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Zhang W, Zhang L, Feng Y, Lin D, Yang Z, Zhang Z, Ma Y. Genome-wide profiling of DNA methylome and transcriptome reveals epigenetic regulation of Urechis unicinctus response to sulfide stress. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 927:172238. [PMID: 38582121 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172238] [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: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Sulfide is a well-known environmental pollutant that can have detrimental effects on most organisms. However, few metazoans living in sulfide-rich environments have developed mechanisms to tolerate and adapt to sulfide stress. Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, have been shown to play a vital role in environmental stress adaptation. Nevertheless, the precise function of DNA methylation in biological sulfide adaptation remains unclear. Urechis unicinctus, a benthic organism inhabiting sulfide-rich intertidal environments, is an ideal model organism for studying adaptation to sulfide environments. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the DNA methylome and transcriptome of U. unicinctus after exposure to 50 μM sulfide. The results revealed dynamic changes in the DNA methylation (5-methylcytosine) landscape in response to sulfide stress, with U. unicinctus exhibiting elevated DNA methylation levels following stress exposure. Integrating differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially methylated regions (DMRs), we identified a crucial role of gene body methylation in predicting gene expression. Furthermore, using a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, we validated the involvement of DNA methylation in the sulfide stress response and the gene regulatory network influenced by DNA methylation. The results indicated that by modulating DNA methylation levels during sulfide stress, the expression of glutathione S-transferase, glutamyl aminopeptidase, and cytochrome c oxidase could be up-regulated, thereby facilitating the metabolism and detoxification of exogenous sulfides. Moreover, DNA methylation was found to regulate and enhance the oxidative phosphorylation pathway, including NADH dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and ATP synthase. Additionally, DNA methylation influenced the regulation of Cytochrome P450 and macrophage migration inhibitory factor, both of which are closely associated with oxidative stress and stress resistance. Our findings not only emphasize the role of DNA methylation in sulfide adaptation but also provide novel insights into the potential mechanisms through which marine organisms adapt to environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Ocean Institute, Ocean University of China, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Long Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Ocean Institute, Ocean University of China, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Yuxin Feng
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Ocean Institute, Ocean University of China, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Dawei Lin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Ocean Institute, Ocean University of China, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Zhi Yang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Ocean Institute, Ocean University of China, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Zhifeng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Ocean Institute, Ocean University of China, Sanya 572000, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China.
| | - Yubin Ma
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China.
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Sun Y, Lan Y, Rädecker N, Sheng H, Diaz-Pulido G, Qian PY, Huang H. Gene expression of Pocillopora damicornis coral larvae in response to acidification and ocean warming. BMC Genom Data 2024; 25:28. [PMID: 38459437 PMCID: PMC10924396 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-024-01211-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The endosymbiosis with Symbiodiniaceae is key to the ecological success of reef-building corals. However, climate change is threatening to destabilize this symbiosis on a global scale. Most studies looking into the response of corals to heat stress and ocean acidification focus on coral colonies. As such, our knowledge of symbiotic interactions and stress response in other stages of the coral lifecycle remains limited. Establishing transcriptomic resources for coral larvae under stress can thus provide a foundation for understanding the genomic basis of symbiosis, and its susceptibility to climate change. Here, we present a gene expression dataset generated from larvae of the coral Pocillopora damicornis in response to exposure to acidification and elevated temperature conditions below the bleaching threshold of the symbiosis. DATA DESCRIPTION This dataset is comprised of 16 samples (30 larvae per sample) collected from four treatments (Control, High pCO2, High Temperature, and Combined pCO2 and Temperature treatments). Freshly collected larvae were exposed to treatment conditions for five days, providing valuable insights into gene expression in this vulnerable stage of the lifecycle. In combination with previously published datasets, this transcriptomic resource will facilitate the in-depth investigation of the effects of ocean acidification and elevated temperature on coral larvae and its implication for symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youfang Sun
- 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, 510301, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
- CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 572000, Sanya, China
| | - Yi Lan
- Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, 511458, Guangzhou, China
| | - Nils Rädecker
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Huaxia Sheng
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Sciences, Xiamen University, 361101, Xiamen, China
| | - Guillermo Diaz-Pulido
- School of Environment and Science, Coastal and Marine Research Centre, and Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan Campus, 4111, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Pei-Yuan Qian
- Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
- CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 572000, Sanya, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, 511458, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Hui Huang
- 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, 510301, Guangzhou, China.
- CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 572000, Sanya, China.
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3
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Han T, Liao X, Guo Z, Chen JY, He C, Lu Z. Deciphering temporal gene expression dynamics in multiple coral species exposed to heat stress: Implications for predicting resilience. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169021. [PMID: 38061659 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169021] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Coral reefs are facing unprecedented threats due to global climate change, particularly elevated sea surface temperatures causing coral bleaching. Understanding coral responses at the molecular level is crucial for predicting their resilience and developing effective conservation strategies. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive gene expression analysis of four coral species to investigate their long-term molecular response to heat stress. We identified distinct gene expression patterns among the coral species, with laminar corals exhibiting a stronger response compared to branching corals. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) showed an overall decreasing expression trend, indicating the high energy cost associated with sustaining elevated HSP levels during prolonged heat stress. Peroxidases and oxidoreductases involved in oxidative stress response demonstrated significant upregulation, highlighting their role in maintaining cellular redox balance. Differential expression of genes related to calcium homeostasis and bioluminescence suggested distinct mechanisms for coping with heat stress among the coral species. Furthermore, the impact of heat stress on coral biomineralization varied, with downregulation of carbonic anhydrase and skeletal organic matrix proteins indicating reduced capacity for biomineralization in the later stages of heat stress. Our findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying coral responses to heat stress and highlight the importance of considering species-specific responses in assessing coral resilience. The identified biomarkers may serve as indicators of heat stress and contribute to early detection of coral bleaching events. These findings contribute to our understanding of coral resilience and provide a basis for future research aimed at enhancing coral survival in the face of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingyu Han
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Xin Liao
- Guangxi Key Lab of Mangrove Conservation and Utilization, Guangxi Mangrove Research Center, Beihai 536000, China
| | - Zhuojun Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - J-Y Chen
- Nanjing Institute of Paleontology and Geology, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Chunpeng He
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China.
