bryozoan hosts, a phenomenon known in some insects. We develop two hypotheses explaining exo- and endogenous circulation of the viruses during the life-cycle of B. neritina. Finally, we compare unusual 'sea-urchin'-like structures found in the collapsed bacteria in P. sinuosa with so-called metamorphosis associated contractile structures (MACs) formed in the cells of the marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas luteoviolacea which are known to trigger larval metamorphosis in a polychaete worm.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. E. Vishnyakov
- grid.15447.330000 0001 2289 6897Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja nab. 7/9, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation 199034
| | - N. P. Karagodina
- grid.15447.330000 0001 2289 6897Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja nab. 7/9, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation 199034
| | - G. Lim-Fong
- grid.262455.20000 0001 2205 6070Department of Biology, Randolph-Macon College, 304 Caroline Street, Ashland, VA 23005 USA
| | - P. A. Ivanov
- grid.4886.20000 0001 2192 9124Research Centre of Biotechnology, Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. 60-letiya Oktyabrya 7 bld. 2, Moscow, Russian Federation 117312
| | - T. F. Schwaha
- grid.10420.370000 0001 2286 1424Department of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - A. V. Letarov
- grid.4886.20000 0001 2192 9124Research Centre of Biotechnology, Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. 60-letiya Oktyabrya 7 bld. 2, Moscow, Russian Federation 117312 ,grid.14476.300000 0001 2342 9668Department of Virology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1-12 Leninskie Gory, Moscow, Russian Federation 119234
| | - A. N. Ostrovsky
- grid.15447.330000 0001 2289 6897Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaja nab. 7/9, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation 199034 ,grid.10420.370000 0001 2286 1424Department of Palaeontology, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, Geozentrum, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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12
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Cárdenas A, Ye J, Ziegler M, Payet JP, McMinds R, Vega Thurber R, Voolstra CR. Coral-Associated Viral Assemblages From the Central Red Sea Align With Host Species and Contribute to Holobiont Genetic Diversity. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:572534. [PMID: 33117317 PMCID: PMC7561429 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.572534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are highly diverse marine ecosystems increasingly threatened on a global scale. The foundation species of reef ecosystems are stony corals that depend on their symbiotic microalgae and bacteria for aspects of their metabolism, immunity, and environmental adaptation. Conversely, the function of viruses in coral biology is less well understood, and we are missing an understanding of the diversity and function of coral viruses, particularly in understudied regions such as the Red Sea. Here we characterized coral-associated viruses using a large metagenomic and metatranscriptomic survey across 101 cnidarian samples from the central Red Sea. While DNA and RNA viral composition was different across coral hosts, biological traits such as coral life history strategy correlated with patterns of viral diversity. Coral holobionts were broadly associated with Mimiviridae and Phycodnaviridae that presumably infect protists and algal cells, respectively. Further, Myoviridae and Siphoviridae presumably target members of the bacterial phyla Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria, whereas Hepadnaviridae and Retroviridae might infect the coral host. Genes involved in bacterial virulence and auxiliary metabolic genes were common among the viral sequences, corroborating a contribution of viruses to the holobiont’s genetic diversity. Our work provides a first insight into Red Sea coral DNA and RNA viral assemblages and reveals that viral diversity is consistent with global coral virome patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anny Cárdenas
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jin Ye
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maren Ziegler
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Jérôme P Payet
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Ryan McMinds
- Center of Modeling, Simulation and Interactions, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Rebecca Vega Thurber
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Christian R Voolstra
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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13
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Initial Virome Characterization of the Common Cnidarian Lab Model Nematostella vectensis. Viruses 2020; 12:v12020218. [PMID: 32075325 PMCID: PMC7077227 DOI: 10.3390/v12020218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of viruses in forming a stable holobiont has been the subject of extensive research in recent years. However, many emerging model organisms still lack any data on the composition of the associated viral communities. Here, we re-analyzed seven publicly available transcriptome datasets of the starlet sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, the most commonly used anthozoan lab model, and searched for viral sequences. We applied a straightforward, yet powerful approach of de novo assembly followed by homology-based virus identification and a multi-step, thorough taxonomic validation. The comparison of different lab populations of N. vectensis revealed the existence of the core virome composed of 21 viral sequences, present in all adult datasets. Unexpectedly, we observed an almost complete lack of viruses in the samples from the early developmental stages, which together with the identification of the viruses shared with the major source of the food in the lab, the brine shrimp Artemia salina, shed new light on the course of viral species acquisition in N. vectensis. Our study provides an initial, yet comprehensive insight into N. vectensis virome and sets the first foundation for the functional studies of viruses and antiviral systems in this lab model cnidarian.
