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Sun F, Yang H, Zhang X, Tan F, Wang G, Shi Q. Significant response of coral-associated bacteria and their carbohydrate-active enzymes diversity to coral bleaching. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 201:106694. [PMID: 39163656 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024]
Abstract
Analysis of bacterial carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) contributes significantly to comprehending the response exhibited by coral symbionts to the external environment. This study explored the impact of bleaching on the bacteria and their CAZymes in coral Favites sp. through metagenomic sequencing. Notably, principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) unveiles substantial difference in bacterial communities between bleached and unbleached corals. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Chloroflexi, exhibit noteworthy alterations during coral bleaching. CAZymes profiles in bleached coral disclosed a significant increase in Glycosyltransferases (GTs) abundance, suggesting an intensified biosynthesis of polysaccharides. Conversely, there is a marked reduction in other CAZymes abundance in bleached coral. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Chlorobi, and Planctomycetota exhibit greater contributions to CAZymes in bleached corals, with Rhodobacterales, Cytophagales, Burkholderiales, Caulobacterales, and Hyphomicrobiales being the main contributors. While Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Chloroflexi demonstrate higher contributions to CAZymes in unbleached corals. The changes in bacteria and their CAZymes reflect the ecological adaptability of coral holobionts when facing environmental stress. The alterations in CAZymes composition caused by bleaching events may have profound impacts on coral nutrient absorption and ecosystem stability. Therefore, understanding the dynamic changes in CAZymes is crucial for assessing the health and recovery potential of coral ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fulin Sun
- South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongqiang Yang
- South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Nansha Marine Ecological and Environmental Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sansha, China.
| | - Xiyang Zhang
- South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fei Tan
- South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guan Wang
- South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qi Shi
- South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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2
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Dungan AM, Geissler L, Williams AS, Gotze CR, Flynn EC, Blackall LL, van Oppen MJH. DNA from non-viable bacteria biases diversity estimates in the corals Acropora loripes and Pocillopora acuta. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2023; 18:86. [PMID: 38062479 PMCID: PMC10704692 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-023-00541-6] [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: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nucleic acid-based analytical methods have greatly expanded our understanding of global prokaryotic diversity, yet standard metabarcoding methods provide no information on the most fundamental physiological state of bacteria, viability. Scleractinian corals harbour a complex microbiome in which bacterial symbionts play critical roles in maintaining health and functioning of the holobiont. However, the coral holobiont contains both dead and living bacteria. The former can be the result of corals feeding on bacteria, rapid swings from hyper- to hypoxic conditions in the coral tissue, the presence of antimicrobial compounds in coral mucus, and an abundance of lytic bacteriophages. RESULTS By combining propidium monoazide (PMA) treatment with high-throughput sequencing on six coral species (Acropora loripes, A. millepora, A. kenti, Platygyra daedalea, Pocillopora acuta, and Porites lutea) we were able to obtain information on bacterial communities with little noise from non-viable microbial DNA. Metabarcoding of the 16S rRNA gene showed significantly higher community evenness (85%) and species diversity (31%) in untreated compared with PMA-treated tissue for A. loripes only. While PMA-treated coral did not differ significantly from untreated samples in terms of observed number of ASVs, > 30% of ASVs were identified in untreated samples only, suggesting that they originated from cell-free/non-viable DNA. Further, the bacterial community structure was significantly different between PMA-treated and untreated samples for A. loripes and P. acuta indicating that DNA from non-viable microbes can bias community composition data in coral species with low bacterial diversity. CONCLUSIONS Our study is highly relevant to microbiome studies on coral and other host organisms as it delivers a solution to excluding non-viable DNA in a complex community. These results provide novel insights into the dynamic nature of host-associated microbiomes and underline the importance of applying versatile tools in the analysis of metabarcoding or next-generation sequencing data sets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M Dungan
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Laura Geissler
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Amanda S Williams
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Cecilie Ravn Gotze
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Emily C Flynn
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Linda L Blackall
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Madeleine J H van Oppen
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
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3
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Rico-Esenaro SD, de Jesús Adolfo Tortolero-Langarica J, Iglesias-Prieto R, Carricart-Ganivet JP. The δ 15N in Orbicella faveolata organic matter reveals anthropogenic impact by sewage inputs in a Mexican Caribbean coral reef lagoon. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:118872-118880. [PMID: 37919495 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30476-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Coral-reef ecosystems provide essentials services to human societies, representing the most important source of income (e.g., tourism and artisanal fishing) for many coastal developing countries. In the Caribbean region, most touristic and coastal developments are in the vicinity of coral reefs where they may contribute to reef degradation. Here we evaluated the influence of sewage inputs in the coral reef lagoon of Puerto Morelos during a period of 40 years (1970-2012). Annual δ15N values were determined in the organic matter (OM) extracted from coral skeletons of Orbicella faveolata. Average protein content in the OM was 0.33 mg of protein g-1 CaCO3 (±0.10 SD) and a 0.03% of OM relative to the sample weight (n =100). The average of N g-1 CaCO3 was 0.002% (± 0.001 SD). The results showed an increase (p < 0.001) in δ15N over the time, positively correlated with population growth derived from touristic development. These findings emphasize the need to generate urban-planning remediation strategies that consider the impact on natural environments, reduce sewage pollution, and mitigate local stressors that threaten the status of coral-reef communities in the Caribbean region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serguei Damián Rico-Esenaro
- Laboratorio de Esclerocronología de Corales Arrecifales, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Prol. Av. Niños Héroes S/N, Domicilio conocido, Puerto Morelos, Q. Roo, 77580, México
- Departamento El Hombre y su Ambiente, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Xochimilco, Calzada del Hueso 1100, Col. Villa Quietud, Coyoacán, Cd. de México, 04960, México
| | - José de Jesús Adolfo Tortolero-Langarica
- Laboratorio de Esclerocronología de Corales Arrecifales, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Prol. Av. Niños Héroes S/N, Domicilio conocido, Puerto Morelos, Q. Roo, 77580, México
- Tecnológico Nacional de México/IT Bahía de Banderas, Crucero a Punta de Mita S/N, Bahía de Banderas, 63734, Nayarit, México
| | - Roberto Iglesias-Prieto
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, 208 Mueller Lab, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Juan P Carricart-Ganivet
- Laboratorio de Esclerocronología de Corales Arrecifales, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Prol. Av. Niños Héroes S/N, Domicilio conocido, Puerto Morelos, Q. Roo, 77580, México.
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Villela H, Modolon F, Schultz J, Delgadillo-Ordoñez N, Carvalho S, Soriano AU, Peixoto RS. Genome analysis of a coral-associated bacterial consortium highlights complementary hydrocarbon degradation ability and other beneficial mechanisms for the host. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12273. [PMID: 37507453 PMCID: PMC10382565 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38512-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Here we report the oil degradation genetic potential of six oil-degrading bacteria (ODB), previously used as a bioremediation consortium, isolated from the hydrocoral Millepora alcicornis and seawater. The strains were identified as Halomonas sp. (LC_1), Cobetia sp. (LC_6), Pseudoalteromonas shioyasakiensis (LC_2), Halopseudomonas aestusnigri (LC_3), Shewanella algae (LC_4), and Brucella intermedia (LC_5). The taxonomic identification differed from that of the original paper when we used whole genome gene markers instead of just 16S rRNA gene. Genes responsible for the degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons and n-alkanes were found in all genomes, although different (and complementary) steps of the metabolic pathways were unique to each strain. Genes for naphthalene and toluene degradation were found in various strains. We annotated quinate degradation genes in LC_6, while LC_3 and LC_5 presented genes for biosurfactant and rhamnolipid biosynthesis. We also annotated genes related to beneficial mechanisms for corals, such as genes involved in nitrogen and DMSP metabolism, cobalamin biosynthesis and antimicrobial compounds production. Our findings reinforce the importance of using bacterial consortia for bioremediation approaches instead of single strains, due to their complementary genomic arsenals. We also propose a genome-based framework to select complementary ODB that can provide additional benefits to coral health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Villela
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division King, Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Flúvio Modolon
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division King, Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Júnia Schultz
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division King, Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
- Computational Biology Research Center, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nathalia Delgadillo-Ordoñez
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division King, Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Susana Carvalho
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division King, Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
- Marine Science and Bioscience Programs, Biological, Environmental and Engineering Sciences Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Raquel Silva Peixoto
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division King, Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia.
- Computational Biology Research Center, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia.
- Marine Science and Bioscience Programs, Biological, Environmental and Engineering Sciences Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia.
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Lima LFO, Alker AT, Papudeshi B, Morris MM, Edwards RA, de Putron SJ, Dinsdale EA. Coral and Seawater Metagenomes Reveal Key Microbial Functions to Coral Health and Ecosystem Functioning Shaped at Reef Scale. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 86:392-407. [PMID: 35965269 PMCID: PMC10293411 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-02094-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The coral holobiont is comprised of a highly diverse microbial community that provides key services to corals such as protection against pathogens and nutrient cycling. The coral surface mucus layer (SML) microbiome is very sensitive to external changes, as it constitutes the direct interface between the coral host and the environment. Here, we investigate whether the bacterial taxonomic and functional profiles in the coral SML are shaped by the local reef zone and explore their role in coral health and ecosystem functioning. The analysis was conducted using metagenomes and metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) associated with the coral Pseudodiploria strigosa and the water column from two naturally distinct reef environments in Bermuda: inner patch reefs exposed to a fluctuating thermal regime and the more stable outer reefs. The microbial community structure in the coral SML varied according to the local environment, both at taxonomic and functional levels. The coral SML microbiome from inner reefs provides more gene functions that are involved in nutrient cycling (e.g., photosynthesis, phosphorus metabolism, sulfur assimilation) and those that are related to higher levels of microbial activity, competition, and stress response. In contrast, the coral SML microbiome from outer reefs contained genes indicative of a carbohydrate-rich mucus composition found in corals exposed to less stressful temperatures and showed high proportions of microbial gene functions that play a potential role in coral disease, such as degradation of lignin-derived compounds and sulfur oxidation. The fluctuating environment in the inner patch reefs of Bermuda could be driving a more beneficial coral SML microbiome, potentially increasing holobiont resilience to environmental changes and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laís F. O. Lima
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA USA
- College of Biological Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA USA
| | - Amanda T. Alker
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Bhavya Papudeshi
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia Australia
| | | | - Robert A. Edwards
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA USA
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia Australia
| | | | - Elizabeth A. Dinsdale
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA USA
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia Australia
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6
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Zhu W, Liu X, Zhang J, Zhao H, Li Z, Wang H, Chen R, Wang A, Li X. Response of coral bacterial composition and function to water quality variations under anthropogenic influence. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 884:163837. [PMID: 37137368 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Microbial communities play key roles in the adaptation of corals living in adverse environments, as the microbiome flexibility can enhance environmental plasticity of coral holobiont. However, the ecological association of coral microbiome and related function to locally deteriorating water quality remains underexplored. In this work, we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing and quantitative microbial element cycling (QMEC) to investigate the seasonal changes of bacterial communities, particularly their functional genes related to carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S) cycle, of the scleractinian coral Galaxea fascicularis from nearshore reefs exposed anthropogenic influence. We used nutrient concentrations as the indicator of anthropogenic activities in coastal reefs, and found a higher nutrient pressure in spring than summer. The bacterial diversity, community structure and dominant bacteria of coral shifted significantly due to seasonal variations dominated by nutrient concentrations. Additionally, the network structure and nutrient cycling gene profiles in summer under low nutrient stress was distinct from that under poor environmental conditions in spring, with lower network complexity and abundance of CNPS cycling genes in summer compared with spring. We further identified significant correlations between microbial community (taxonomic composition and co-occurrence network) and geochemical functions (abundance of multiple functional genes and functional community). Nutrient enrichment was proved to be the most important environmental fluctuation in controlling the diversity, community structure, interactional network and functional genes of the coral microbiome. These results highlight that seasonal shifts in coral-associated bacteria due to anthropogenic activities alter the functional potentials, and provide novel insight about the mechanisms of coral adaptation to locally deteriorating environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wentao Zhu
- College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xiangbo Liu
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Junling Zhang
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - He Zhao
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Zhuoran Li
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Hao Wang
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Rouwen Chen
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Aimin Wang
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xiubao Li
- College of Marine Science, Hainan University, Haikou, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China.