| | - Zuhong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China.
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Allen-Waller LR, Jones KG, Martynek MP, Brown KT, Barott KL. Comparative physiology reveals heat stress disrupts acid-base homeostasis independent of symbiotic state in the model cnidarian Exaiptasia diaphana. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246222. [PMID: 38269486 PMCID: PMC10911193 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Climate change threatens the survival of symbiotic cnidarians by causing photosymbiosis breakdown in a process known as bleaching. Direct effects of temperature on cnidarian host physiology remain difficult to describe because heatwaves depress symbiont performance, leading to host stress and starvation. The symbiotic sea anemone Exaiptasia diaphana provides an opportune system to disentangle direct versus indirect heat effects on the host, as it can survive indefinitely without symbionts. We tested the hypothesis that heat directly impairs cnidarian physiology by comparing symbiotic and aposymbiotic individuals of two laboratory subpopulations of a commonly used clonal strain of E. diaphana, CC7. We exposed anemones to a range of temperatures (ambient, +2°C, +4°C and +6°C) for 15-18 days, then measured their symbiont population densities, autotrophic carbon assimilation and translocation, photosynthesis, respiration and host intracellular pH (pHi). Symbiotic anemones from the two subpopulations differed in size and symbiont density and exhibited distinct heat stress responses, highlighting the importance of acclimation to different laboratory conditions. Specifically, the cohort with higher initial symbiont densities experienced dose-dependent symbiont loss with increasing temperature and a corresponding decline in host photosynthate accumulation. In contrast, the cohort with lower initial symbiont densities did not lose symbionts or assimilate less photosynthate when heated, similar to the response of aposymbiotic anemones. However, anemone pHi decreased at higher temperatures regardless of cohort, symbiont presence or photosynthate translocation, indicating that heat consistently disrupts cnidarian acid-base homeostasis independent of symbiotic status or mutualism breakdown. Thus, pH regulation may be a critical vulnerability for cnidarians in a changing climate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katelyn G. Jones
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | | | - Kristen T. Brown
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Katie L. Barott
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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5
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Yu X, Yu K, Chen B, Liao Z, Liang J, Qin Z, Gao X. Metabolic and immune costs balance during natural acclimation of corals in fluctuating environments. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 193:106284. [PMID: 38048660 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications based on DNA methylation can rapidly improve the potential of corals to adapt to environmental pressures by increasing their phenotypic plasticity, a factor important for scleractinian corals to adapt to future global warming. However, the extent to which corals develop similar adaptive mechanisms and their specific adaptation processes remain unclear. Here, to reveal the regulatory mechanism by which DNA methylation improves thermal tolerance in Pocillopora damicornis under fluctuating environments, we analyzed genome-wide DNA methylation signatures in P. damicornis and compared the differences in the methylation and transcriptional responses of P. damicornis from fluctuating and stable environments using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing and nanopore-based RNA sequencingtranscriptome sequencing. We discovered low methylation levels in P. damicornis (average methylation 4.14%), with CpG accounting for 74.88%, CHH for 13.27%, and CHG for 11.85% of this methylation. However, methylation levels did not change between coral samples from the fluctuating and stable environments. The varied methylation levels in different regions of the gene revealed that the overall methylation level of the gene body was relatively high and showed a bimodal methylation pattern. Methylation occurs primarily in exons rather than introns within the gene body In P. damicornis, there was only a weak correlation between methylation and transcriptional changes at the individual gene level, and the methylation and gene expression levels generally exhibited a bell-shaped relationship, which we speculate may be due to the specificity of cnidarian species. Correlation analysis between methylation levels and the transcriptome revealed that the highest proportion of the top 20 enriched KEGG pathways was related to immunity. Additionally, P. damicornis collected from a high-temperature pool had a lower metabolic rate than those collected from a low-temperature pool. We hypothesize that the dynamic balance of energy-expenditure costs between immunity and metabolism is an important strategy for increasing P. damicornis tolerance. The fluctuating environment of high-temperature pools may increase the heat tolerance in corals by increasing their immunity and thus lowering their metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaopeng Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China.