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14
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Bekliz M, Brandani J, Bourquin M, Battin TJ, Peter H. Benchmarking protocols for the metagenomic analysis of stream biofilm viromes. PeerJ 2019; 7:e8187. [PMID: 31879573 PMCID: PMC6927355 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Viruses drive microbial diversity, function and evolution and influence important biogeochemical cycles in aquatic ecosystems. Despite their relevance, we currently lack an understanding of their potential impacts on stream biofilm structure and function. This is surprising given the critical role of biofilms for stream ecosystem processes. Currently, the study of viruses in stream biofilms is hindered by the lack of an optimized protocol for their extraction, concentration and purification. Here, we evaluate a range of methods to separate viral particles from stream biofilms, and to concentrate and purify them prior to DNA extraction and metagenome sequencing. Based on epifluorescence microscopy counts of viral-like particles (VLP) and DNA yields, we optimize a protocol including treatment with tetrasodium pyrophosphate and ultra-sonication to disintegrate biofilms, tangential-flow filtration to extract and concentrate VLP, followed by ultracentrifugation in a sucrose density gradient to isolate VLP from the biofilm slurry. Viromes derived from biofilms sampled from three different streams were dominated by Siphoviridae, Myoviridae and Podoviridae and provide first insights into the viral diversity of stream biofilms. Our protocol optimization provides an important step towards a better understanding of the ecological role of viruses in stream biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meriem Bekliz
- Stream Biofilm and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, École Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jade Brandani
- Stream Biofilm and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, École Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Massimo Bourquin
- Stream Biofilm and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, École Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tom J. Battin
- Stream Biofilm and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, École Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hannes Peter
- Stream Biofilm and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, École Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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15
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Hewson I. Technical pitfalls that bias comparative microbial community analyses of aquatic disease Ian Hewson. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2019; 137:109-124. [PMID: 31854329 DOI: 10.3354/dao03432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The accessibility of high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies has attracted the application of comparative microbial analyses to study diseases. These studies present a window into host microbiome diversity and composition that can be used to address ecological theory in the context of host biology and behavior. Recently, comparative microbiome studies have been used to study non-vertebrate aquatic diseases to elucidate microorganisms potentially involved in disease processes or in disease prevention. These investigations suffer from many well-described biases, especially prior to sequence analyses, that could lead to misleading conclusions. Microbiome-focused studies of aquatic metazoan diseases provide valuable documentation of microbial ecology, although, they are only a starting point for establishing disease etiology, which demands quantitative validation through targeted approaches. The microbiome approach to understanding disease is most useful after laboratory diagnostics guided by pathology have failed to identify a causative agent. This opinion piece presents several technical pitfalls which may affect wider interpretation of microbe-host interactions through comparative microbial community analyses and provides recommendations, based on studies in non-aquatic systems, for incorporation into future aquatic disease research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Hewson
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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16
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Megaviridae-like particles associated with Symbiodinium spp. from the endemic coral Mussismilia braziliensis. Symbiosis 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s13199-018-0567-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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17
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Abstract
Viruses infect all kingdoms of marine life from bacteria to whales. Viruses in the world's oceans play important roles in the mortality of phytoplankton, and as drivers of evolution and biogeochemical cycling. They shape host population abundance and distribution and can lead to the termination of algal blooms. As discoveries about this huge reservoir of genetic and biological diversity grow, our understanding of the major influences viruses exert in the global marine environment continues to expand. This chapter discusses the key discoveries that have been made to date about marine viruses and the current direction of this field of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen D Weynberg
- School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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18
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Laffy PW, Wood‐Charlson EM, Turaev D, Jutz S, Pascelli C, Botté ES, Bell SC, Peirce TE, Weynberg KD, van Oppen MJH, Rattei T, Webster NS. Reef invertebrate viromics: diversity, host specificity and functional capacity. Environ Microbiol 2018; 20:2125-2141. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Revised: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick W. Laffy
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3TownsvilleQLD 4810 Australia
| | | | - Dmitrij Turaev
- Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Division of Computational Systems BiologyUniversity of ViennaVienna Austria
| | - Sabrina Jutz
- Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Division of Computational Systems BiologyUniversity of ViennaVienna Austria
| | - Cecilia Pascelli
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3TownsvilleQLD 4810 Australia
- College of Science and EngineeringJames Cook UniversityTownsville QLD Australia
- AIMS@JCU, Australian Institute of Marine Science and James Cook UniversityTownsville QLD Australia
| | | | - Sara C. Bell
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3TownsvilleQLD 4810 Australia
| | - Tyler E. Peirce
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3TownsvilleQLD 4810 Australia
| | - Karen D. Weynberg
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3TownsvilleQLD 4810 Australia
| | - Madeleine J. H. van Oppen
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3TownsvilleQLD 4810 Australia
- School of BiosciencesUniversity of Melbourne, ParkvilleMelbourneVIC 3010 Australia
| | - Thomas Rattei
- Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Division of Computational Systems BiologyUniversity of ViennaVienna Austria
| | - Nicole S. Webster
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3TownsvilleQLD 4810 Australia
- Austalian Centre for Ecogenomics, University of QueenslandBrisbaneQLD 4072 Australia
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19
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van de Water JAJM, Allemand D, Ferrier-Pagès C. Host-microbe interactions in octocoral holobionts - recent advances and perspectives. MICROBIOME 2018; 6:64. [PMID: 29609655 PMCID: PMC5880021 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-018-0431-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Octocorals are one of the most ubiquitous benthic organisms in marine ecosystems from the shallow tropics to the Antarctic deep sea, providing habitat for numerous organisms as well as ecosystem services for humans. In contrast to the holobionts of reef-building scleractinian corals, the holobionts of octocorals have received relatively little attention, despite the devastating effects of disease outbreaks on many populations. Recent advances have shown that octocorals possess remarkably stable bacterial communities on geographical and temporal scales as well as under environmental stress. This may be the result of their high capacity to regulate their microbiome through the production of antimicrobial and quorum-sensing interfering compounds. Despite decades of research relating to octocoral-microbe interactions, a synthesis of this expanding field has not been conducted to date. We therefore provide an urgently needed review on our current knowledge about octocoral holobionts. Specifically, we briefly introduce the ecological role of octocorals and the concept of holobiont before providing detailed overviews of (I) the symbiosis between octocorals and the algal symbiont Symbiodinium; (II) the main fungal, viral, and bacterial taxa associated with octocorals; (III) the dominance of the microbial assemblages by a few microbial species, the stability of these associations, and their evolutionary history with the host organism; (IV) octocoral diseases; (V) how octocorals use their immune system to fight pathogens; (VI) microbiome regulation by the octocoral and its associated microbes; and (VII) the discovery of natural products with microbiome regulatory activities. Finally, we present our perspectives on how the field of octocoral research should move forward, and the recognition that these organisms may be suitable model organisms to study coral-microbe symbioses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Denis Allemand