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7
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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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8
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van Oppen MJH, Raina J. Coral holobiont research needs spatial analyses at the microbial scale. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:179-183. [PMID: 36209397 PMCID: PMC10100515 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine J. H. van Oppen
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- School of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Jean‐Baptiste Raina
- Climate Change Cluster (C3)University of Technology SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
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9
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Kanisan DP, Quek ZBR, Oh RM, Afiq-Rosli L, Lee JN, Huang D, Wainwright BJ. Diversity and Distribution of Microbial Communities Associated with Reef Corals of the Malay Peninsula. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 85:37-48. [PMID: 35043221 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-01958-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Coral-associated bacteria play critical roles in the regulation of coral health and function. Environmental perturbations that alter the bacterial community structure can render the coral holobiont more susceptible and less resilient to disease. Understanding the natural variation of the coral microbiome across space and host species provides a baseline that can be used to distinguish shifts in community structure. Using a 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding approach, this study examines bacterial community structure across three scleractinian coral hosts. Our results show that corals of three regions-eastern and western Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore-host distinct bacterial communities; despite these differences, we were able to identify a core microbiome shared across all three species. This core microbiome was also present in samples previously collected in Thailand, suggesting that these core microbes play an important role in promoting and maintaining host health. For example, several have been identified as dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) metabolizers that have roles in sulfur cycling and the suppression of bacterial pathogens. Pachyseris speciosa has the most variable microbiome, followed by Porites lutea, with the composition of the Diploastrea heliopora microbiome the least variable throughout all locations. Microbial taxa associated with each region or site are likely shaped by local environmental conditions. Taken together, host identity is a major driver of differences in microbial community structure, while environmental heterogeneity shapes communities at finer scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhivya P Kanisan
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117558, Singapore
| | - Z B Randolph Quek
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117558, Singapore
- Yale-NUS College, National University of Singapore, 16 College Avenue West, 138527, Singapore
| | - Ren Min Oh
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117558, Singapore
| | - Lutfi Afiq-Rosli
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117558, Singapore
- Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, 18 Kent Ridge Road, 119227, Singapore
| | - Jen Nie Lee
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, 21030, Malaysia
| | - Danwei Huang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117558, Singapore
- Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, 18 Kent Ridge Road, 119227, Singapore
- Centre for Nature-Based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117558, Singapore
| | - Benjamin J Wainwright
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117558, Singapore.
- Yale-NUS College, National University of Singapore, 16 College Avenue West, 138527, Singapore.
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10
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Bove CB, Ingersoll MV, Davies SW. Help Me, Symbionts, You're My Only Hope: Approaches to Accelerate our Understanding of Coral Holobiont Interactions. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:1756-1769. [PMID: 36099871 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Tropical corals construct the three-dimensional framework for one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet, providing habitat to a plethora of species across taxa. However, these ecosystem engineers are facing unprecedented challenges, such as increasing disease prevalence and marine heatwaves associated with anthropogenic global change. As a result, major declines in coral cover and health are being observed across the world's oceans, often due to the breakdown of coral-associated symbioses. Here, we review the interactions between the major symbiotic partners of the coral holobiont-the cnidarian host, algae in the family Symbiodiniaceae, and the microbiome-that influence trait variation, including the molecular mechanisms that underlie symbiosis and the resulting physiological benefits of different microbial partnerships. In doing so, we highlight the current framework for the formation and maintenance of cnidarian-Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis, and the role that immunity pathways play in this relationship. We emphasize that understanding these complex interactions is challenging when you consider the vast genetic variation of the cnidarian host and algal symbiont, as well as their highly diverse microbiome, which is also an important player in coral holobiont health. Given the complex interactions between and among symbiotic partners, we propose several research directions and approaches focused on symbiosis model systems and emerging technologies that will broaden our understanding of how these partner interactions may facilitate the prediction of coral holobiont phenotype, especially under rapid environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen B Bove
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | | | - Sarah W Davies
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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11
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Tandon K, Ricci F, Costa J, Medina M, Kühl M, Blackall LL, Verbruggen H. Genomic view of the diversity and functional role of archaea and bacteria in the skeleton of the reef-building corals Porites lutea and Isopora palifera. Gigascience 2022; 12:giac127. [PMID: 36683362 PMCID: PMC9868349 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giac127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
At present, our knowledge on the compartmentalization of coral holobiont microbiomes is highly skewed toward the millimeter-thin coral tissue, leaving the diverse coral skeleton microbiome underexplored. Here, we present a genome-centric view of the skeleton of the reef-building corals Porites lutea and Isopora palifera, through a compendium of ∼400 high-quality bacterial and archaeal metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), spanning 34 phyla and 57 classes. Skeletal microbiomes harbored a diverse array of stress response genes, including dimethylsulfoniopropionate synthesis (dsyB) and metabolism (DMSP lyase). Furthermore, skeletal MAGs encoded an average of 22 ± 15 genes in P. lutea and 28 ± 23 in I. palifera with eukaryotic-like motifs thought to be involved in maintaining host association. We provide comprehensive insights into the putative functional role of the skeletal microbiome on key metabolic processes such as nitrogen fixation, dissimilatory and assimilatory nitrate, and sulfate reduction. Our study provides critical genomic resources for a better understanding of the coral skeletal microbiome and its role in holobiont functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kshitij Tandon
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
| | - Francesco Ricci
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
- Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Joana Costa
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
| | - Mónica Medina
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Michael Kühl
- Marine Biological Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-3000 Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Linda L Blackall
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
| | - Heroen Verbruggen
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
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12
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Cárdenas A, Raina JB, Pogoreutz C, Rädecker N, Bougoure J, Guagliardo P, Pernice M, Voolstra CR. Greater functional diversity and redundancy of coral endolithic microbiomes align with lower coral bleaching susceptibility. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:2406-2420. [PMID: 35840731 PMCID: PMC9478130 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-022-01283-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
The skeleton of reef-building coral harbors diverse microbial communities that could compensate for metabolic deficiencies caused by the loss of algal endosymbionts, i.e., coral bleaching. However, it is unknown to what extent endolith taxonomic diversity and functional potential might contribute to thermal resilience. Here we exposed Goniastrea edwardsi and Porites lutea, two common reef-building corals from the central Red Sea to a 17-day long heat stress. Using hyperspectral imaging, marker gene/metagenomic sequencing, and NanoSIMS, we characterized their endolithic microbiomes together with 15N and 13C assimilation of two skeletal compartments: the endolithic band directly below the coral tissue and the deep skeleton. The bleaching-resistant G. edwardsi was associated with endolithic microbiomes of greater functional diversity and redundancy that exhibited lower N and C assimilation than endoliths in the bleaching-sensitive P. lutea. We propose that the lower endolithic primary productivity in G. edwardsi can be attributed to the dominance of chemolithotrophs. Lower primary production within the skeleton may prevent unbalanced nutrient fluxes to coral tissues under heat stress, thereby preserving nutrient-limiting conditions characteristic of a stable coral-algal symbiosis. Our findings link coral endolithic microbiome structure and function to bleaching susceptibility, providing new avenues for understanding and eventually mitigating reef loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anny Cárdenas
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78457, Germany.
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Jean-Baptiste Raina
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
| | - Claudia Pogoreutz
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78457, Germany
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Nils Rädecker
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78457, Germany
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Jeremy Bougoure
- Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Paul Guagliardo
- Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Mathieu Pernice
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Christian R Voolstra
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78457, Germany.
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia.
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13
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Morrow KM, Pankey MS, Lesser MP. Community structure of coral microbiomes is dependent on host morphology. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:113. [PMID: 35902906 PMCID: PMC9331152 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01308-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The importance of symbiosis has long been recognized on coral reefs, where the photosynthetic dinoflagellates of corals (Symbiodiniaceae) are the primary symbiont. Numerous studies have now shown that a diverse assemblage of prokaryotes also make-up part of the microbiome of corals. A subset of these prokaryotes is capable of fixing nitrogen, known as diazotrophs, and is also present in the microbiome of scleractinian corals where they have been shown to supplement the holobiont nitrogen budget. Here, an analysis of the microbiomes of 16 coral species collected from Australia, Curaçao, and Hawai'i using three different marker genes (16S rRNA, nifH, and ITS2) is presented. These data were used to examine the effects of biogeography, coral traits, and ecological life history characteristics on the composition and diversity of the microbiome in corals and their diazotrophic communities. RESULTS The prokaryotic microbiome community composition (i.e., beta diversity) based on the 16S rRNA gene varied between sites and ecological life history characteristics, but coral morphology was the most significant factor affecting the microbiome of the corals studied. For 15 of the corals studied, only two species Pocillopora acuta and Seriotopora hystrix, both brooders, showed a weak relationship between the 16S rRNA gene community structure and the diazotrophic members of the microbiome using the nifH marker gene, suggesting that many corals support a microbiome with diazotrophic capabilities. The order Rhizobiales, a taxon that contains primarily diazotrophs, are common members of the coral microbiome and were eight times greater in relative abundances in Hawai'i compared to corals from either Curacao or Australia. However, for the diazotrophic component of the coral microbiome, only host species significantly influenced the composition and diversity of the community. CONCLUSIONS The roles and interactions between members of the coral holobiont are still not well understood, especially critical functions provided by the coral microbiome (e.g., nitrogen fixation), and the variation of these functions across species. The findings presented here show the significant effect of morphology, a coral "super trait," on the overall community structure of the microbiome in corals and that there is a strong association of the diazotrophic community within the microbiome of corals. However, the underlying coral traits linking the effects of host species on diazotrophic communities remain unknown. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Morrow
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
- Present address: Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, 6560 Braddock Rd, Alexandria, VA, 22312, USA
| | - M Sabrina Pankey
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
| | - Michael P Lesser
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA.