| | - Biao Chen
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Zhiheng Liao
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Jiayuan Liang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Zhenjun Qin
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Xu Gao
- Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi, China
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6
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Radice VZ, Martinez A, Paytan A, Potts DC, Barshis DJ. Complex dynamics of coral gene expression responses to low pH across species. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17186. [PMID: 37905582 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Coral capacity to tolerate low pH affects coral community composition and, ultimately, reef ecosystem function. Low pH submarine discharges ('Ojo'; Yucatán, México) represent a natural laboratory to study plasticity and acclimatization to low pH in relation to ocean acidification. A previous >2-year coral transplant experiment to ambient and low pH common garden sites revealed differential survivorship across species and sites, providing a framework to compare mechanistic responses to differential pH exposures. Here, we examined gene expression responses of transplants of three species of reef-building corals (Porites astreoides, Porites porites and Siderastrea siderea) and their algal endosymbiont communities (Symbiodiniaceae) originating from low pH (Ojo) and ambient pH native origins (Lagoon or Reef). Transplant pH environment had the greatest effect on gene expression of Porites astreoides hosts and symbionts and P. porites hosts. Host P. astreoides Ojo natives transplanted to ambient pH showed a similar gene expression profile to Lagoon natives remaining in ambient pH, providing evidence of plasticity in response to ambient pH conditions. Although origin had a larger effect on host S. siderea gene expression due to differences in symbiont genera within Reef and Lagoon/Ojo natives, subtle effects of low pH on all origins demonstrated acclimatization potential. All corals responded to low pH by differentially expressing genes related to pH regulation, ion transport, calcification, cell adhesion and stress/immune response. This study demonstrates that the magnitude of coral gene expression responses to pH varies considerably among populations, species and holobionts, which could differentially affect acclimatization to and impacts of ocean acidification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Z Radice
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
| | - Ana Martinez
- University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Adina Paytan
- University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | | | - Daniel J Barshis
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
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7
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Cheng K, Li X, Tong M, Jong MC, Cai Z, Zheng H, Xiao B, Zhou J. Integrated metagenomic and metaproteomic analyses reveal bacterial micro-ecological mechanisms in coral bleaching. mSystems 2023; 8:e0050523. [PMID: 37882797 PMCID: PMC10734480 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00505-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Coral reefs worldwide are facing rapid decline due to coral bleaching. However, knowledge of the physiological characteristics and molecular mechanisms of coral symbionts respond to stress is scarce. Here, metagenomic and metaproteomic approaches were utilized to shed light on the changes in the composition and functions of coral symbiotic bacteria during coral bleaching. The results demonstrated that coral bleaching significantly affected the composition of symbionts, with bacterial communities dominating in bleached corals. Through differential analyses of gene and protein expression, it becomes evident that symbionts experience functional disturbances in response to heat stress. These disturbances result in abnormal energy metabolism, which could potentially compromise the health and resilience of the symbionts. Furthermore, our findings highlighted the highly diverse microbial communities of coral symbionts, with beneficial bacteria providing critical services to corals in stress responses and pathogenic bacteria driving coral bleaching. This study provides comprehensive insights into the complex response mechanisms of coral symbionts under heat stress from the micro-ecological perspective and offers fundamental data for future monitoring of coral health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keke Cheng
- Shenzhen Public Platform for Screening and Application of Marine Microbial Resources, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Xinyang Li
- Shenzhen Public Platform for Screening and Application of Marine Microbial Resources, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Mengmeng Tong
- Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China
| | - Mui-Choo Jong
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhonghua Cai
- Shenzhen Public Platform for Screening and Application of Marine Microbial Resources, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Huina Zheng
- Shenzhen Institute of Guangdong Ocean University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Baohua Xiao
- Shenzhen Institute of Guangdong Ocean University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Jin Zhou
- Shenzhen Public Platform for Screening and Application of Marine Microbial Resources, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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Du M, Jiang Z, Wang C, Wei C, Li Q, Cong R, Wang W, Zhang G, Li L. Genome-Wide Association Analysis of Heat Tolerance in F 2 Progeny from the Hybridization between Two Congeneric Oyster Species. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:125. [PMID: 38203295 PMCID: PMC10778899 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
As the world's largest farmed marine animal, oysters have enormous economic and ecological value. However, mass summer mortality caused by high temperature poses a significant threat to the oyster industry. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying heat adaptation and improve the heat tolerance ability in the oyster, we conducted genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) analysis on the F2 generation derived from the hybridization of relatively heat-tolerant Crassostrea angulata ♀ and heat-sensitive Crassostrea gigas ♂, which are the dominant cultured species in southern and northern China, respectively. Acute heat stress experiment (semi-lethal temperature 42 °C) demonstrated that the F2 population showed differentiation in heat tolerance, leading to extremely differentiated individuals (approximately 20% of individuals die within the first four days with 10% survival after 14 days). Genome resequencing and GWAS of the two divergent groups had identified 18 significant SNPs associated with heat tolerance, with 26 candidate genes located near these SNPs. Eleven candidate genes that may associate with the thermal resistance were identified, which were classified into five categories: temperature sensor (Trpm2), transcriptional factor (Gata3), protein ubiquitination (Ube2h, Usp50, Uchl3), heat shock subfamily (Dnajc17, Dnaja1), and transporters (Slc16a9, Slc16a14, Slc16a9, Slc16a2). The expressional differentiation of the above genes between C. gigas and C. angulata under sublethal temperature (37 °C) further supports their crucial role in coping with high temperature. Our results will contribute to understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying heat tolerance, and provide genetic markers for heat-resistance breeding in the oyster industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyang Du
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (M.D.); (Z.J.); (C.W.); (C.W.); (Q.L.); (R.C.); (W.W.); (G.Z.)
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266100, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Zhuxiang Jiang
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (M.D.); (Z.J.); (C.W.); (C.W.); (Q.L.); (R.C.); (W.W.); (G.Z.)