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine 1er, 98000, Monaco, Monaco
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20
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Pootakham W, Mhuantong W, Putchim L, Yoocha T, Sonthirod C, Kongkachana W, Sangsrakru D, Naktang C, Jomchai N, Thongtham N, Tangphatsornruang S. Dynamics of coral-associated microbiomes during a thermal bleaching event. Microbiologyopen 2018; 7:e00604. [PMID: 29573244 PMCID: PMC6182559 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral‐associated microorganisms play an important role in their host fitness and survival. A number of studies have demonstrated connections between thermal tolerance in corals and the type/relative abundance of Symbiodinium they harbor. More recently, the shifts in coral‐associated bacterial profiles were also shown to be linked to the patterns of coral heat tolerance. Here, we investigated the dynamics of Porites lutea‐associated bacterial and algal communities throughout a natural bleaching event, using full‐length 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer sequences (ITS) obtained from PacBio circular consensus sequencing. We provided evidence of significant changes in the structure and diversity of coral‐associated microbiomes during thermal stress. The balance of the symbiosis shifted from a predominant association between corals and Gammaproteobacteria to a predominance of Alphaproteobacteria and to a lesser extent Betaproteobacteria following the bleaching event. On the contrary, the composition and diversity of Symbiodinium communities remained unaltered throughout the bleaching event. It appears that the switching and/or shuffling of Symbiodinium types may not be the primary mechanism used by P. lutea to cope with increasing seawater temperature. The shifts in the structure and diversity of associated bacterial communities may contribute more to the survival of the coral holobiont under heat stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wirulda Pootakham
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Wuttichai Mhuantong
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | | | - Thippawan Yoocha
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Chutima Sonthirod
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Wasitthee Kongkachana
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Duangjai Sangsrakru
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Chaiwat Naktang
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Nukoon Jomchai
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | | | - Sithichoke Tangphatsornruang
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
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Brüwer JD, Voolstra CR. First insight into the viral community of the cnidarian model metaorganism Aiptasia using RNA-Seq data. PeerJ 2018; 6:e4449. [PMID: 29507840 PMCID: PMC5835348 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Current research posits that all multicellular organisms live in symbioses with associated microorganisms and form so-called metaorganisms or holobionts. Cnidarian metaorganisms are of specific interest given that stony corals provide the foundation of the globally threatened coral reef ecosystems. To gain first insight into viruses associated with the coral model system Aiptasia (sensu Exaiptasia pallida), we analyzed an existing RNA-Seq dataset of aposymbiotic, partially populated, and fully symbiotic Aiptasia CC7 anemones with Symbiodinium. Our approach included the selective removal of anemone host and algal endosymbiont sequences and subsequent microbial sequence annotation. Of a total of 297 million raw sequence reads, 8.6 million (∼3%) remained after host and endosymbiont sequence removal. Of these, 3,293 sequences could be assigned as of viral origin. Taxonomic annotation of these sequences suggests that Aiptasia is associated with a diverse viral community, comprising 116 viral taxa covering 40 families. The viral assemblage was dominated by viruses from the families Herpesviridae (12.00%), Partitiviridae (9.93%), and Picornaviridae (9.87%). Despite an overall stable viral assemblage, we found that some viral taxa exhibited significant changes in their relative abundance when Aiptasia engaged in a symbiotic relationship with Symbiodinium. Elucidation of viral taxa consistently present across all conditions revealed a core virome of 15 viral taxa from 11 viral families, encompassing many viruses previously reported as members of coral viromes. Despite the non-random selection of viral genetic material due to the nature of the sequencing data analyzed, our study provides a first insight into the viral community associated with Aiptasia. Similarities of the Aiptasia viral community with those of corals corroborate the application of Aiptasia as a model system to study coral holobionts. Further, the change in abundance of certain viral taxa across different symbiotic states suggests a role of viruses in the algal endosymbiosis, but the functional significance of this remains to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan D Brüwer
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Christian R Voolstra
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
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22
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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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23
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Torres PJ, Kelley ST. Sampling, Extraction, and High-Throughput Sequencing Methods for Environmental Microbial and Viral Communities. METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2017; 1712:163-173. [PMID: 29224074 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7514-3_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of high-throughput sequencing technologies has deepened our understanding of complex microbial communities and greatly facilitated the study of as-yet uncultured microbes and viruses. Studies of complex microbial communities require high-quality data to generate valid results. Here, we detail current methods of microbial and viral community sample acquisition, DNA extraction, sample preparation, and sequencing on Illumina high-throughput platforms. While using appropriate analytical tools is important, it must not overshadow the need for establishing a proper experimental design and obtaining sufficient numbers of samples for statistical purposes. Researchers must also take care to sample biologically relevant sites and control for potential confounding factors (e.g., contamination).
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro J Torres
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Scott T Kelley
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
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25