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14
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Effect of Various Local Anthropogenic Impacts on the Diversity of Coral Mucus-Associated Bacterial Communities. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse10070863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The global continued decline in coral reefs is intensifying the need to understand the response of corals to local environmental stressors. Coral-associated bacterial communities have been suggested to have a swift response to environmental pollutants. This study aims to determine the variation in the bacterial communities associated with the mucus of two coral species, Pocillopora damicornis (Linnaeus, 1758) and Stylophora pistillata (Esper, 1792), and the coral-surrounding seawater from three areas exposed to contamination at the Jordanian coast of the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea), and also explores the antibacterial activity of these bacteria. Corals were collected from three contaminated zones along the coast, and the bacteria were quantified and identified by conventional morphological and biochemical tests, as well as 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The average number of bacteria significantly varied among the coral mucus from the sampling zones and between the coral mucus and the surrounding seawater. The P. damicornis mucus-associated bacterial community was dominated by members of the classes Gammaproteobacteria, Cytophagia, and Actinomycetia, while the mucus of S. pistillata represented higher bacterial diversity, with the dominance of the bacterial classes Gammaproteobacteria, Actinomycetia, Alphaproteobacteria, and Bacilli. The effects of local anthropogenic impacts on coral mucus bacterial communities were represented in the increased abundance of bacterial species related to coral diseases. Furthermore, the results demonstrated the existence of bacterial isolates with antibacterial activity that possibly acted as a first line of defense to protect and maintain the coral host against pathogens. Indeed, the dynamics of coral-associated microbial communities highlight the importance of holistic studies that focus on microbial interactions across the coral reef ecosystem.
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15
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Díaz-Almeyda EM, Ryba T, Ohdera AH, Collins SM, Shafer N, Link C, Prado-Zapata M, Ruhnke C, Moore M, González Angel AM, Pollock FJ, Medina M. Thermal Stress Has Minimal Effects on Bacterial Communities of Thermotolerant Symbiodinium Cultures. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.764086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Algae in the dinoflagellate family Symbiodiniaceae are endocellular photosymbionts of corals and other cnidarians. This close relationship is disrupted when seawater temperature increases, causing coral bleaching eventually affecting entire coral reefs. Although the relationship between animal host and photosymbiont has been well-studied, little is known about the bacterial community associated with Symbiodiniaceae in culture. We compared the microbial communities of three isolates from different species of the genus Symbiodinium (formerly known as Symbiodinium clade A) with different ecophysiology, levels of interaction with the animal host, and thermal adaptations. Two species, Symbiodinium microadriaticum and Symbiodinium necroappettens, exhibit intermediate thermotolerance, with a decrease of both growth rate and photochemical efficiency with increased temperature. The third species, Symbiodinium pilosum, has high thermotolerance with no difference in growth rate or photochemical efficiency at 32°C. Microbial communities were characterized after 27 days of growth under control (26°C) and high temperature (32°C). Data shows stronger grouping of bacterial assemblages based on Symbiodinium species than temperature. Microbial communities did not group phylogenetically. We found a shared set of fifteen ASVs belonging to four genera and three families that remained in all three Symbiodiniaceae species. These included Labrenzia, Phycisphaeraceae (SM1A02), Roseovarius, and Muricauda, which are all commonly associated with corals and Symbiodiniaceae cultures. Few ASVs differed significantly by temperature within species. S. pilosum displayed significantly lower levels of microbial diversity and greater individual variability in community composition at 32°C compared to 26°C. These results suggest that bacteria associated or co-cultured with thermotolerant Symbiodinium might play an important role in thermotolerance. Further research on the functional metabolic pathways of these bacteria might hold the key to understanding Symbiodinium’s ability to tolerate thermal stress.
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16
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Lee LC, Rizman-Idid M, Alias SA, Palaniveloo K, Gu H. First record of the fungal genus Neodevriesia Quaedvl. & Crous (Ascomycota, Dothideomycetes, Neodevriesiaceae) isolated from scleractinian corals of Perhentian Islands, Malaysia. Biodivers Data J 2022; 10:e81533. [PMID: 36761577 PMCID: PMC9848531 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.10.e81533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal species members of the genus Neodevriesia have been known to occur in marine environments. This report documents the first record of the fungal genus Neodevriesia isolated from scleractinian corals. Three isolated strains were identified from a phylogenetic tree that was constructed, based on the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer and partial large subunit (ITS + LSU) DNA sequences. Isolates were closely related to both Neodevriesiashakazului (Crous) Crous and Neodevriesiaqueenslandica (Crous, R.G. Shivas & McTaggart) Crous, but formed a distinct clade with strong support that implies a potentially genetic variant of a known species or even a novel species. These findings contribute to the fungal diversity checklist in Malaysia and knowledge about marine fungi associated with scleractinian corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Chuen Lee
- Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Institute for Advanced Studies Building, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaInstitute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Institute for Advanced Studies Building, Universiti MalayaKuala LumpurMalaysia
| | - Mohammed Rizman-Idid
- Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Institute for Advanced Studies Building, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaInstitute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Institute for Advanced Studies Building, Universiti MalayaKuala LumpurMalaysia
| | - Siti Aisyah Alias
- Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Institute for Advanced Studies Building, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaInstitute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Institute for Advanced Studies Building, Universiti MalayaKuala LumpurMalaysia
| | - Kishneth Palaniveloo
- Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Institute for Advanced Studies Building, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaInstitute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Institute for Advanced Studies Building, Universiti MalayaKuala LumpurMalaysia
| | - Haifeng Gu
- Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, ChinaThird Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural ResourcesXiamenChina
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17
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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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18
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Glaze TD, Erler DV, Siljanen HMP. Microbially facilitated nitrogen cycling in tropical corals. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:68-77. [PMID: 34226659 PMCID: PMC8692614 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01038-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Tropical scleractinian corals support a diverse assemblage of microbial symbionts. This 'microbiome' possesses the requisite functional diversity to conduct a range of nitrogen (N) transformations including denitrification, nitrification, nitrogen fixation and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). Very little direct evidence has been presented to date verifying that these processes are active within tropical corals. Here we use a combination of stable isotope techniques, nutrient uptake calculations and captured metagenomics to quantify rates of nitrogen cycling processes in a selection of tropical scleractinian corals. Denitrification activity was detected in all species, albeit with very low rates, signifying limited importance in holobiont N removal. Relatively greater nitrogen fixation activity confirms that corals are net N importers to reef systems. Low net nitrification activity suggests limited N regeneration capacity; however substantial gross nitrification activity may be concealed through nitrate consumption. Based on nrfA gene abundance and measured inorganic N fluxes, we calculated significant DNRA activity in the studied corals, which has important implications for coral reef N cycling and warrants more targeted investigation. Through the quantification and characterisation of all relevant N-cycling processes, this study provides clarity on the subject of tropical coral-associated biogeochemical N-cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Glaze
- Centre for Coastal Biogeochemistry Research, School of Environment Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia.
| | - Dirk V Erler
- Centre for Coastal Biogeochemistry Research, School of Environment Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia
| | - Henri M P Siljanen
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Ecogenomics and Systems Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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19
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Zhang Y, Yang Q, Zhang Y, Ahmad M, Ling J, Dong J, Wang Y. The diversity and metabolic potential of the microbial functional gene associated with Porites pukoensis. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2021; 30:986-995. [PMID: 33991262 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-021-02419-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Coral reef ecosystems usually distribute in oligotrophic tropical and subtropical marine environments, but they possess great biodiversity and high productivity. It may attribute to its efficient internal nutrient cycle system. However, the knowledge of functional microbial community structure is still limited. In this study, both functional gene array (Geochip 5.0) and nifH Illumina sequencing were used to profile the overall functional genes and diazotrophic communities associated with coral Porites pukoensis. More than 7500 microbial functional genes were detected from archaea, bacteria, and fungi. Most of these genes are related to the transformation of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus, providing evidence that microbes in the coral holobiont play important roles in the biogeochemical cycle of coral reef ecosystems. Our results indicated a high diversity of diazotrophs associated with corals. The dominant diazotrophic groups were related to phyla Alphaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria. And the dominant diazotrophic communities were divided into four clusters. They were affiliated with nifH sequences from genera Zymomonas, Halorhodospira, Leptolyngbya, Trichormus, and Desulfovibrio, indicating these groups may play a more important role in the nitrogen-fixing process in the coral holobiont. This study revealed functional gene diversity and suggested the roles they played in the biogeochemical cycling of the coral holobiont.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanying Zhang
- Ocean School, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005, China.
| | - Qingsong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Manzoor Ahmad
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Juan Ling
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Junde Dong
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province and Hainan Sanya Marine Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572000, China.
| | - Youshao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
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20
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El-Khaled YC, Roth F, Rädecker N, Tilstra A, Karcher DB, Kürten B, Jones BH, Voolstra CR, Wild C. Nitrogen fixation and denitrification activity differ between coral- and algae-dominated Red Sea reefs. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11820. [PMID: 34083565 PMCID: PMC8175748 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90204-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs experience phase shifts from coral- to algae-dominated benthic communities, which could affect the interplay between processes introducing and removing bioavailable nitrogen. However, the magnitude of such processes, i.e., dinitrogen (N2) fixation and denitrification levels, and their responses to phase shifts remain unknown in coral reefs. We assessed both processes for the dominant species of six benthic categories (hard corals, soft corals, turf algae, coral rubble, biogenic rock, and reef sands) accounting for > 98% of the benthic cover of a central Red Sea coral reef. Rates were extrapolated to the relative benthic cover of the studied organisms in co-occurring coral- and algae-dominated areas of the same reef. In general, benthic categories with high N2 fixation exhibited low denitrification activity. Extrapolated to the respective reef area, turf algae and coral rubble accounted for > 90% of overall N2 fixation, whereas corals contributed to more than half of reef denitrification. Total N2 fixation was twice as high in algae- compared to coral-dominated areas, whereas denitrification levels were similar. We conclude that algae-dominated reefs promote new nitrogen input through enhanced N2 fixation and comparatively low denitrification. The subsequent increased nitrogen availability could support net productivity, resulting in a positive feedback loop that increases the competitive advantage of algae over corals in reefs that experienced a phase shift.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuf C El-Khaled
- Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, 28359, Bremen, Germany.