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266100, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Chaogang Wang
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (M.D.); (Z.J.); (C.W.); (C.W.); (Q.L.); (R.C.); (W.W.); (G.Z.)
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266100, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Chenchen Wei
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (M.D.); (Z.J.); (C.W.); (C.W.); (Q.L.); (R.C.); (W.W.); (G.Z.)
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Qingyuan Li
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (M.D.); (Z.J.); (C.W.); (C.W.); (Q.L.); (R.C.); (W.W.); (G.Z.)
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266100, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Rihao Cong
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (M.D.); (Z.J.); (C.W.); (C.W.); (Q.L.); (R.C.); (W.W.); (G.Z.)
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266100, China
- National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Ecological Mariculture, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Wei Wang
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (M.D.); (Z.J.); (C.W.); (C.W.); (Q.L.); (R.C.); (W.W.); (G.Z.)
- National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Ecological Mariculture, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Guofan Zhang
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (M.D.); (Z.J.); (C.W.); (C.W.); (Q.L.); (R.C.); (W.W.); (G.Z.)
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266100, China
- National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Ecological Mariculture, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
- Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Li Li
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; (M.D.); (Z.J.); (C.W.); (C.W.); (Q.L.); (R.C.); (W.W.); (G.Z.)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
- National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Ecological Mariculture, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266100, China
- Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Wuhan 430072, China
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9
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Recuerda M, Palacios M, Frías O, Hobson K, Nabholz B, Blanco G, Milá B. Adaptive phenotypic and genomic divergence in the common chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) following niche expansion within a small oceanic island. J Evol Biol 2023; 36:1226-1241. [PMID: 37485603 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
According to models of ecological speciation, adaptation to adjacent, contrasting habitat types can lead to population divergence given strong enough environment-driven selection to counteract the homogenizing effect of gene flow. We tested this hypothesis in the common chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) on the small island of La Palma, Canary Islands, where it occupies two markedly different habitats. Isotopic (δ13 C, δ15 N) analysis of feathers indicated that birds in the two habitats differed in ecosystem and/or diet, and analysis of phenotypic traits revealed significant differences in morphology and plumage colouration that are consistent with ecomorphological and ecogeographical predictions respectively. A genome-wide survey of single-nucleotide polymorphism revealed marked neutral structure that was consistent with geography and isolation by distance, suggesting low dispersal. In contrast, loci putatively under selection identified through genome-wide association and genotype-environment association analyses, revealed amarked adaptive divergence between birds in both habitats. Loci associated with phenotypic and environmental differences among habitats were distributed across the genome, as expected for polygenic traits involved in local adaptation. Our results suggest a strong role for habitat-driven local adaptation in population divergence in the chaffinches of La Palma, a process that appears to be facilitated by a strong reduction in effective dispersal distances despite the birds' high dispersal capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Recuerda
- National Museum of Natural Sciences, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mercè Palacios
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Oscar Frías
- National Museum of Natural Sciences, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Keith Hobson
- Biology Department, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Benoit Nabholz
- Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier (ISEM), CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
| | - Guillermo Blanco
- National Museum of Natural Sciences, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Borja Milá
- National Museum of Natural Sciences, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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10
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Ishibashi H, Minamide S, Takeuchi I. Expression analyses of stress-responsive genes in the hermatypic coral Acropora tenuis and its symbiotic dinoflagellates after exposure to the herbicide Diuron. MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 5:289-299. [PMID: 37637253 PMCID: PMC10449730 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-023-00183-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Diuron is one of the most frequently applied herbicides in sugarcane farming in southern Japan, and Australia. In addition, it is used as a booster substance in copper-based antifouling paints. Due to these various uses, Diuron is released into the marine environment; however, little information is available on gene expression in corals and their symbiotic algae exposed to Diuron. We investigated the effects of Diuron on stress-responsive gene expression in the hermatypic coral Acropora tenuis and its symbiotic dinoflagellates. After seven days of exposure to 1 µg/L and 10 µg/L Diuron, no significant changes in the body colour of corals were observed. However, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses revealed that the expression levels of stress-responsive genes, such as heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), HSP70, and calreticulin (CALR), were significantly downregulated in corals exposed to 10 µg/L of Diuron for seven days. Moreover, aquaglyceroporin was significantly downregulated in corals exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of 1 µg/L Diuron. In contrast, no such effects were observed on the expression levels of other stress-responsive genes, such as oxidative stress-responsive proteins, methionine adenosyltransferase, and green/red fluorescent proteins. Diuron exposure had no significant effect on the expression levels of HSP90, HSP70, or HSP40 in the symbiotic dinoflagellates. These results suggest that stress-responsive genes, such as HSPs, respond differently to Diuron in corals and their symbiotic dinoflagellates and that A. tenuis HSPs and CALRs may be useful molecular biomarkers for predicting stress responses induced by the herbicide Diuron. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-023-00183-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Ishibashi
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8566 Japan
- Center of Advanced Technology for the Environment, Graduate School of Agriculture, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8566 Japan
| | - Seigo Minamide
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8566 Japan
| | - Ichiro Takeuchi
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8566 Japan
- Center of Advanced Technology for the Environment, Graduate School of Agriculture, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8566 Japan
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11
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Ashraf N, Anas A, Sukumaran V, Gopinath G, Idrees Babu KK, Dinesh Kumar PK. Recent advancements in coral health, microbiome interactions and climate change. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 878:163085. [PMID: 36996987 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Corals are the visible indicators of the disasters induced by global climate change and anthropogenic activities and have become a highly vulnerable ecosystem on the verge of extinction. Multiple stressors could act individually or synergistically which results in small to large scale tissue degradation, reduced coral covers, and makes the corals vulnerable to various diseases. The coralline diseases are like the Chicken pox in humans because they spread hastily throughout the coral ecosystem and can devastate the coral cover formed over centuries in an abbreviated time. The extinction of the entire reef ecosystem will alter the ocean and earth's amalgam of biogeochemical cycles causing a threat to the entire planet. The current manuscript provides an overview of the recent advancement in coral health, microbiome interactions and climate change. Culture dependent and independent approaches in studying the microbiome of corals, the diseases caused by microorganisms, and the reservoirs of coral pathogens are also discussed. Finally, we discuss the possibilities of protecting the coral reefs from diseases through microbiome transplantation and the capabilities of remote sensing in monitoring their health status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nizam Ashraf
- CSIR - National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Centre, Kochi 682018, India
| | - Abdulaziz Anas
- CSIR - National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Centre, Kochi 682018, India.