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Mahmoud H, Jose L. Phage and Nucleocytoplasmic Large Viral Sequences Dominate Coral Viromes from the Arabian Gulf. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2063. [PMID: 29114244 PMCID: PMC5660727 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Corals that naturally thrive under extreme conditions are gaining increasing attention due to their importance as living models to understand the impact of global warming on world corals. Here, we present the first metagenomic study of viral communities in corals thriving in a thermally variable water body in which the temperature fluctuates between 11 and 39°C in different seasons. The viral assemblages of two of the most abundant massive (Porites harrisoni) and branching (Acropora downingi) corals in offshore and inshore reef systems in the northern Arabian Gulf were investigated. Samples were collected from five reef systems during summer, autumn and winter of 2011/2012. The two coral viromes contain 12 viral families, including 10 dsDNA viral families [Siphoviridae, Podoviridae, Myoviridae, Phycodnaviridae, Baculoviridae, Herpesviridae, Adenoviridae, Alloherpesviridae, Mimiviridae and one unclassified family], one-ssDNA viral family (Microviridae) and one RNA viral family (Retroviridae). Overall, sequences significantly similar to Podoviridae were the most abundant in the P. harrisoni and A. downingi viromes. Various morphological types of virus-like particles (VLPs) were confirmed in the healthy coral tissue by transmission electron microscopy, including large tailless VLPs and electron-dense core VLPs. Tailed bacteriophages were isolated from coral tissue using a plaque assay. Higher functional gene diversity was recorded in A. downingi than in P. harrisoni, and comparative metagenomics revealed that the Gulf viral assemblages are functionally distinct from Pacific Ocean coral viral communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huda Mahmoud
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biological Sciences, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait
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26
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Montalvo-Proaño J, Buerger P, Weynberg KD, van Oppen MJH. A PCR-Based Assay Targeting the Major Capsid Protein Gene of a Dinorna-Like ssRNA Virus That Infects Coral Photosymbionts. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1665. [PMID: 28919883 PMCID: PMC5585145 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The coral-Symbiodinium association is a critical component of coral reefs as it is the main primary producer and builds the reef's 3-dimensional structure. A breakdown of this endosymbiosis causes a loss of the dinoflagellate photosymbiont, Symbiodinium, and/or its photosynthetic pigments from the coral tissues (i.e., coral bleaching), and can lead to coral mortality. Coral bleaching has mostly been attributed to environmental stressors, and in some cases to bacterial infection. Viral lysis of Symbiodinium has been proposed as another possible cause of some instances of coral bleaching, but this hypothesis has not yet been experimentally confirmed. In this study, we used coral virome data to develop a novel PCR-based assay for examining the presence and diversity of a single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) virus by targeting its major capsid protein (MCP) gene. Illumina sequence analysis of amplicons obtained with novel primers showed 99.8% of the reads had the closest taxonomic affinity with the MCP gene of the virus, Heterocapsa circularisquama RNA virus (HcRNAV) known to infect dinoflagellates, indicating that dinorna-like viruses are commonly associated with corals on the Great Barrier Reef. A phylogenetic analysis of MCP gene sequences revealed strong coral species specificity of viral operational taxon units (OTUs). This assay allows a relatively easy and rapid evaluation of the presence and diversity of this particular viral group and will assist in enhancing our understanding of the role of viral lysis in coral bleaching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Montalvo-Proaño
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsville, QLD, Australia
- AIMS@JCU, James Cook UniversityTownsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Patrick Buerger
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsville, QLD, Australia
- AIMS@JCU, James Cook UniversityTownsville, QLD, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, Department of Marine Biology and Aquaculture, James Cook UniversityTownsville, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Madeleine J. H. van Oppen
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsville, QLD, Australia
- School of BioSciences, University of MelbourneParkville, VIC, Australia
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27
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Association of coral algal symbionts with a diverse viral community responsive to heat shock. BMC Microbiol 2017; 17:174. [PMID: 28818037 PMCID: PMC5561611 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-017-1084-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stony corals provide the structural foundation of coral reef ecosystems and are termed holobionts given they engage in symbioses, in particular with photosynthetic dinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium. Besides Symbiodinium, corals also engage with bacteria affecting metabolism, immunity, and resilience of the coral holobiont, but the role of associated viruses is largely unknown. In this regard, the increase of studies using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) to assess gene expression provides an opportunity to elucidate viral signatures encompassed within the data via careful delineation of sequence reads and their source of origin. RESULTS Here, we re-analyzed an RNA-Seq dataset from a cultured coral symbiont (Symbiodinium microadriaticum, Clade A1) across four experimental treatments (control, cold shock, heat shock, dark shock) to characterize associated viral diversity, abundance, and gene expression. Our approach comprised the filtering and removal of host sequence reads, subsequent phylogenetic assignment of sequence reads of putative viral origin, and the assembly and analysis of differentially expressed viral genes. About 15.46% (123 million) of all sequence reads were non-host-related, of which <1% could be classified as archaea, bacteria, or virus. Of these, 18.78% were annotated as virus and comprised a diverse community consistent across experimental treatments. Further, non-host related sequence reads assembled into 56,064 contigs, including 4856 contigs of putative viral origin that featured 43 differentially expressed genes during heat shock. The differentially expressed genes included viral kinases, ubiquitin, and ankyrin repeat proteins (amongst others), which are suggested to help the virus proliferate and inhibit the algal host's antiviral response. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that a diverse viral community is associated with coral algal endosymbionts of the genus Symbiodinium, which prompts further research on their ecological role in coral health and resilience.
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Nontargeted virus sequence discovery pipeline and virus clustering for metagenomic data. Nat Protoc 2017; 12:1673-1682. [PMID: 28749930 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2017.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The analysis of large microbiome data sets holds great promise for the delineation of the biological and metabolic functioning of living organisms and their role in the environment. In the midst of this genomic puzzle, viruses, especially those that infect microbial communities, represent a major reservoir of genetic diversity with great impact on biogeochemical cycles and organismal health. Overcoming the limitations associated with virus detection directly from microbiomes can provide key insights into how ecosystem dynamics are modulated. Here, we present a computational protocol for accurate detection and grouping of viral sequences from microbiome samples. Our approach relies on an expanded and curated set of viral protein families used as bait to identify viral sequences directly from metagenomic assemblies. This protocol describes how to use the viral protein families catalog (∼7 h) and recommended filters for the detection of viral contigs in metagenomic samples (∼6 h), and it describes the specific parameters for a nucleotide-sequence-identity-based method of organizing the viral sequences into quasi-species taxonomic-level groups (∼10 min).
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29
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Nkili-Meyong AA, Bigarré L, Labouba I, Vallaeys T, Avarre JC, Berthet N. Contribution of Next-Generation Sequencing to Aquatic and Fish Virology. Intervirology 2017; 59:285-300. [PMID: 28668959 DOI: 10.1159/000477808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent technological advances in nucleic acid sequencing, called next-generation sequencing (NGS), have revolutionized the field of genomics and have also influenced viral research. Aquatic viruses, and especially those infecting fish, have also greatly benefited from NGS technologies, which provide a huge amount of molecular information at a low cost in a relatively short period of time. Here, we review the use of the current high-throughput sequencing platforms with a special focus on the associated challenges (regarding sample preparation and bioinformatics) in their applications to the field of aquatic virology, especially for: (i) discovering novel viruses that may be associated with fish mortalities, (ii) elucidating the mechanisms of pathogenesis, and finally (iii) studying the molecular epidemiology of these pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andriniaina Andy Nkili-Meyong