| | - Florian Roth
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23995, Saudi Arabia
- Baltic Sea Centre, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Nils Rädecker
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23995, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Arjen Tilstra
- Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, 28359, Bremen, Germany
| | - Denis B Karcher
- Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, 28359, Bremen, Germany
- Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, Australian National University, ACT, Canberra, 2601, Australia
| | - Benjamin Kürten
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23995, Saudi Arabia
- Project Management Jülich, Jülich Research Centre GmbH, 18069, Rostock, Germany
| | - Burton H Jones
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23995, Saudi Arabia
| | - Christian R Voolstra
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23995, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Christian Wild
- Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, 28359, Bremen, Germany
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21
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Tilstra A, Roth F, El-Khaled YC, Pogoreutz C, Rädecker N, Voolstra CR, Wild C. Relative abundance of nitrogen cycling microbes in coral holobionts reflects environmental nitrate availability. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:201835. [PMID: 34109033 PMCID: PMC8170195 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.201835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Recent research suggests that nitrogen (N) cycling microbes are important for coral holobiont functioning. In particular, coral holobionts may acquire bioavailable N via prokaryotic dinitrogen (N2) fixation or remove excess N via denitrification activity. However, our understanding of environmental drivers on these processes in hospite remains limited. Employing the strong seasonality of the central Red Sea, this study assessed the effects of environmental parameters on the proportional abundances of N cycling microbes associated with the hard corals Acropora hemprichii and Stylophora pistillata. Specifically, we quantified changes in the relative ratio between nirS and nifH gene copy numbers, as a proxy for seasonal shifts in denitrification and N2 fixation potential in corals, respectively. In addition, we assessed coral tissue-associated Symbiodiniaceae cell densities and monitored environmental parameters to provide a holobiont and environmental context, respectively. While ratios of nirS to nifH gene copy numbers varied between seasons, they revealed similar seasonal patterns in both coral species, with ratios closely following patterns in environmental nitrate availability. Symbiodiniaceae cell densities aligned with environmental nitrate availability, suggesting that the seasonal shifts in nirS to nifH gene abundance ratios were probably driven by nitrate availability in the coral holobiont. Thereby, our results suggest that N cycling in coral holobionts probably adjusts to environmental conditions by increasing and/or decreasing denitrification and N2 fixation potential according to environmental nitrate availability. Microbial N cycling may, thus, extenuate the effects of changes in environmental nitrate availability on coral holobionts to support the maintenance of the coral-Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjen Tilstra
- Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Florian Roth
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Baltic Sea Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Tvärminne Zoological Station, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Yusuf C. El-Khaled
- Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Claudia Pogoreutz
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Nils Rädecker
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christian R. Voolstra
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Christian Wild
- Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
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22
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Silva DP, Villela HDM, Santos HF, Duarte GAS, Ribeiro JR, Ghizelini AM, Vilela CLS, Rosado PM, Fazolato CS, Santoro EP, Carmo FL, Ximenes DS, Soriano AU, Rachid CTCC, Vega Thurber RL, Peixoto RS. Multi-domain probiotic consortium as an alternative to chemical remediation of oil spills at coral reefs and adjacent sites. MICROBIOME 2021; 9:118. [PMID: 34020712 PMCID: PMC8138999 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01041-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Beginning in the last century, coral reefs have suffered the consequences of anthropogenic activities, including oil contamination. Chemical remediation methods, such as dispersants, can cause substantial harm to corals and reduce their resilience to stressors. To evaluate the impacts of oil contamination and find potential alternative solutions to chemical dispersants, we conducted a mesocosm experiment with the fire coral Millepora alcicornis, which is sensitive to environmental changes. We exposed M. alcicornis to a realistic oil-spill scenario in which we applied an innovative multi-domain bioremediator consortium (bacteria, filamentous fungi, and yeast) and a chemical dispersant (Corexit® 9500, one of the most widely used dispersants), to assess the effects on host health and host-associated microbial communities. RESULTS The selected multi-domain microbial consortium helped to mitigate the impacts of the oil, substantially degrading the polycyclic aromatic and n-alkane fractions and maintaining the physiological integrity of the corals. Exposure to Corexit 9500 negatively impacted the host physiology and altered the coral-associated microbial community. After exposure, the abundances of certain bacterial genera such as Rugeria and Roseovarius increased, as previously reported in stressed or diseased corals. We also identified several bioindicators of Corexit 9500 in the microbiome. The impact of Corexit 9500 on the coral health and microbial community was far greater than oil alone, killing corals after only 4 days of exposure in the flow-through system. In the treatments with Corexit 9500, the action of the bioremediator consortium could not be observed directly because of the extreme toxicity of the dispersant to M. alcicornis and its associated microbiome. CONCLUSIONS Our results emphasize the importance of investigating the host-associated microbiome in order to detect and mitigate the effects of oil contamination on corals and the potential role of microbial mitigation and bioindicators as conservation tools. Chemical dispersants were far more damaging to corals and their associated microbiome than oil, and should not be used close to coral reefs. This study can aid in decision-making to minimize the negative effects of oil and dispersants on coral reefs. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise P Silva
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Helena D M Villela
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Henrique F Santos
- Department of Marine Biology, Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Niterói, Brazil
| | - Gustavo A S Duarte
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - José Roberto Ribeiro
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Angela M Ghizelini
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Caren L S Vilela
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Phillipe M Rosado
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carolline S Fazolato
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Erika P Santoro
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Flavia L Carmo
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Dalton S Ximenes
- Processes Laboratory, Leopoldo Américo Miguez de Mello Research Center (CENPES), Petrobras, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Adriana U Soriano
- Environmental Treatments, Wastes and Water Resources, Leopoldo Américo Miguez de Mello Research Center (CENPES), Petrobras, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Caio T C C Rachid
- LABEM, Paulo de Góes Institute of Microbiology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rebecca L Vega Thurber
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Nash Hall 226, OSU, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA.
| | - Raquel S Peixoto
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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23
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Brown T, Sonett D, Zaneveld JR, Padilla-Gamiño JL. Characterization of the microbiome and immune response in corals with chronic Montipora white syndrome. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:2591-2606. [PMID: 33763924 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Coral diseases have increased in frequency and intensity around the tropics worldwide. However, in many cases, little is known about their etiology. Montipora white syndrome (MWS) is a common disease affecting the coral Montipora capitata, a major reef builder in Hawai'i. Chronic Montipora white syndrome (cMWS) is a slow-moving form of the disease that affects M. capitata throughout the year. The effects of this chronic disease on coral immunology and microbiology are currently unknown. In this study, we use prophenoloxidase immune assays and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to characterize the microbiome and immunological response associated with cMWS. Our results show that immunological and microbiological responses are highly localized. Relative to diseased samples, apparently healthy portions of cMWS corals differed in immune activity and in the relative abundance of microbial taxa. Coral tissues with cMWS showed decreased tyrosinase-type catecholase and tyrosinase-type cresolase activity and increased laccase-type activity. Catecholase and cresolase activity were negatively correlated across all tissue types with microbiome richness. The localized effect of cMWS on coral microbiology and immunology is probably an important reason for the slow progression of the disease. This local confinement may facilitate interventions that focus on localized treatments on tissue types. This study provides an important baseline to understand the interplay between the microbiome and immune system and the mechanisms used by corals to manage chronic microbial perturbations associated with white syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Brown
- School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Dylan Sonett
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Washington, Bothell, Washington, USA
| | - Jesse R Zaneveld
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Washington, Bothell, Washington, USA
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24
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Mutalipassi M, Riccio G, Mazzella V, Galasso C, Somma E, Chiarore A, de Pascale D, Zupo V. Symbioses of Cyanobacteria in Marine Environments: Ecological Insights and Biotechnological Perspectives. Mar Drugs 2021; 19:227. [PMID: 33923826 PMCID: PMC8074062 DOI: 10.3390/md19040227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are a diversified phylum of nitrogen-fixing, photo-oxygenic bacteria able to colonize a wide array of environments. In addition to their fundamental role as diazotrophs, they produce a plethora of bioactive molecules, often as secondary metabolites, exhibiting various biological and ecological functions to be further investigated. Among all the identified species, cyanobacteria are capable to embrace symbiotic relationships in marine environments with organisms such as protozoans, macroalgae, seagrasses, and sponges, up to ascidians and other invertebrates. These symbioses have been demonstrated to dramatically change the cyanobacteria physiology, inducing the production of usually unexpressed bioactive molecules. Indeed, metabolic changes in cyanobacteria engaged in a symbiotic relationship are triggered by an exchange of infochemicals and activate silenced pathways. Drug discovery studies demonstrated that those molecules have interesting biotechnological perspectives. In this review, we explore the cyanobacterial symbioses in marine environments, considering them not only as diazotrophs but taking into consideration exchanges of infochemicals as well and emphasizing both the chemical ecology of relationship and the candidate biotechnological value for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirko Mutalipassi
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (G.R.); (C.G.); (D.d.P.)
| | - Gennaro Riccio
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (G.R.); (C.G.); (D.d.P.)
| | - Valerio Mazzella
- Department of Integrated Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy;
| | - Christian Galasso
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (G.R.); (C.G.); (D.d.P.)
| | - Emanuele Somma
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri, 34127 Trieste, Italy;
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Ischia Marine Centre, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Punta San Pietro, 80077 Naples, Italy;
| | - Antonia Chiarore
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy;
| | - Donatella de Pascale
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (G.R.); (C.G.); (D.d.P.)
| | - Valerio Zupo
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Ischia Marine Centre, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Punta San Pietro, 80077 Naples, Italy;
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25
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Su H, Xiao Z, Yu K, Zhang Q, Lu C, Wang G, Wang Y, Liang J, Huang W, Huang X, Wei F. High Diversity of β-Glucosidase-Producing Bacteria and Their Genes Associated with Scleractinian Corals. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22073523. [PMID: 33805379 PMCID: PMC8037212 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
β-Glucosidase is a microbial cellulose multienzyme that plays an important role in the regulation of the entire cellulose hydrolysis process, which is the rate-limiting step in bacterial carbon cycling in marine environments. Despite its importance in coral reefs, the diversity of β-glucosidase-producing bacteria, their genes, and enzymatic characteristics are poorly understood. In this study, 87 β-glucosidase-producing cultivable bacteria were screened from 6 genera of corals. The isolates were assigned to 21 genera, distributed among three groups: Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. In addition, metagenomics was used to explore the genetic diversity of bacterial β-glucosidase enzymes associated with scleractinian corals, which revealed that these enzymes mainly belong to the glycosidase hydrolase family 3 (GH3). Finally, a novel recombinant β-glucosidase, referred to as Mg9373, encompassing 670 amino acids and a molecular mass of 75.2 kDa, was classified as a member of the GH3 family and successfully expressed and characterized. Mg9373 exhibited excellent tolerance to ethanol, NaCl, and glucose. Collectively, these results suggest that the diversity of β-glucosidase-producing bacteria and genes associated with scleractinian corals is high and novel, indicating great potential for applications in the food industry and agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongfei Su
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (Z.X.); (Q.Z.); (C.L.); (G.W.); (Y.W.); (J.L.); (W.H.); (X.H.); (F.W.)
| | - Zhenlun Xiao
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (Z.X.); (Q.Z.); (C.L.); (G.W.); (Y.W.); (J.L.); (W.H.); (X.H.); (F.W.)
| | - Kefu Yu
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (Z.X.); (Q.Z.); (C.L.); (G.W.); (Y.W.); (J.L.); (W.H.); (X.H.); (F.W.)