| | - Vrinda Sukumaran
- CSIR - National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Centre, Kochi 682018, India
| | - Girish Gopinath
- Department of Climate Variability and Aquatic Ecosystems, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Puduvypu Campus, Kochi 682 508, India
| | - K K Idrees Babu
- Department of Science and Technology, Kavaratti, Lakshadweep 682555, India
| | - P K Dinesh Kumar
- CSIR - National Institute of Oceanography, Regional Centre, Kochi 682018, India
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12
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Armstrong EJ, Lê-Hoang J, Carradec Q, Aury JM, Noel B, Hume BCC, Voolstra CR, Poulain J, Belser C, Paz-García DA, Cruaud C, Labadie K, Da Silva C, Moulin C, Boissin E, Bourdin G, Iwankow G, Romac S, Agostini S, Banaigs B, Boss E, Bowler C, de Vargas C, Douville E, Flores M, Forcioli D, Furla P, Galand PE, Gilson E, Lombard F, Pesant S, Reynaud S, Sullivan MB, Sunagawa S, Thomas OP, Troublé R, Thurber RV, Zoccola D, Planes S, Allemand D, Wincker P. Host transcriptomic plasticity and photosymbiotic fidelity underpin Pocillopora acclimatization across thermal regimes in the Pacific Ocean. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3056. [PMID: 37264036 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38610-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Heat waves are causing declines in coral reefs globally. Coral thermal responses depend on multiple, interacting drivers, such as past thermal exposure, endosymbiont community composition, and host genotype. This makes the understanding of their relative roles in adaptive and/or plastic responses crucial for anticipating impacts of future warming. Here, we extracted DNA and RNA from 102 Pocillopora colonies collected from 32 sites on 11 islands across the Pacific Ocean to characterize host-photosymbiont fidelity and to investigate patterns of gene expression across a historical thermal gradient. We report high host-photosymbiont fidelity and show that coral and microalgal gene expression respond to different drivers. Differences in photosymbiotic association had only weak impacts on host gene expression, which was more strongly correlated with the historical thermal environment, whereas, photosymbiont gene expression was largely determined by microalgal lineage. Overall, our results reveal a three-tiered strategy of thermal acclimatization in Pocillopora underpinned by host-photosymbiont specificity, host transcriptomic plasticity, and differential photosymbiotic association under extreme warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Armstrong
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057, Evry, France.
- Research Federation for the study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/ Tara Oceans-GOSEE, 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75016, Paris, France.
- PSL Université Paris: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, UAR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860, Perpignan Cedex, France.
| | - Julie Lê-Hoang
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057, Evry, France
- Research Federation for the study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/ Tara Oceans-GOSEE, 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75016, Paris, France
| | - Quentin Carradec
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057, Evry, France.
- Research Federation for the study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/ Tara Oceans-GOSEE, 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75016, Paris, France.