- Département Zoonoses et Maladies Emergentes, Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
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30
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Roach TNF, Abieri ML, George EE, Knowles B, Naliboff DS, Smurthwaite CA, Kelly LW, Haas AF, Rohwer FL. Microbial bioenergetics of coral-algal interactions. PeerJ 2017. [PMID: 28649468 PMCID: PMC5482263 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Human impacts are causing ecosystem phase shifts from coral- to algal-dominated reef systems on a global scale. As these ecosystems undergo transition, there is an increased incidence of coral-macroalgal interactions. Mounting evidence indicates that the outcome of these interaction events is, in part, governed by microbially mediated dynamics. The allocation of available energy through different trophic levels, including the microbial food web, determines the outcome of these interactions and ultimately shapes the benthic community structure. However, little is known about the underlying thermodynamic mechanisms involved in these trophic energy transfers. This study utilizes a novel combination of methods including calorimetry, flow cytometry, and optical oxygen measurements, to provide a bioenergetic analysis of coral-macroalgal interactions in a controlled aquarium setting. We demonstrate that the energetic demands of microbial communities at the coral-algal interaction interface are higher than in the communities associated with either of the macroorganisms alone. This was evident through higher microbial power output (energy use per unit time) and lower oxygen concentrations at interaction zones compared to areas distal from the interface. Increases in microbial power output and lower oxygen concentrations were significantly correlated with the ratio of heterotrophic to autotrophic microbes but not the total microbial abundance. These results suggest that coral-algal interfaces harbor higher proportions of heterotrophic microbes that are optimizing maximal power output, as opposed to yield. This yield to power shift offers a possible thermodynamic mechanism underlying the transition from coral- to algal-dominated reef ecosystems currently being observed worldwide. As changes in the power output of an ecosystem are a significant indicator of the current state of the system, this analysis provides a novel and insightful means to quantify microbial impacts on reef health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ty N F Roach
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States of America
| | - Maria L Abieri
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States of America.,Department of Marine Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Emma E George
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States of America
| | - Ben Knowles
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States of America
| | - Douglas S Naliboff
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States of America
| | - Cameron A Smurthwaite
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States of America
| | - Linda Wegley Kelly
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States of America
| | - Andreas F Haas
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States of America
| | - Forest L Rohwer
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States of America
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31
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Yang SH, Tseng CH, Huang CR, Chen CP, Tandon K, Lee STM, Chiang PW, Shiu JH, Chen CA, Tang SL. Long-Term Survey Is Necessary to Reveal Various Shifts of Microbial Composition in Corals. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1094. [PMID: 28659905 PMCID: PMC5468432 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01094] [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] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The coral holobiont is the assemblage of coral host and its microbial symbionts, which functions as a unit and is responsive to host species and environmental factors. Although monitoring surveys have been done to determine bacteria associated with coral, none have persisted for >1 year. Therefore, potential variations in minor or dominant community members that occur over extended intervals have not been characterized. In this study, 16S rRNA gene amplicon pyrosequencing was used to investigate the relationship between bacterial communities in healthy Stylophora pistillata in tropical and subtropical Taiwan over 2 years, apparently one of the longest surveys of coral-associated microbes. Dominant bacterial genera in S. pistillata had disparate changes in different geographical setups, whereas the constitution of minor bacteria fluctuated in abundance over time. We concluded that dominant bacteria (Acinetobacter, Propionibacterium, and Pseudomonas) were stable in composition, regardless of seasonal and geographical variations, whereas Endozoicomonas had a geographical preference. In addition, by combining current data with previous studies, we concluded that a minor bacteria symbiont, Ralstonia, was a keystone species in coral. Finally, we concluded that long-term surveys for coral microbial communities were necessary to detect compositional shifts, especially for minor bacterial members in corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan-Hua Yang
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia SinicaTaipei, Taiwan
| | | | | | | | - Kshitij Tandon
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia SinicaTaipei, Taiwan.,Bioinformatics Program, Institute of Information Science, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia SinicaTaipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua UniversityHsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Sonny T M Lee
- Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medicine, ChicagoIL, United States
| | - Pei-Wen Chiang
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia SinicaTaipei, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Ho Shiu
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia SinicaTaipei, Taiwan.,Molecular and Biological Agricultural Sciences Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia SinicaTaipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Chung Hsing UniversityTaichung, Taiwan
| | - Chaolun A Chen
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia SinicaTaipei, Taiwan
| | - Sen-Lin Tang
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia SinicaTaipei, Taiwan
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32
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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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33
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Sweet M, Bythell J. The role of viruses in coral health and disease. J Invertebr Pathol 2016; 147:136-144. [PMID: 27993618 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2016.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Revised: 11/16/2016] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Metagenomic and electron microscopy studies confirm that the coral microbiome contains a rich diversity and abundance of viruses. While there have been no definitive tests of disease causation by viruses in corals, viruses have been implicated as coral pathogens in a number of studies. Growing evidence also indicates that latent viral infections can compromise the algal symbionts under environmental stress and may be involved in the coral bleaching response. Conversely, bacteriophages and archaeal phage viruses are abundant in the microbiome of healthy corals and are likely to be involved in complex ecological networks, genetic material transfer and selective co-evolution within the surface mucus layers and tissues. The relative importance of viral control of bacterial and archaeal populations is unknown, but they are almost certain to be exerting some level of control on the composition and maintenance of the coral microbiome. While rapid leaps in the capability to detect viruses have been made due to advances in metagenomics and bioinformatics, these approaches need now to be integrated with in vitro culture and challenge experiments to assess the functional roles of viruses in health and disease, and it is imperative that interactions with other members of the coral microbiome are taken into account when assessing disease causation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Sweet
- Molecular Health and Disease Laboratory, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, College of Life and Natural Sciences, University of Derby, Derby DE22 1 GB, UK.