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519080, China
- Correspondence:
| | - Qi Zhang
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (Z.X.); (Q.Z.); (C.L.); (G.W.); (Y.W.); (J.L.); (W.H.); (X.H.); (F.W.)
| | - Chunrong Lu
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (Z.X.); (Q.Z.); (C.L.); (G.W.); (Y.W.); (J.L.); (W.H.); (X.H.); (F.W.)
| | - Guanghua Wang
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (Z.X.); (Q.Z.); (C.L.); (G.W.); (Y.W.); (J.L.); (W.H.); (X.H.); (F.W.)
| | - Yinghui Wang
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (Z.X.); (Q.Z.); (C.L.); (G.W.); (Y.W.); (J.L.); (W.H.); (X.H.); (F.W.)
| | - Jiayuan Liang
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (Z.X.); (Q.Z.); (C.L.); (G.W.); (Y.W.); (J.L.); (W.H.); (X.H.); (F.W.)
| | - Wen Huang
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (Z.X.); (Q.Z.); (C.L.); (G.W.); (Y.W.); (J.L.); (W.H.); (X.H.); (F.W.)
| | - Xueyong Huang
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (Z.X.); (Q.Z.); (C.L.); (G.W.); (Y.W.); (J.L.); (W.H.); (X.H.); (F.W.)
| | - Fen Wei
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; (H.S.); (Z.X.); (Q.Z.); (C.L.); (G.W.); (Y.W.); (J.L.); (W.H.); (X.H.); (F.W.)
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26
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Keller-Costa T, Lago-Lestón A, Saraiva JP, Toscan R, Silva SG, Gonçalves J, Cox CJ, Kyrpides N, Nunes da Rocha U, Costa R. Metagenomic insights into the taxonomy, function, and dysbiosis of prokaryotic communities in octocorals. MICROBIOME 2021; 9:72. [PMID: 33766108 PMCID: PMC7993494 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01031-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In octocorals (Cnidaria Octocorallia), the functional relationship between host health and its symbiotic consortium has yet to be determined. Here, we employed comparative metagenomics to uncover the distinct functional and phylogenetic features of the microbiomes of healthy Eunicella gazella, Eunicella verrucosa, and Leptogorgia sarmentosa tissues, in contrast with the microbiomes found in seawater and sediments. We further explored how the octocoral microbiome shifts to a pathobiome state in E. gazella. RESULTS Multivariate analyses based on 16S rRNA genes, Clusters of Orthologous Groups of proteins (COGs), Protein families (Pfams), and secondary metabolite-biosynthetic gene clusters annotated from 20 Illumina-sequenced metagenomes each revealed separate clustering of the prokaryotic communities of healthy tissue samples of the three octocoral species from those of necrotic E. gazella tissue and surrounding environments. While the healthy octocoral microbiome was distinguished by so-far uncultivated Endozoicomonadaceae, Oceanospirillales, and Alteromonadales phylotypes in all host species, a pronounced increase of Flavobacteriaceae and Alphaproteobacteria, originating from seawater, was observed in necrotic E. gazella tissue. Increased abundances of eukaryotic-like proteins, exonucleases, restriction endonucleases, CRISPR/Cas proteins, and genes encoding for heat-shock proteins, inorganic ion transport, and iron storage distinguished the prokaryotic communities of healthy octocoral tissue regardless of the host species. An increase of arginase and nitric oxide reductase genes, observed in necrotic E. gazella tissues, suggests the existence of a mechanism for suppression of nitrite oxide production by which octocoral pathogens may overcome the host's immune system. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to employ primer-less, shotgun metagenome sequencing to unveil the taxonomic, functional, and secondary metabolism features of prokaryotic communities in octocorals. Our analyses reveal that the octocoral microbiome is distinct from those of the environmental surroundings, is host genus (but not species) specific, and undergoes large, complex structural changes in the transition to the dysbiotic state. Host-symbiont recognition, abiotic-stress response, micronutrient acquisition, and an antiviral defense arsenal comprising multiple restriction endonucleases, CRISPR/Cas systems, and phage lysogenization regulators are signatures of prokaryotic communities in octocorals. We argue that these features collectively contribute to the stabilization of symbiosis in the octocoral holobiont and constitute beneficial traits that can guide future studies on coral reef conservation and microbiome therapy. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. Keller-Costa
- Instituto de Bioengenharia e Biociências (iBB), Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - A. Lago-Lestón
- División de Biología Experimental y Aplicada (DBEA), Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), Carr. Ensenada-Tijuana 3918, Zona Playitas, C.P 22860 Ensenada, Baja California Mexico
| | - J. P. Saraiva
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, 04318 Germany
| | - R. Toscan
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, 04318 Germany
| | - S. G. Silva
- Instituto de Bioengenharia e Biociências (iBB), Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - J. Gonçalves
- Centro de Ciências do Mar (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - C. J. Cox
- Centro de Ciências do Mar (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - N. Kyrpides
- Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - U. Nunes da Rocha
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, 04318 Germany
| | - R. Costa
- Instituto de Bioengenharia e Biociências (iBB), Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
- Centro de Ciências do Mar (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
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27
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Putnam HM. Avenues of reef-building coral acclimatization in response to rapid environmental change. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:224/Suppl_1/jeb239319. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.239319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The swiftly changing climate presents a challenge to organismal fitness by creating a mismatch between the current environment and phenotypes adapted to historic conditions. Acclimatory mechanisms may be especially crucial for sessile benthic marine taxa, such as reef-building corals, where climate change factors including ocean acidification and increasing temperature elicit strong negative physiological responses such as bleaching, disease and mortality. Here, within the context of multiple stressors threatening marine organisms, I describe the wealth of metaorganism response mechanisms to rapid ocean change and the ontogenetic shifts in organism interactions with the environment that can generate plasticity. I then highlight the need to consider the interactions of rapid and evolutionary responses in an adaptive (epi)genetic continuum. Building on the definitions of these mechanisms and continuum, I also present how the interplay of the microbiome, epigenetics and parental effects creates additional avenues for rapid acclimatization. To consider under what conditions epigenetic inheritance has a more substantial role, I propose investigation into the offset of timing of gametogenesis leading to different environmental integration times between eggs and sperm and the consequences of this for gamete epigenetic compatibility. Collectively, non-genetic, yet heritable phenotypic plasticity will have significant ecological and evolutionary implications for sessile marine organism persistence under rapid climate change. As such, reef-building corals present ideal and time-sensitive models for further development of our understanding of adaptive feedback loops in a multi-player (epi)genetic continuum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hollie M. Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
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28
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Peixoto RS, Sweet M, Villela HDM, Cardoso P, Thomas T, Voolstra CR, Høj L, Bourne DG. Coral Probiotics: Premise, Promise, Prospects. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2020; 9:265-288. [PMID: 33321044 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-090120-115444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The use of Beneficial Microorganisms for Corals (BMCs) has been proposed recently as a tool for the improvement of coral health, with knowledge in this research topic advancing rapidly. BMCs are defined as consortia of microorganisms that contribute to coral health through mechanisms that include (a) promoting coral nutrition and growth, (b) mitigating stress and impacts of toxic compounds, (c) deterring pathogens, and (d) benefiting early life-stage development. Here, we review the current proposed BMC approach and outline the studies that have proven its potential to increase coral resilience to stress. We revisit and expand the list of putative beneficial microorganisms associated with corals and their proposed mechanismsthat facilitate improved host performance. Further, we discuss the caveats and bottlenecks affecting the efficacy of BMCs and close by focusing on the next steps to facilitate application at larger scales that can improve outcomes for corals and reefs globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel S Peixoto
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil; .,IMAM-AquaRio, Rio de Janeiro Aquarium Research Center, Rio de Janeiro, 20220-360, Brazil.,Current affiliation: Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Michael Sweet
- Aquatic Research Facility, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, University of Derby, Derby DE22 1GB, United Kingdom
| | - Helena D M Villela
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil;
| | - Pedro Cardoso
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-901, Brazil;
| | - Torsten Thomas
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Christian R Voolstra
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78457, Germany.,Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lone Høj
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland 4810, Australia
| | - David G Bourne
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland 4810, Australia.,College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
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Boilard A, Dubé CE, Gruet C, Mercière A, Hernandez-Agreda A, Derome N. Defining Coral Bleaching as a Microbial Dysbiosis within the Coral Holobiont. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8111682. [PMID: 33138319 PMCID: PMC7692791 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8111682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral microbiomes are critical to holobiont health and functioning, but the stability of host–microbial interactions is fragile, easily shifting from eubiosis to dysbiosis. The heat-induced breakdown of the symbiosis between the host and its dinoflagellate algae (that is, “bleaching”), is one of the most devastating outcomes for reef ecosystems. Yet, bleaching tolerance has been observed in some coral species. This review provides an overview of the holobiont’s diversity, explores coral thermal tolerance in relation to their associated microorganisms, discusses the hypothesis of adaptive dysbiosis as a mechanism of environmental adaptation, mentions potential solutions to mitigate bleaching, and suggests new research avenues. More specifically, we define coral bleaching as the succession of three holobiont stages, where the microbiota can (i) maintain essential functions for holobiont homeostasis during stress and/or (ii) act as a buffer to mitigate bleaching by favoring the recruitment of thermally tolerant Symbiodiniaceae species (adaptive dysbiosis), and where (iii) environmental stressors exceed the buffering capacity of both microbial and dinoflagellate partners leading to coral death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Boilard
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; (A.B.); (C.G.)
| | - Caroline E. Dubé
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; (A.B.); (C.G.)