| | - Jean-Marc Aury
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057, Evry, France
- Research Federation for the study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/ Tara Oceans-GOSEE, 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75016, Paris, France
| | - Benjamin Noel
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057, Evry, France
- Research Federation for the study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/ Tara Oceans-GOSEE, 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75016, Paris, France
| | - Benjamin C C Hume
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Julie Poulain
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057, Evry, France
- Research Federation for the study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/ Tara Oceans-GOSEE, 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75016, Paris, France
| | - Caroline Belser
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057, Evry, France
- Research Federation for the study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/ Tara Oceans-GOSEE, 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75016, Paris, France
| | - David A Paz-García
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR), Av. IPN 195, La Paz, Baja California Sur, 23096, México
| | - Corinne Cruaud
- Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
| | - Karine Labadie
- Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
| | - Corinne Da Silva
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057, Evry, France
- Research Federation for the study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/ Tara Oceans-GOSEE, 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75016, Paris, France
| | - Clémentine Moulin
- Fondation Tara Océan, Base Tara, 8 rue de Prague, 75 012, Paris, France
| | - Emilie Boissin
- PSL Université Paris: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, UAR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860, Perpignan Cedex, France
| | - Guillaume Bourdin
- School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, 04469, ME, USA
| | - Guillaume Iwankow
- PSL Université Paris: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, UAR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860, Perpignan Cedex, France
| | - Sarah Romac
- Research Federation for the study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/ Tara Oceans-GOSEE, 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75016, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Station Biologique de Roscoff, AD2M, UMR 7144, ECOMAP, 29680, Roscoff, France
| | - Sylvain Agostini
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 5-10-1, Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Bernard Banaigs
- PSL Université Paris: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, UAR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860, Perpignan Cedex, France
| | - Emmanuel Boss
- School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, 04469, ME, USA
| | - Chris Bowler
- Research Federation for the study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/ Tara Oceans-GOSEE, 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75016, Paris, France
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), CNRS UMR 8197, INSERM U1024, 46 rue d'Ulm, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Colomban de Vargas
- Research Federation for the study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/ Tara Oceans-GOSEE, 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75016, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Station Biologique de Roscoff, AD2M, UMR 7144, ECOMAP, 29680, Roscoff, France
| | - Eric Douville
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Michel Flores
- Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 76100, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Didier Forcioli
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INSERM, IRCAN, Medical School, Nice, France
- LIA ROPSE, Laboratoire International Associé Université Côte d'Azur - Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Principality of Monaco, Monaco
| | - Paola Furla
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INSERM, IRCAN, Medical School, Nice, France
- LIA ROPSE, Laboratoire International Associé Université Côte d'Azur - Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Principality of Monaco, Monaco
| | - Pierre E Galand
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Ecogéochimie des Environnements Benthiques (LECOB), Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls, 66650, Banyuls sur mer, France
| | - Eric Gilson
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, INSERM, IRCAN, Medical School, Nice, France
- LIA ROPSE, Laboratoire International Associé Université Côte d'Azur - Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Principality of Monaco, Monaco
- Department of Medical Genetics, CHU, Nice, France
| | - Fabien Lombard
- Research Federation for the study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/ Tara Oceans-GOSEE, 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75016, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, Institut de la Mer de Villefranche sur mer, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, F-06230, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Stéphane Pesant
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Stéphanie Reynaud
- LIA ROPSE, Laboratoire International Associé Université Côte d'Azur - Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Principality of Monaco, Monaco
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine Ier, MC-98000, Principality of Monaco, Monaco
| | - Matthew B Sullivan
- Departments of Microbiology and Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Shinichi Sunagawa
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Olivier P Thomas
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Ryan institute, University of Galway, University Road H91TK33, Galway, Ireland
| | - Romain Troublé
- Fondation Tara Océan, Base Tara, 8 rue de Prague, 75 012, Paris, France
| | - Rebecca Vega Thurber
- Oregon State University, Department of Microbiology, 220 Nash Hall, 97331, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Didier Zoccola
- LIA ROPSE, Laboratoire International Associé Université Côte d'Azur - Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Principality of Monaco, Monaco
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine Ier, MC-98000, Principality of Monaco, Monaco
| | - Serge Planes
- PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 66860, Perpignan Cedex, France
| | - Denis Allemand
- LIA ROPSE, Laboratoire International Associé Université Côte d'Azur - Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Principality of Monaco, Monaco
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine Ier, MC-98000, Principality of Monaco, Monaco
| | - Patrick Wincker
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057, Evry, France
- Research Federation for the study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/ Tara Oceans-GOSEE, 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75016, Paris, France
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13
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Vandepas LE, Tassia MG, Halanych KM, Amemiya CT. Unexpected Distribution of Chitin and Chitin Synthase across Soft-Bodied Cnidarians. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13050777. [PMID: 37238647 DOI: 10.3390/biom13050777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Cnidarians are commonly recognized as sea jellies, corals, or complex colonies such as the Portuguese man-of-war. While some cnidarians possess rigid internal calcareous skeletons (e.g., corals), many are soft-bodied. Intriguingly, genes coding for the chitin-biosynthetic enzyme, chitin synthase (CHS), were recently identified in the model anemone Nematostella vectensis, a species lacking hard structures. Here we report the prevalence and diversity of CHS across Cnidaria and show that cnidarian chitin synthase genes display diverse protein domain organizations. We found that CHS is expressed in cnidarian species and/or developmental stages with no reported chitinous or rigid morphological structures. Chitin affinity histochemistry indicates that chitin is present in soft tissues of some scyphozoan and hydrozoan medusae. To further elucidate the biology of chitin in cnidarian soft tissues, we focused on CHS expression in N. vectensis. Spatial expression data show that three CHS orthologs are differentially expressed in Nematostella embryos and larvae during development, suggesting that chitin has an integral role in the biology of this species. Understanding how a non-bilaterian lineage such as Cnidaria employs chitin may provide new insight into hitherto unknown functions of polysaccharides in animals, as well as their role in the evolution of biological novelty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Vandepas
- Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Michael G Tassia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Kenneth M Halanych
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
- Departments of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403, USA
| | - Chris T Amemiya
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA
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14
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Coral Gardens Reef, Belize: An Acropora spp. refugium under threat in a warming world. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280852. [PMID: 36753468 PMCID: PMC9907857 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Live coral cover has declined precipitously on Caribbean reefs in recent decades. Acropora cervicornis coral has been particularly decimated, and few Western Atlantic Acropora spp. refugia remain. Coral Gardens, Belize, was identified in 2020 as a long-term refugium for this species. This study assesses changes in live A. cervicornis coral abundance over time at Coral Gardens to monitor the stability of A. cervicornis corals, and to explore potential threats to this important refugium. Live coral cover was documented annually from 2012-2019 along five permanent transects. In situ sea-surface temperature data were collected at Coral Gardens throughout the study period and compared with calibrated satellite data to calculate Maximum Monthly Mean (MMM) temperatures and Degree Heating Weeks (DHW). Data on bathymetry, sediment, substrate, herbivore abundance, and macroalgal abundance were collected in 2014 and 2019 to assess potential threats to Coral Gardens. Live coral cover declined at all five transect sites over the study period. The greatest loss of live coral occurred between 2016 and 2017, coincident with the earliest and highest maximum average temperatures recorded at the study site, and the passage of a hurricane in 2016. Structural storm damage was not observed at Coral Gardens, though live coral cover declined after the passage of the storm. Uranium-thorium (230Th) dating of 26 dead in situ fragments of A. cervicornis collected in 2015 from Coral Gardens revealed no correlation between coral mortality and tropical storms and hurricanes in the recent past. Our data suggest that several other common drivers for coral decline (i.e. herbivory, predation, sedimentation, pH) may likely be ruled out for Coral Gardens. At the end of the study period, Coral Gardens satisfied most criteria for refugium status. However, the early onset, higher mean, and longer duration of above-average temperatures, as well as intermittent temperature anomalies likely played a critical role in the stability of this refugium. We suggest that temperature stress in 2016 and perhaps 2015 may have increased coral tissue vulnerability at Coral Gardens to a passing hurricane, threatening the status of this unique refugium.