| | - John Bythell
- School of Biology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
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34
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Quistad SD, Lim YW, Silva GGZ, Nelson CE, Haas AF, Kelly LW, Edwards RA, Rohwer FL. Using viromes to predict novel immune proteins in non-model organisms. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 283:20161200. [PMID: 27581878 PMCID: PMC5013795 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.1200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 08/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunity is mostly studied in a few model organisms, leaving the majority of immune systems on the planet unexplored. To characterize the immune systems of non-model organisms alternative approaches are required. Viruses manipulate host cell biology through the expression of proteins that modulate the immune response. We hypothesized that metagenomic sequencing of viral communities would be useful to identify both known and unknown host immune proteins. To test this hypothesis, a mock human virome was generated and compared to the human proteome using tBLASTn, resulting in 36 proteins known to be involved in immunity. This same pipeline was then applied to reef-building coral, a non-model organism that currently lacks traditional molecular tools like transgenic animals, gene-editing capabilities, and in vitro cell cultures. Viromes isolated from corals and compared with the predicted coral proteome resulted in 2503 coral proteins, including many proteins involved with pathogen sensing and apoptosis. There were also 159 coral proteins predicted to be involved with coral immunity but currently lacking any functional annotation. The pipeline described here provides a novel method to rapidly predict host immune components that can be applied to virtually any system with the potential to discover novel immune proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven D Quistad
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego 92182, USA
| | - Yan Wei Lim
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego 92182, USA
| | - Genivaldo Gueiros Z Silva
- Computational Science Research Center, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego 92182, USA
| | - Craig E Nelson
- Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, Department of Oceanography and Sea Grant College Program, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, HI 96822, USA
| | - Andreas F Haas
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego 92182, USA
| | - Linda Wegley Kelly
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego 92182, USA
| | - Robert A Edwards
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego 92182, USA Computational Science Research Center, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego 92182, USA Department of Computer Science, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego 92182, USA
| | - Forest L Rohwer
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego 92182, USA
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35
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Bourne DG, Morrow KM, Webster NS. Insights into the Coral Microbiome: Underpinning the Health and Resilience of Reef Ecosystems. Annu Rev Microbiol 2016; 70:317-40. [PMID: 27482741 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-102215-095440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 346] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Corals are fundamental ecosystem engineers, creating large, intricate reefs that support diverse and abundant marine life. At the core of a healthy coral animal is a dynamic relationship with microorganisms, including a mutually beneficial symbiosis with photosynthetic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium spp.) and enduring partnerships with an array of bacterial, archaeal, fungal, protistan, and viral associates, collectively termed the coral holobiont. The combined genomes of this coral holobiont form a coral hologenome, and genomic interactions within the hologenome ultimately define the coral phenotype. Here we integrate contemporary scientific knowledge regarding the ecological, host-specific, and environmental forces shaping the diversity, specificity, and distribution of microbial symbionts within the coral holobiont, explore physiological pathways that contribute to holobiont fitness, and describe potential mechanisms for holobiont homeostasis. Understanding the role of the microbiome in coral resilience, acclimation, and environmental adaptation is a new frontier in reef science that will require large-scale collaborative research efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Bourne
- Marine Biology and Aquaculture, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia 4811; .,Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia 4810
| | - Kathleen M Morrow
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia 4810.,Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824
| | - Nicole S Webster
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia 4810
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36
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Li J, Azam F, Zhang S. Outer membrane vesicles containing signalling molecules and active hydrolytic enzymes released by a coral pathogenVibrio shiloniiAK1. Environ Microbiol 2016; 18:3850-3866. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Accepted: 04/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Guangzhou Guangdong P. R. China
| | - Farooq Azam
- Marine Biology Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego; La Jolla CA USA
| | - Si Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Guangzhou Guangdong P. R. China
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37
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Laffy PW, Wood-Charlson EM, Turaev D, Weynberg KD, Botté ES, van Oppen MJH, Webster NS, Rattei T. HoloVir: A Workflow for Investigating the Diversity and Function of Viruses in Invertebrate Holobionts. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:822. [PMID: 27375564 PMCID: PMC4899465 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2015] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abundant bioinformatics resources are available for the study of complex microbial metagenomes, however their utility in viral metagenomics is limited. HoloVir is a robust and flexible data analysis pipeline that provides an optimized and validated workflow for taxonomic and functional characterization of viral metagenomes derived from invertebrate holobionts. Simulated viral metagenomes comprising varying levels of viral diversity and abundance were used to determine the optimal assembly and gene prediction strategy, and multiple sequence assembly methods and gene prediction tools were tested in order to optimize our analysis workflow. HoloVir performs pairwise comparisons of single read and predicted gene datasets against the viral RefSeq database to assign taxonomy and additional comparison to phage-specific and cellular markers is undertaken to support the taxonomic assignments and identify potential cellular contamination. Broad functional classification of the predicted genes is provided by assignment of COG microbial functional category classifications using EggNOG and higher resolution functional analysis is achieved by searching for enrichment of specific Swiss-Prot keywords within the viral metagenome. Application of HoloVir to viral metagenomes from the coral Pocillopora damicornis and the sponge Rhopaloeides odorabile demonstrated that HoloVir provides a valuable tool to characterize holobiont viral communities across species, environments, or experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick W. Laffy
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Elisha M. Wood-Charlson
- Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, University of Hawai‘i at MānoaHonolulu, HI, USA
| | - Dmitrij Turaev
- Division of Computational Systems Biology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Madeleine J. H. van Oppen
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsville, QLD, Australia
- School of Biosciences, University of MelbourneMelbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Thomas Rattei
- Division of Computational Systems Biology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
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38