- California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA;
- Correspondence: (C.E.D.); (N.D.)
| | - Cécile Gruet
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; (A.B.); (C.G.)
| | - Alexandre Mercière
- PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 66860 Perpignan CEDEX, France;
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, 98729 Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | | | - Nicolas Derome
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; (A.B.); (C.G.)
- Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences et de Génie, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Correspondence: (C.E.D.); (N.D.)
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30
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McCauley M, Jackson CR, Goulet TL. Microbiomes of Caribbean Octocorals Vary Over Time but Are Resistant to Environmental Change. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1272. [PMID: 32595627 PMCID: PMC7304229 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial microbiome is an essential component of many corals, although knowledge of the microbiomes in scleractinian corals far exceeds that for octocorals. This study characterized the bacterial communities present in shallow water Caribbean gorgonian octocorals over time and space, in addition to determining the bacterial assemblages in gorgonians exposed to environmental perturbations. We found that seven shallow water Caribbean gorgonian species maintained distinct microbiomes and predominantly harbored two bacterial genera, Mycoplasma and Endozoicomonas. Representatives of these taxa accounted for over 70% of the sequences recovered, made up the three most common operational taxonomic units (OTUs), and were present in most of the gorgonian species. Gorgonian species sampled in different seasons and/or in different years, exhibited significant shifts in the abundances of these bacterial OTUs, though there were few changes to overall bacterial diversity, or to the specific OTUs present. These shifts had minimal impact on the relative abundance of inferred functional proteins within the gorgonian corals. Sequences identified as Escherichia were ubiquitous in gorgonian colonies sampled from a lagoon but not in colonies sampled from a back reef. Exposure to increased temperature and/or ultraviolet radiation (UVR) or nutrient enrichment led to few significant changes in the gorgonian coral microbiomes. While there were some shifts in the abundance of the prevalent bacteria, more commonly observed was “microbial switching” between different OTUs identified within the same bacterial genus. The relative stability of gorgonian coral bacterial microbiome may potentially explain some of the resistance and resilience of Caribbean gorgonian corals against changing environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark McCauley
- Department of Biology, The University of Mississippi, University, MS, United States
| | - Colin R Jackson
- Department of Biology, The University of Mississippi, University, MS, United States
| | - Tamar L Goulet
- Department of Biology, The University of Mississippi, University, MS, United States
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31
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Vanwonterghem I, Webster NS. Coral Reef Microorganisms in a Changing Climate. iScience 2020; 23:100972. [PMID: 32208346 PMCID: PMC7096749 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.100972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are one of the most diverse and productive ecosystems on the planet, yet they have suffered tremendous losses due to anthropogenic disturbances and are predicted to be one of the most adversely affected habitats under future climate change conditions. Coral reefs can be viewed as microbially driven ecosystems that rely on the efficient capture, retention, and recycling of nutrients in order to thrive in oligotrophic waters. Microorganisms play vital roles in maintaining holobiont health and ecosystem resilience under environmental stress; however, they are also key players in positive feedback loops that intensify coral reef decline, with cascading effects on biogeochemical cycles and marine food webs. There is an urgent need to develop a fundamental understanding of the complex microbial interactions within coral reefs and their role in ecosystem acclimatization, and it is important to include microorganisms in reef conservation in order to secure a future for these unique environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inka Vanwonterghem
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Nicole S Webster
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia
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32
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Tilstra A, El-Khaled YC, Roth F, Rädecker N, Pogoreutz C, Voolstra CR, Wild C. Denitrification Aligns with N 2 Fixation in Red Sea Corals. Sci Rep 2019; 9:19460. [PMID: 31857601 PMCID: PMC6923481 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-55408-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Denitrification may potentially alleviate excess nitrogen (N) availability in coral holobionts to maintain a favourable N to phosphorous ratio in the coral tissue. However, little is known about the abundance and activity of denitrifiers in the coral holobiont. The present study used the nirS marker gene as a proxy for denitrification potential along with measurements of denitrification rates in a comparative coral taxonomic framework from the Red Sea: Acropora hemprichii, Millepora dichotoma, and Pleuractis granulosa. Relative nirS gene copy numbers associated with the tissues of these common corals were assessed and compared with denitrification rates on the holobiont level. In addition, dinitrogen (N2) fixation rates, Symbiodiniaceae cell density, and oxygen evolution were assessed to provide an environmental context for denitrification. We found that relative abundances of the nirS gene were 16- and 17-fold higher in A. hemprichii compared to M. dichotoma and P. granulosa, respectively. In concordance, highest denitrification rates were measured in A. hemprichii, followed by M. dichotoma and P. granulosa. Denitrification rates were positively correlated with N2 fixation rates and Symbiodiniaceae cell densities. Our results suggest that denitrification may counterbalance the N input from N2 fixation in the coral holobiont, and we hypothesize that these processes may be limited by photosynthates released by the Symbiodiniaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjen Tilstra
- Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, 28359, Germany.
| | - Yusuf C El-Khaled
- Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, 28359, Germany
| | - Florian Roth
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Nils Rädecker
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Claudia Pogoreutz
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Christian R Voolstra
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, 78464, Germany
| | - Christian Wild
- Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, 28359, Germany
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33
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Rosales SM, Sinigalliano C, Gidley M, Jones PR, Gramer LJ. Oceanographic habitat and the coral microbiomes of urban-impacted reefs. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7552. [PMID: 31565557 PMCID: PMC6743471 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are in decline worldwide. In response to this habitat loss, there are efforts to grow, outplant, and restore corals in many regions. The physical oceanographic habitat of corals-such as sea temperature, waves, ocean currents, and available light-is spatially heterogeneous. We therefore hypothesize that outplant location may affect microbiomes, and ultimately, coral health and restoration success. We evaluated the influence of the physical oceanographic habitat on microbes in wild Porites astreoides and Siderastrea siderea. Tissue samples were collected at four Florida reefs in March, June, and September of 2015. We estimated oceanographic conditions from moored instruments, diver observations, remote sensing data, and numerical models. We analyzed microbiomes using amplicon 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing data. We found microbial alpha-diversity negatively correlated with in situ sea temperature (which represented both the annual cycle and upwelling), as well as modeled alongshore currents, in situ sea-level, and modeled tide. Microbial beta-diversity correlated positively with significant wave height and alongshore currents from models, remotely-sensed relative turbidity, and in situ temperature. We found that archaea from the order Marine Group II decrease with increases in significant wave height, suggesting that this taxon may be influenced by waves. Also, during times of high wave activity, the relative abundance of bacteria from the order Flavobacteriales increases, which may be due to resuspension and cross-shelf transport of sediments. We also found that bacteria from the order SAR86 increase in relative abundance with increased temperature, which suggests that this taxon may play a role in the coral microbiome during periods of higher temperature. Overall, we find that physical oceanographic variability correlates with the structure of these coral microbiomes in ways that could be significant to coral health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M Rosales
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.,Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Christopher Sinigalliano
- Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Maribeth Gidley
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.,Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Paul R Jones
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.,Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Lewis J Gramer
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.,Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Miami, FL, USA
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34
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Epstein HE, Smith HA, Cantin NE, Mocellin VJL, Torda G, van Oppen MJH. Temporal Variation in the Microbiome of Acropora Coral Species Does Not Reflect Seasonality. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1775. [PMID: 31474944 PMCID: PMC6706759 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The coral microbiome is known to fluctuate in response to environmental variation and has been suggested to vary seasonally. However, most studies to date, particularly studies on bacterial communities, have examined temporal variation over a time frame of less than 1 year, which is insufficient to establish if microbiome variations are indeed seasonal in nature. The present study focused on expanding our understanding of long-term variability in microbial community composition using two common coral species, Acropora hyacinthus, and Acropora spathulata, at two mid-shelf reefs on the Great Barrier Reef. By sampling over a 2-year time period, this study aimed to determine whether temporal variations reflect seasonal cycles. Community composition of both bacteria and Symbiodiniaceae was characterized through 16S rRNA gene and ITS2 rDNA metabarcoding. We observed significant variations in community composition of both bacteria and Symbiodiniaceae among time points for A. hyacinthus and A. spathulata. However, there was no evidence to suggest that temporal variations were cyclical in nature and represented seasonal variation. Clear evidence for differences in the microbial communities found between reefs suggests that reef location and coral species play a larger role than season in driving microbial community composition in corals. In order to identify the basis of temporal patterns in coral microbial community composition, future studies should employ longer time series of sampling at sufficient temporal resolution to identify the environmental correlates of microbiome variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E. Epstein
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
- AIMS@JCU, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Hillary A. Smith
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Neal E. Cantin
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Gergely Torda
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Madeleine J. H. van Oppen
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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35
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Sánchez-Quinto A, Falcón LI. Metagenome of Acropora palmata coral rubble: Potential metabolic pathways and diversity in the reef ecosystem. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220117. [PMID: 31394568 PMCID: PMC6687439 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past 30 years, the stony coral Acropora palmata has experienced an excessive loss of individuals showing few signs of recovery throughout the Mexican Caribbean, resulting in long stretches of coral rubble structures. When the coral dies, the skeleton begins to be colonized by algae, sponges, virus, bacteria and other microorganisms, forming a new community. Here we analyze, using a metagenomic approach, the diversity and biogeochemical cycles associated to coral rubble in La Bocana (Puerto Morelos, QRoo, Mexico). This study provides the first broad characterization of coral rubble associated communities and their role in biogeochemical cycling, suggesting a potential view of a world where coral reefs are no longer dominated by corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Sánchez-Quinto
- Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM, Ciudad de México, México
- Laboratorio de Ecología Bacteriana, Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, CDMX, México
| | - Luisa I. Falcón
- Laboratorio de Ecología Bacteriana, Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, CDMX, México
- * E-mail:
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36
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van Oppen MJH, Blackall LL. Coral microbiome dynamics, functions and design in a changing world. Nat Rev Microbiol 2019; 17:557-567. [DOI: 10.1038/s41579-019-0223-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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37
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Functional Gene Array-Based Ultrasensitive and Quantitative Detection of Microbial Populations in Complex Communities. mSystems 2019; 4:4/4/e00296-19. [PMID: 31213523 PMCID: PMC6581690 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00296-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid development of metagenomic technologies, including microarrays, over the past decade has greatly expanded our understanding of complex microbial systems. However, because of the ever-expanding number of novel microbial sequences discovered each year, developing a microarray that is representative of real microbial communities, is specific and sensitive, and provides quantitative information remains a challenge. The newly developed GeoChip 5.0 is the most comprehensive microarray available to date for examining the functional capabilities of microbial communities important to biogeochemistry, ecology, environmental sciences, and human health. The GeoChip 5 is highly specific, sensitive, and quantitative based on both computational and experimental assays. Use of the array on a contaminated groundwater sample provided novel insights on the impacts of environmental contaminants on groundwater microbial communities. While functional gene arrays (FGAs) have greatly expanded our understanding of complex microbial systems, specificity, sensitivity, and quantitation challenges remain. We developed a new generation of FGA, GeoChip 5.0, using the Agilent platform. Two formats were created, a smaller format (GeoChip 5.0S), primarily covering carbon-, nitrogen-, sulfur-, and phosphorus-cycling genes and others providing ecological services, and a larger format (GeoChip 5.0M) containing the functional categories involved in biogeochemical cycling of C, N, S, and P and various metals, stress response, microbial defense, electron transport, plant growth promotion, virulence, gyrB, and fungus-, protozoan-, and virus-specific genes. GeoChip 5.0M contains 161,961 oligonucleotide probes covering >365,000 genes of 1,447 gene families from broad, functionally divergent taxonomic groups, including bacteria (2,721 genera), archaea (101 genera), fungi (297 genera), protists (219 genera), and viruses (167 genera), mainly phages. Computational and experimental evaluation indicated that designed probes were highly specific and could detect as little as 0.05 ng of pure culture DNAs within a background of 1 μg community DNA (equivalent to 0.005% of the population). Additionally, strong quantitative linear relationships were observed between signal intensity and amount of pure genomic (∼99% of probes detected; r > 0.9) or soil (∼97%; r > 0.9) DNAs. Application of the GeoChip to a contaminated groundwater microbial community indicated that environmental contaminants (primarily heavy metals) had significant impacts on the biodiversity of the communities. This is the most comprehensive FGA to date, capable of directly linking microbial genes/populations to ecosystem functions. IMPORTANCE The rapid development of metagenomic technologies, including microarrays, over the past decade has greatly expanded our understanding of complex microbial systems. However, because of the ever-expanding number of novel microbial sequences discovered each year, developing a microarray that is representative of real microbial communities, is specific and sensitive, and provides quantitative information remains a challenge. The newly developed GeoChip 5.0 is the most comprehensive microarray available to date for examining the functional capabilities of microbial communities important to biogeochemistry, ecology, environmental sciences, and human health. The GeoChip 5 is highly specific, sensitive, and quantitative based on both computational and experimental assays. Use of the array on a contaminated groundwater sample provided novel insights on the impacts of environmental contaminants on groundwater microbial communities.