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15
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Similarities in biomass and energy reserves among coral colonies from contrasting reef environments. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1355. [PMID: 36693980 PMCID: PMC9873650 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28289-6] [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: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are declining worldwide, yet some coral populations are better adapted to withstand reductions in pH and the rising frequency of marine heatwaves. The nearshore reef habitats of Palau, Micronesia are a proxy for a future of warmer, more acidic oceans. Coral populations in these habitats can resist, and recover from, episodes of thermal stress better than offshore conspecifics. To explore the physiological basis of this tolerance, we compared tissue biomass (ash-free dry weight cm-2), energy reserves (i.e., protein, total lipid, carbohydrate content), and several important lipid classes in six coral species living in both offshore and nearshore environments. In contrast to expectations, a trend emerged of many nearshore colonies exhibiting lower biomass and energy reserves than colonies from offshore sites, which may be explained by the increased metabolic demand of living in a warmer, acidic, environment. Despite hosting different dinoflagellate symbiont species and having access to contrasting prey abundances, total lipid and lipid class compositions were similar in colonies from each habitat. Ultimately, while the regulation of colony biomass and energy reserves may be influenced by factors, including the identity of the resident symbiont, kind of food consumed, and host genetic attributes, these independent processes converged to a similar homeostatic set point under different environmental conditions.
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16
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Hernández Elizárraga VH, Olguín-López N, Hernández-Matehuala R, Caballero-Pérez J, Ibarra-Alvarado C, Rojas-Molina A. Transcriptomic differences between bleached and unbleached hydrozoan Millepora complanata following the 2015-2016 ENSO in the Mexican Caribbean. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14626. [PMID: 36691486 PMCID: PMC9864129 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14626] [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: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The 2015-2016 El Niño-southern oscillation or "ENSO" caused many M. complanata colonies that live in the Mexican Caribbean to experience extensive bleaching. The purpose of this work was to analyze the effect of bleaching on the cellular response of M. complanata, employing a transcriptomic approach with RNA-seq. As expected, bleached specimens contained a significantly lower chlorophyll content than unbleached hydrocorals. The presence of algae of the genera Durusdinium and Cladocopium was only found in tissues of unbleached M. complanata, which could be associated to the greater resistance that these colonies exhibited during bleaching. We found that 299 genes were differentially expressed in M. complanata bleached colonies following the 2015-2016 ENSO in the Mexican Caribbean. The differential expression analysis of bleached M. complanata specimens evidenced enriched terms for functional categories, such as ribosome, RNA polymerase and basal transcription factors, chaperone, oxidoreductase, among others. Our results suggest that the heat-shock response mechanisms displayed by M. complanata include: an up-regulation of endogenous antioxidant defenses; a higher expression of heat stress response genes; up-regulation of transcription-related genes, higher expression of genes associated to transport processes, inter alia. This study constitutes the first differential gene expression analysis of the molecular response of a reef-forming hydrozoan during bleaching.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Norma Olguín-López
- Posgrado en Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, México
| | - Rosalina Hernández-Matehuala
- Posgrado en Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, México
| | | | - César Ibarra-Alvarado
- Laboratorio de Investigación Química y Farmacológica de Productos Naturales, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, México
| | - Alejandra Rojas-Molina
- Laboratorio de Investigación Química y Farmacológica de Productos Naturales, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, México
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17
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Rivera HE, Cohen AL, Thompson JR, Baums IB, Fox MD, Meyer-Kaiser KS. Palau's warmest reefs harbor thermally tolerant corals that thrive across different habitats. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1394. [PMID: 36543929 PMCID: PMC9772186 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04315-7] [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: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Ocean warming is killing corals, but heat-tolerant populations exist; if protected, they could replenish affected reefs naturally or through restoration. Palau's Rock Islands experience consistently higher temperatures and extreme heatwaves, yet their diverse coral communities bleach less than those on Palau's cooler outer reefs. Here, we combined genetic analyses, bleaching histories and growth rates of Porites cf. lobata colonies to identify thermally tolerant genotypes, map their distribution, and investigate potential growth trade-offs. We identified four genetic lineages of P. cf. lobata. On Palau's outer reefs, a thermally sensitive lineage dominates. The Rock Islands harbor two lineages with enhanced thermal tolerance; one of which shows no consistent growth trade-off and also occurs on several outer reefs. This suggests that the Rock Islands provide naturally tolerant larvae to neighboring areas. Finding and protecting such sources of thermally-tolerant corals is key to reef survival under 21st century climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanny E. Rivera
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786MIT-WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science & Engineering, Cambridge and Woods Hole, MA USA ,grid.56466.370000 0004 0504 7510Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA USA ,grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Anne L. Cohen
- grid.56466.370000 0004 0504 7510Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA USA
| | - Janelle R. Thompson
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA ,grid.59025.3b0000 0001 2224 0361Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU), Singapore ,grid.484638.50000 0004 7703 9448Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Iliana B. Baums