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Lee STM, Davy SK, Tang SL, Kench PS. Mucus Sugar Content Shapes the Bacterial Community Structure in Thermally Stressed Acropora muricata. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:371. [PMID: 27047481 PMCID: PMC4805648 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been proposed that the chemical composition of a coral's mucus can influence the associated bacterial community. However, information on this topic is rare, and non-existent for corals that are under thermal stress. This study therefore compared the carbohydrate composition of mucus in the coral Acropora muricata when subjected to increasing thermal stress from 26 to 31°C, and determined whether this composition correlated with any changes in the bacterial community. Results showed that, at lower temperatures, the main components of mucus were N-acetyl glucosamine and C6 sugars, but these constituted a significantly lower proportion of the mucus in thermally stressed corals. The change in the mucus composition coincided with a shift from a γ-Proteobacteria- to a Verrucomicrobiae- and α-Proteobacteria-dominated community in the coral mucus. Bacteria in the class Cyanobacteria also started to become prominent in the mucus when the coral was thermally stressed. The increase in the relative abundance of the Verrucomicrobiae at higher temperature was strongly associated with a change in the proportion of fucose, glucose, and mannose in the mucus. Increase in the relative abundance of α-Proteobacteria were associated with GalNAc and glucose, while the drop in relative abundance of γ-Proteobacteria at high temperature coincided with changes in fucose and mannose. Cyanobacteria were highly associated with arabinose and xylose. Changes in mucus composition and the bacterial community in the mucus layer occurred at 29°C, which were prior to visual signs of coral bleaching at 31°C. A compositional change in the coral mucus, induced by thermal stress could therefore be a key factor leading to a shift in the associated bacterial community. This, in turn, has the potential to impact the physiological function of the coral holobiont.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonny T M Lee
- School of Environment, The University of Auckland Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Sen-Lin Tang
- Microbial Lab, Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Paul S Kench
- School of Environment, The University of Auckland Auckland, New Zealand
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39
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Correa AMS, Ainsworth TD, Rosales SM, Thurber AR, Butler CR, Vega Thurber RL. Viral Outbreak in Corals Associated with an In Situ Bleaching Event: Atypical Herpes-Like Viruses and a New Megavirus Infecting Symbiodinium. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:127. [PMID: 26941712 PMCID: PMC4761846 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2015] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies of coral viruses have employed either microscopy or metagenomics, but few have attempted to comprehensively link the presence of a virus-like particle (VLP) to a genomic sequence. We conducted transmission electron microscopy imaging and virome analysis in tandem to characterize the most conspicuous viral types found within the dominant Pacific reef-building coral genus Acropora. Collections for this study inadvertently captured what we interpret as a natural outbreak of viral infection driven by aerial exposure of the reef flat coincident with heavy rainfall and concomitant mass bleaching. All experimental corals in this study had high titers of viral particles. Three of the dominant VLPs identified were observed in all tissue layers and budding out from the epidermis, including viruses that were ∼70, ∼120, and ∼150 nm in diameter; these VLPs all contained electron dense cores. These morphological traits are reminiscent of retroviruses, herpesviruses, and nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs), respectively. Some 300–500 nm megavirus-like VLPs also were observed within and associated with dinoflagellate algal endosymbiont (Symbiodinium) cells. Abundant sequence similarities to a gammaretrovirus, herpesviruses, and members of the NCLDVs, based on a virome generated from five Acropora aspera colonies, corroborated these morphology-based identifications. Additionally sequence similarities to two diagnostic genes, a MutS and (based on re-annotation of sequences from another study) a DNA polymerase B gene, most closely resembled Pyramimonas orientalis virus, demonstrating the association of a cosmopolitan megavirus with Symbiodinium. We also identified several other virus-like particles in host tissues, along with sequences phylogenetically similar to circoviruses, phages, and filamentous viruses. This study suggests that viral outbreaks may be a common but previously undocumented component of natural bleaching events, particularly following repeated episodes of multiple environmental stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne M S Correa
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State UniversityCorvallis, OR, USA; BioSciences at Rice, Rice UniversityHouston, TX, USA
| | - Tracy D Ainsworth
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Andrew R Thurber
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Christopher R Butler
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State UniversityCorvallis, OR, USA; Department of Viticulture and Enology, University of California at DavisDavis, CA, USA
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40
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Lee STM, Davy SK, Tang SL, Fan TY, Kench PS. Successive shifts in the microbial community of the surface mucus layer and tissues of the coral Acropora muricata under thermal stress. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2015; 91:fiv142. [PMID: 26564958 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiv142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The coral mucus may harbor commensal bacteria that inhibit growth of pathogens. Therefore, there is a need to understand the dynamics of bacterial communities between the coral mucus and tissues. Nubbins of Acropora muricata were subjected to increasing water temperatures of 26°C-33°C, to simultaneously explore the bacterial diversity in coral mucus and tissues by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Photochemical efficiency of symbiotic dinoflagellates within the corals declined above 31°C. Both the mucus and tissues of healthy A. muricata were dominated by γ-Proteobacteria, but under thermal stress there was a shift towards bacteria from the Verrucomicrobiaceae and α-Proteobacteria. Members of Cyanobacteria, Flavobacteria and Sphingobacteria also become more prominent at higher temperatures. The relative abundance of Vibrio spp. in the coral mucus increased at 29°C, but at 31°C, there was a drop in the relative abundance of Vibrio spp. in the mucus, with a reciprocal increase in the tissues. On the other hand, during bleaching, the relative abundance of Endozoicomonas spp. decreased in the tissues with a reciprocal increase in the mucus. This is the first systematic experiment that shows the potential for a bacterial community shift between the coral surface mucus and tissues in a thermally stressed coral.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonny T M Lee
- School of Environment, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington. PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
| | - Sen-Lin Tang
- Microbial Lab, Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Tung-Yung Fan
- Science Education Department and Industry Academia Collaboration Center, National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Checheng, Pingtung 944, Taiwan
| | - Paul S Kench
- School of Environment, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
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41
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Stable and sporadic symbiotic communities of coral and algal holobionts. ISME JOURNAL 2015; 10:1157-69. [PMID: 26555246 PMCID: PMC5029208 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2015.190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Revised: 09/09/2015] [Accepted: 09/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Coral and algal holobionts are assemblages of macroorganisms and microorganisms, including viruses, Bacteria, Archaea, protists and fungi. Despite a decade of research, it remains unclear whether these associations are spatial–temporally stable or species-specific. We hypothesized that conflicting interpretations of the data arise from high noise associated with sporadic microbial symbionts overwhelming signatures of stable holobiont members. To test this hypothesis, the bacterial communities associated with three coral species (Acropora rosaria, Acropora hyacinthus and Porites lutea) and two algal guilds (crustose coralline algae and turf algae) from 131 samples were analyzed using a novel statistical approach termed the Abundance-Ubiquity (AU) test. The AU test determines whether a given bacterial species would be present given additional sampling effort (that is, stable) versus those species that are sporadically associated with a sample. Using the AU test, we show that coral and algal holobionts have a high-diversity group of stable symbionts. Stable symbionts are not exclusive to one species of coral or algae. No single bacterial species was ubiquitously associated with one host, showing that there is not strict heredity of the microbiome. In addition to the stable symbionts, there was a low-diversity community of sporadic symbionts whose abundance varied widely across individual holobionts of the same species. Identification of these two symbiont communities supports the holobiont model and calls into question the hologenome theory of evolution.