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38
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Ahmed HI, Herrera M, Liew YJ, Aranda M. Long-Term Temperature Stress in the Coral Model Aiptasia Supports the "Anna Karenina Principle" for Bacterial Microbiomes. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:975. [PMID: 31139158 PMCID: PMC6517863 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The understanding of host-microbial partnerships has become a hot topic during the last decade as it has been shown that associated microbiota play critical roles in the host physiological functions and susceptibility to diseases. Moreover, the microbiome may contribute to host resilience to environmental stressors. The sea anemone Aiptasia is a good laboratory model system to study corals and their microbial symbiosis. In this regard, studying its bacterial microbiota provides a better understanding of cnidarian metaorganisms as a whole. Here, we investigated the bacterial communities of different Aiptasia host-symbiont combinations under long-term heat stress in laboratory conditions. Following a 16S rRNA gene sequencing approach we were able to detect significant differences in the bacterial composition and structure of Aiptasia reared at different temperatures. A higher number of taxa (i.e., species richness), and consequently increased α-diversity and β-dispersion, were observed in the microbiomes of heat-stressed individuals across all host strains and experimental batches. Our findings are in line with the recently proposed Anna Karenina principle (AKP) for animal microbiomes, which states that dysbiotic or stressed organisms have a more variable and unstable microbiome than healthy ones. Microbial interactions affect the fitness and survival of their hosts, thus exploring the AKP effect on animal microbiomes is important to understand host resilience. Our data contributes to the current knowledge of the Aiptasia holobiont and to the growing field of study of host-associated microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Manuel Aranda
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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Chan CYL, Hiong KC, Choo CYL, Boo MV, Wong WP, Chew SF, Ip YK. Increased apical sodium-dependent glucose transporter abundance in the ctenidium of the giant clam Tridacna squamosa upon illumination. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:jeb.195644. [PMID: 30877228 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.195644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Giant clams contain phototrophic zooxanthellae, and live in nutrient-deficient tropical waters where light is available. We obtained the complete cDNA coding sequence of a homolog of mammalian sodium/glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1) - SGLT1-like - from the ctenidium of the fluted giant clam, Tridacna squamosa SGLT1-like had a host origin and was expressed predominantly in the ctenidium. Molecular characterizations reveal that SGLT1-like of T. squamosa could transport urea, in addition to glucose, as other SGLT1s do. It has an apical localization in the epithelium of ctenidial filaments and water channels, and the apical anti-SGLT1-like immunofluorescence was stronger in individuals exposed to light than to darkness. Furthermore, the protein abundance of SGLT1-like increased significantly in the ctenidium of individuals exposed to light for 12 h, although the SGLT1-like transcript level remained unchanged. As expected, T. squamosa could perform light-enhanced glucose absorption, which was impeded by exogenous urea. These results denote the close relationships between light-enhanced glucose absorption and light-enhanced SGLT1-like expression in the ctenidium of T. squamosa Although glucose absorption could be trivial compared with the donation of photosynthates from zooxanthellae in symbiotic adults, SGLT1-like might be essential for the survival of aposymbiotic larvae, leading to its retention in the symbiotic stage. A priori, glucose uptake through SGLT1-like might be augmented by the surface microbiome through nutrient cycling, and the absorbed glucose could partially fulfill the metabolic needs of the ctenidial cells. Additionally, SGLT1-like could partake in urea absorption, as T. squamosa is known to conduct light-enhanced urea uptake to benefit the nitrogen-deficient zooxanthellae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christabel Y L Chan
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore 117543, Republic of Singapore
| | - Kum C Hiong
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore 117543, Republic of Singapore
| | - Celine Y L Choo
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore 117543, Republic of Singapore
| | - Mel V Boo
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore 117543, Republic of Singapore
| | - Wai P Wong
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore 117543, Republic of Singapore
| | - Shit F Chew
- Natural Sciences and Science Education, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616, Republic of Singapore
| | - Yuen K Ip
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore 117543, Republic of Singapore .,The Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore 119227, Republic of Singapore
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40
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Pratte ZA, Richardson LL. Microbiome dynamics of two differentially resilient corals. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2018; 131:213-226. [PMID: 30459293 DOI: 10.3354/dao03289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Coral bleaching and disease are 2 common occurrences that are contributing to global coral cover decline. Understanding the interactions between the coral animal and its microbial associates, and how they may change in the presence of stressors such as warming and acidification, is a crucial component to understanding both susceptibility and resistance to disease and bleaching. The coral Diploria labyrinthiformis has been shown to be more disease resistant than its relative Pseudodiploria strigosa, providing an ideal study system for disease resistance. In this study, we examined the bacterial communities of these 2 coral species on the Florida Reef tract every 6 mo for 18 mo (in situ sampling), and under experimental (laboratory) thermal and pH manipulation. The in situ sampling encompassed wide fluctuations in temperature, including an anomalously warm summer period. The laboratory experiments involved exposure to both increased temperature (31°C) and lowered pH (7.7). The in situ bacterial communities of both coral species were highly similar in the winter, but diverged during summer, with the D. labyrinthiformis bacterial community being more stable than that of P. strigosa. Differences in the bacterial community between the 2 coral species included 29 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that were specific to D. labyrinthiformis in all seasons, while only 2 OTUs were specific to P. strigosa. The comparative stability of the D. labyrinthiformis microbiome, in addition to harboring a more specific microbiome, may be a key component of the relative disease resistance of this coral.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe A Pratte
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
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41
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Marine Invertebrates: Underexplored Sources of Bacteria Producing Biologically Active Molecules. DIVERSITY-BASEL 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/d10030052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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42
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Randall CJ, Whitcher EM, Code T, Pollock C, Lundgren I, Hillis-Starr Z, Muller EM. Testing methods to mitigate Caribbean yellow-band disease on Orbicella faveolata. PeerJ 2018; 6:e4800. [PMID: 29770279 PMCID: PMC5951125 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Outbreaks of coral diseases continue to reduce global coral populations. In the Caribbean, yellow band is a severe and wide-spread disease that commonly affects corals of the Orbicella spp. complex, significantly impeding coral reproduction, and hindering the natural recovery of Orbicella spp. populations. Caribbean yellow-band disease (CYBD) lesions may be severe, and often result in the complete loss of coral tissue. The slow spread of CYBD, however, provides an opportunity to test methods to mitigate the disease. Here we report the results of in situ experiments, conducted within Buck Island Reef National Monument in St. Croix, USVI, to test the effectiveness of three techniques to minimize disease impact on Orbicella faveolata: (1) shading, (2) aspirating, and (3) chiseling a “firebreak” to isolate the lesion. Neither shading nor aspirating the diseased tissue significantly reduced CYBD tissue loss. However, chiseling reduced the rate and amount of tissue lost by 31%. While 30–40% of the chiseled lesions appeared to be free of disease signs 12–16 months after treatment, success significantly and steadily declined over 23 months, indicating a possible lack of long-term viability of the technique. The results of this study demonstrate that creating a “firebreak” between diseased and healthy-appearing tissue slows the spread of the disease and may prolong the life of O. faveolata colonies. The firebreak method yielded the best results of all the techniques tested, and also required the least amount of effort and resources. However, we do not recommend that this treatment alone be used for long-term disease mitigation. Rather, we propose that modifications of this and other treatment options be sought. The results also highlight the need for extended monitoring of CYBD after any treatment, due to the slow but variable rate and pattern of tissue loss in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly J Randall
- Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, USA.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Tessa Code
- National Park Service, St. Croix, VI, USA
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43
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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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44
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Leite DCA, Salles JF, Calderon EN, van Elsas JD, Peixoto RS. Specific plasmid patterns and high rates of bacterial co-occurrence within the coral holobiont. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:1818-1832. [PMID: 29435256 PMCID: PMC5792611 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the importance of coral microbiomes for holobiont persistence, the interactions among these are not well understood. In particular, knowledge of the co-occurrence and taxonomic importance of specific members of the microbial core, as well as patterns of specific mobile genetic elements (MGEs), is lacking. We used seawater and mucus samples collected from Mussismilia hispida colonies on two reefs located in Bahia, Brazil, to disentangle their associated bacterial communities, intertaxa correlations, and plasmid patterns. Proxies for two broad-host-range (BHR) plasmid groups, IncP-1β and PromA, were screened. Both groups were significantly (up to 252 and 100%, respectively) more abundant in coral mucus than in seawater. Notably, the PromA plasmid group was detected only in coral mucus samples. The core bacteriome of M. hispida mucus was composed primarily of members of the Proteobacteria, followed by those of Firmicutes. Significant host specificity and co-occurrences among different groups of the dominant phyla (e.g., Bacillaceae and Pseudoalteromonadaceae and the genera Pseudomonas, Bacillus, and Vibrio) were detected. These relationships were observed for both the most abundant phyla and the bacteriome core, in which most of the operational taxonomic units showed intertaxa correlations. The observed evidence of host-specific bacteriome and co-occurrence (and potential symbioses or niche space co-dominance) among the most dominant members indicates a taxonomic selection of members of the stable bacterial community. In parallel, host-specific plasmid patterns could also be, independently, related to the assembly of members of the coral microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah C. A. Leite
- Institute of MicrobiologyFederal University of Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroBrazil
| | - Joana F. Salles
- Genomics Research in Ecology and Evolution in Nature ‐ Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Emiliano N. Calderon
- NUPEM/MacaéFederal University of Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroBrazil
- Instituto Coral VivoSanta Cruz CabráliaBrazil
| | - Jan D. van Elsas
- Genomics Research in Ecology and Evolution in Nature ‐ Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Raquel S. Peixoto
- Institute of MicrobiologyFederal University of Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroBrazil
- IMAM‐AquaRio – Rio Marine Aquarium Research CenterRio de JaneiroBrazil
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45
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Godoy-Vitorino F, Toledo-Hernandez C. Reef-Building Corals as a Tool for Climate Change Research in the Genomics Era. Results Probl Cell Differ 2018; 65:529-546. [PMID: 30083934 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-92486-1_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Coral reef ecosystems are among the most biodiverse habitats in the marine realm. They not only contribute with a plethora of ecosystem services, but they also are beneficial to humankind via nurturing marine fisheries and sustaining recreational activities. We will discuss the biology of coral reefs and their ecophysiology including the complex bacterial microbiota associated with them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa Godoy-Vitorino
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto-Rico-School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA.