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42
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Viral and Bacterial Epibionts in Thermally-Stressed Corals. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2015. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse3041272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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43
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Blackall LL, Wilson B, van Oppen MJH. Coral-the world's most diverse symbiotic ecosystem. Mol Ecol 2015; 24:5330-47. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2015] [Revised: 09/21/2015] [Accepted: 09/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Linda L. Blackall
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology; Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology; Swinburne University of Technology; Melbourne Vic. 3122 Australia
| | - Bryan Wilson
- Marine Microbiology Research Group; Department of Biology; University of Bergen; Thormøhlensgate 53B 5020 Bergen Norway
| | - Madeleine J. H. van Oppen
- Australian Institute of Marine Science; PMB No. 3 Townsville MC Qld. 4810 Australia
- School of BioSciences; The University of Melbourne; Parkville Vic. 3010 Australia
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44
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Coral Mucus Is a Hot Spot for Viral Infections. Appl Environ Microbiol 2015; 81:5773-83. [PMID: 26092456 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00542-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Accepted: 06/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing suspicion that viral communities play a pivotal role in maintaining coral health, yet their main ecological traits still remain poorly characterized. In this study, we examined the seasonal distribution and reproduction pathways of viruses inhabiting the mucus of the scleractinians Fungia repanda and Acropora formosa collected in Nha Trang Bay (Vietnam) during an 11-month survey. The strong coupling between epibiotic viral and bacterial abundance suggested that phages are dominant among coral-associated viral communities. Mucosal viruses also exhibited significant differences in their main features between the two coral species and were also remarkably contrasted with their planktonic counterparts. For example, their abundance (inferred from epifluorescence counts), lytic production rates (KCN incubations), and the proportion of lysogenic cells (mitomycin C inductions) were, respectively, 2.6-, 9.5-, and 2.2-fold higher in mucus than in the surrounding water. Both lytic and lysogenic indicators were tightly coupled with temperature and salinity, suggesting that the life strategy of viral epibionts is strongly dependent upon environmental circumstances. Finally, our results suggest that coral mucus may represent a highly favorable habitat for viral proliferation, promoting the development of both temperate and virulent phages. Here, we discuss how such an optimized viral arsenal could be crucial for coral viability by presumably forging complex links with both symbiotic and adjacent nonsymbiotic microorganisms.
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45
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Wood-Charlson EM, Weynberg KD, Suttle CA, Roux S, van Oppen MJH. Metagenomic characterization of viral communities in corals: mining biological signal from methodological noise. Environ Microbiol 2015; 17:3440-9. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2014] [Revised: 01/23/2015] [Accepted: 01/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Karen D. Weynberg
- Australian Institute of Marine Science; PMB 3 Townsville MC Townsville Qld 4810 Australia
| | - Curtis A. Suttle
- Departments of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Microbiology and Immunology; Botany and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research; University of British Columbia; Vancouver BC Canada
| | - Simon Roux
- Laboratoire Micro-organismes: Genome and Environment; Université Blaise Pascal; Clermont Université; Clermont-Ferrand France
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46
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Butina TV, Potapov SA, Belykh OI, Belikov SI. Genetic diversity of cyanophages of the myoviridae family as a constituent of the associated community of the Baikal sponge Lubomirskia baicalensis. RUSS J GENET+ 2015. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795415030011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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47
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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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48
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Nguyen-Kim H, Bouvier T, Bouvier C, Doan-Nhu H, Nguyen-Ngoc L, Rochelle-Newall E, Baudoux AC, Desnues C, Reynaud S, Ferrier-Pages C, Bettarel Y. High occurrence of viruses in the mucus layer of scleractinian corals. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2014; 6:675-682. [PMID: 25756121 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Viruses attract increasing interest from environmental microbiologists seeking to understand their function and role in coral health. However, little is known about their main ecological traits within the coral holobiont. In this study, a quantitative and qualitative characterization of viral and bacterial communities was conducted on the mucus of seven different coral species of the Van Phong Bay (Vietnam). On average, the concentrations of viruses and bacteria were, respectively, 17- and twofold higher in the mucus than in the surrounding water. The examination of bacterial community composition also showed remarkable differences between mucus and water samples. The percentage of active respiring cells was nearly threefold higher in mucus (m = 24.8%) than in water (m = 8.6%). Interestingly, a positive and highly significant correlation was observed between the proportion of active cells and viral abundance in the mucus, suggesting that the metabolism of the bacterial associates is probably a strong determinant of the distribution of viruses within the coral holobiont. Overall, coral mucus, given its unique physicochemical characteristics and sticking properties, can be regarded as a highly selective biotope for abundant, diversified and specialized symbiotic microbial and viral organisms.
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49
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Bettarel Y, Bouvier T, Nguyen HK, Thu PT. The versatile nature of coral-associated viruses. Environ Microbiol 2014; 17:3433-9. [PMID: 25171444 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
A recent hypothesis considers that many coral pathologies are the result of a sudden structural alteration of the epibiotic bacterial communities in response to environmental disturbances. However, the ecological mechanisms that lead to shifts in their composition are still unclear. In the ocean, viruses represent a major bactericidal agent but little is known on their occurrence within the coral holobiont. Recent reports have revealed that viruses are abundant and diversified within the coral mucus and therefore could be decisive for coral health. However, their mode of action is still unknown, and there is now an urgent need to shed light on the nature of the relationships they might have with the other prokaryotic and eukaryotic members of the holobiont. In this opinion letter, we are putting forward the hypothesis that coral-associated viruses (mostly bacterial and algal viruses), depending on the environmental conditions might either reinforce coral stability or conversely fasten their decline. We propose that these processes are presumably based on an environmentally driven shift in infection strategies allowing viruses to regulate, circumstantially, both coral symbionts (bacteria or Symbiodinium) and surrounding pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvan Bettarel
- UMR 5119 ECOSYM, Institute of Research for Development (IRD), CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Thierry Bouvier
- UMR 5119 ECOSYM, Institute of Research for Development (IRD), CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Pham The Thu
- Institute of Marine Environment and Resources, Haiphong, Vietnam
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50
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Soffer N, Zaneveld J, Vega Thurber R. Phage-bacteria network analysis and its implication for the understanding of coral disease. Environ Microbiol 2014; 17:1203-18. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2013] [Accepted: 06/29/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nitzan Soffer
- Department of Microbiology; Oregon State University; 220 Nash Hall Corvallis OR 97331 USA
| | - Jesse Zaneveld
- Department of Microbiology; Oregon State University; 220 Nash Hall Corvallis OR 97331 USA
| | - Rebecca Vega Thurber
- Department of Microbiology; Oregon State University; 220 Nash Hall Corvallis OR 97331 USA
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