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46
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Mera H, Bourne DG. Disentangling causation: complex roles of coral-associated microorganisms in disease. Environ Microbiol 2017; 20:431-449. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hanaka Mera
- College of Science and Engineering; James Cook University; Townsville Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - David G. Bourne
- College of Science and Engineering; James Cook University; Townsville Queensland 4811, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science; PMB 3, Townsville, Queensland 4810 Australia
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47
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Meistertzheim AL, Nugues MM, Quéré G, Galand PE. Pathobiomes Differ between Two Diseases Affecting Reef Building Coralline Algae. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1686. [PMID: 28919890 PMCID: PMC5585562 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Crustose coralline algae (CCA) are major benthic calcifiers that play crucial roles in coral reef ecosystems. Two diseases affecting CCA have recently been investigated: coralline white band syndrome (CWBS) and coralline white patch disease (CWPD). These diseases can trigger major losses in CCA cover on tropical coral reefs, but their causative agents remain unknown. Here, we provide data from the first investigation of the bacterial communities associated with healthy and diseased CCA tissues. We show that Neogoniolithon mamillare diseased tissues had distinct microbial communities compared to healthy tissues and demonstrate that CWBS and CWPD were associated with different pathobiomes, indicating that they had different disease causations. CWBS tissues were composed of opportunistic bacteria, and the origin of the disease was undetermined. In contrast, a vibrio related to Vibrio tubiashii characterized the CWPD pathobiome, suggesting that it could be a putative disease agent and supporting the case of a temperature dependent disease associated with global warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Leila Meistertzheim
- CNRS, Laboratoire d'Ecogéochimie des Environnements Benthiques (LECOB), Observatoire Océanologique, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06Banyuls-sur-Mer, France.,EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, PSL Research UniversityPerpignan, France
| | - Maggy M Nugues
- EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, PSL Research UniversityPerpignan, France.,Laboratoire d'Excellence "CORAIL"Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Gaëlle Quéré
- EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, PSL Research UniversityPerpignan, France
| | - Pierre E Galand
- CNRS, Laboratoire d'Ecogéochimie des Environnements Benthiques (LECOB), Observatoire Océanologique, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06Banyuls-sur-Mer, France
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48
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Rubio-Portillo E, Santos F, Martínez-García M, de Los Ríos A, Ascaso C, Souza-Egipsy V, Ramos-Esplá AA, Anton J. Structure and temporal dynamics of the bacterial communities associated to microhabitats of the coral Oculina patagonica. Environ Microbiol 2017; 18:4564-4578. [PMID: 27690185 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Corals are known to contain a diverse microbiota that plays a paramount role in the physiology and health of holobiont. However, few studies have addressed the variability of bacterial communities within the coral host. In this study, bacterial community composition from the mucus, tissue and skeleton of the scleractinian coral Oculina patagonica were investigated seasonally at two locations in the Western Mediterranean Sea, to further understand how environmental conditions and the coral microbiome structure are related. We used denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis in combination with next-generation sequencing and electron microscopy to characterize the bacterial community. The bacterial communities were significantly different among coral compartments, and coral tissue displayed the greatest changes related to environmental conditions and coral health status. Species belonging to the Rhodobacteraceae and Vibrionaceae families form part of O. patagonica tissues core microbiome and may play significant roles in the nitrogen cycle. Furthermore, sequences related to the coral pathogens, Vibrio mediterranei and Vibrio coralliilyticus, were detected not only in bleached corals but also in healthy ones, even during cold months. This fact opens a new view onto unveiling the role of pathogens in the development of coral diseases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Rubio-Portillo
- Department of Marine Sciences and Applied Biology, University of Alicante, Alicante, 03080, Spain
| | - Fernando Santos
- Department of Physiology, Genetics, and Microbiology, University of Alicante, Alicante, 03080, Spain
| | - Manuel Martínez-García
- Department of Physiology, Genetics, and Microbiology, University of Alicante, Alicante, 03080, Spain
| | - Asunción de Los Ríos
- Department of Biogeochemistry and Microbial Ecology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, 28006, Spain
| | - Carmen Ascaso
- Department of Biogeochemistry and Microbial Ecology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, 28006, Spain
| | | | - Alfonso A Ramos-Esplá
- Department of Marine Sciences and Applied Biology, University of Alicante, Alicante, 03080, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Marina (CIMAR), Universidad de Alicante-Ayuntamiento de Santa Pola, Alicante, Spain
| | - Josefa Anton
- Department of Physiology, Genetics, and Microbiology, University of Alicante, Alicante, 03080, Spain
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49
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Escalas A, Troussellier M, Yuan T, Bouvier T, Bouvier C, Mouchet MA, Flores Hernandez D, Ramos Miranda J, Zhou J, Mouillot D. Functional diversity and redundancy across fish gut, sediment and water bacterial communities. Environ Microbiol 2017; 19:3268-3282. [PMID: 28618142 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
This article explores the functional diversity and redundancy in a bacterial metacommunity constituted of three habitats (sediment, water column and fish gut) in a coastal lagoon under anthropogenic pressure. Comprehensive functional gene arrays covering a wide range of ecological processes and stress resistance genes to estimate the functional potential of bacterial communities were used. Then, diversity partitioning was used to characterize functional diversity and redundancy within (α), between (β) and across (γ) habitats. It was showed that all local communities exhibit a highly diversified potential for the realization of key ecological processes and resistance to various environmental conditions, supporting the growing evidence that macro-organisms microbiomes harbour a high functional potential and are integral components of functional gene dynamics in aquatic bacterial metacommunities. Several levels of functional redundancy at different scales of the bacterial metacommunity were observed (within local communities, within habitats and at the metacommunity level). The results suggested a high potential for the realization of spatial ecological insurance within this ecosystem, that is, the functional compensation among microorganisms for the realization and maintenance of key ecological processes, within and across habitats. Finally, the role of macro-organisms as dispersal vectors of microbes and their potential influence on marine metacommunity dynamics were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Escalas
- Institute for Environmental Genomics and Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - Marc Troussellier
- UMR 9190 MARBEC, IRD-CNRS-UM-IFREMER, Université Montpellier, 34095 Montpellier Cedex, France
| | - Tong Yuan
- Institute for Environmental Genomics and Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - Thierry Bouvier
- UMR 9190 MARBEC, IRD-CNRS-UM-IFREMER, Université Montpellier, 34095 Montpellier Cedex, France
| | - Corinne Bouvier
- UMR 9190 MARBEC, IRD-CNRS-UM-IFREMER, Université Montpellier, 34095 Montpellier Cedex, France
| | - Maud A Mouchet
- UMR 7204 CESCO, Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, 55 rue Buffon, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Domingo Flores Hernandez
- Centro de Ecología, Pesquerias y Oceanographia de Golfo de México, Universidad Autonoma de Campeche, Campeche, Mexico
| | - Julia Ramos Miranda
- Centro de Ecología, Pesquerias y Oceanographia de Golfo de México, Universidad Autonoma de Campeche, Campeche, Mexico
| | - Jizhong Zhou
- Institute for Environmental Genomics and Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, 73019, USA.,Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.,State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - David Mouillot
- UMR 9190 MARBEC, IRD-CNRS-UM-IFREMER, Université Montpellier, 34095 Montpellier Cedex, France.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
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50
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Damjanovic K, Blackall LL, Webster NS, van Oppen MJH. The contribution of microbial biotechnology to mitigating coral reef degradation. Microb Biotechnol 2017; 10:1236-1243. [PMID: 28696067 PMCID: PMC5609283 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.12769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The decline of coral reefs due to anthropogenic disturbances is having devastating impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Here we highlight the potential and challenges of microbial manipulation strategies to enhance coral tolerance to stress and contribute to coral reef restoration and protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Damjanovic
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., 3010, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No 3, Townsville MC, 4810, Qld, Australia
| | - Linda L Blackall
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., 3010, Australia
| | - Nicole S Webster
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No 3, Townsville MC, 4810, Qld, Australia.,Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - Madeleine J H van Oppen
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., 3010, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No 3, Townsville MC, 4810, Qld, Australia
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