- grid.29857.310000 0001 2097 4281Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA USA
| | - Michael D. Fox
- grid.56466.370000 0004 0504 7510Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA USA ,grid.45672.320000 0001 1926 5090Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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18
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Ahrens CW, Watson‐Lazowski A, Huang G, Tissue DT, Rymer PD. The roles of divergent and parallel molecular evolution contributing to thermal adaptive strategies in trees. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2022; 45:3476-3491. [PMID: 36151708 PMCID: PMC9828096 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Local adaptation is a driver of biological diversity, and species may develop analogous (parallel evolution) or alternative (divergent evolution) solutions to similar ecological challenges. We expect these adaptive solutions would culminate in both phenotypic and genotypic signals. Using two Eucalyptus species (Eucalyptus grandis and Eucalyptus tereticornis) with overlapping distributions grown under contrasting 'local' temperature conditions to investigate the independent contribution of adaptation and plasticity at molecular, physiological and morphological levels. The link between gene expression and traits markedly differed between species. Divergent evolution was the dominant pattern driving adaptation (91% of all significant genes); but overlapping gene (homologous) responses were dependent on the determining factor (plastic, adaptive or genotype by environment interaction). Ninety-eight percent of the plastic homologs were similarly regulated, while 50% of the adaptive homologs and 100% of the interaction homologs were antagonistical. Parallel evolution for the adaptive effect in homologous genes was greater than expected but not in favour of divergent evolution. Heat shock proteins for E. grandis were almost entirely driven by adaptation, and plasticity in E. tereticornis. These results suggest divergent molecular evolutionary solutions dominated the adaptive mechanisms among species, even in similar ecological circumstances. Suggesting that tree species with overlapping distributions are unlikely to equally persist in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collin W. Ahrens
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityRichmondNew South WalesAustralia
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular SciencesUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- Research Centre for Ecosystem ResilienceRoyal Botanic Gardens and Domain TrustSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Alexander Watson‐Lazowski
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityRichmondNew South WalesAustralia
- John Innes CentreNorwich Research ParkNorwichUK
| | - Guomin Huang
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityRichmondNew South WalesAustralia
| | - David T. Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityRichmondNew South WalesAustralia
- Global Centre for Land‐Based Innovation, Hawkesbury CampusWestern Sydney UniversityRichmondNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Paul D. Rymer
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityRichmondNew South WalesAustralia
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19
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Brown KT, Eyal G, Dove SG, Barott KL. Fine-scale heterogeneity reveals disproportionate thermal stress and coral mortality in thermally variable reef habitats during a marine heatwave. CORAL REEFS (ONLINE) 2022; 42:131-142. [PMID: 36415309 PMCID: PMC9672654 DOI: 10.1007/s00338-022-02328-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Increasing ocean temperatures threaten coral reefs globally, but corals residing in habitats that experience high thermal variability are thought to be better adapted to survive climate-induced heat stress. Here, we used long-term ecological observations and in situ temperature data from Heron Island, southern Great Barrier Reef to investigate how temperature dynamics within various thermally variable vs. thermally stable reef habitats change during a marine heatwave and the resulting consequences for coral community survival. During the heatwave, thermally variable habitats experienced larger surges in daily mean and maxima temperatures compared to stable sites, including extreme hourly incursions up to 36.5 °C. The disproportionate increase in heat stress in variable habitats corresponded with greater subsequent declines in hard coral cover, including a three-times greater decline within the thermally variable Reef Flat (70%) and Deep Lagoon (83%) than within thermally stable habitats along sheltered and exposed areas of the reef slope (0.3-19%). Interestingly, the thermally variable Reef Crest experienced comparatively small declines (26%), avoiding the most severe tidal ponding and resultant heat stress likely due to proximity to the open ocean equating to lower seawater residence times, greater mixing, and/or increased flow. These results highlight that variable thermal regimes, and any acclimatization or adaptation to elevated temperatures that may lead to, do not necessarily equate to protection against bleaching and mortality during marine heatwaves. Instead, thermally stable habitats that have greater seawater exchange with the open ocean may offer the most protection to corals during the severe marine heatwaves that accompany a changing climate. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00338-022-02328-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen T. Brown
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- School of Biological Sciences and ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Gal Eyal
- School of Biological Sciences and ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002 Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Sophie G. Dove
- School of Biological Sciences and ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Katie L. Barott
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
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20
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Alderdice R, Perna G, Cárdenas A, Hume BCC, Wolf M, Kühl M, Pernice M, Suggett DJ, Voolstra CR. Deoxygenation lowers the thermal threshold of coral bleaching. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18273. [PMID: 36316371 PMCID: PMC9622859 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22604-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to deoxygenation from climate warming and pollution is emerging as a contributing factor of coral bleaching and mortality. However, the combined effects of heating and deoxygenation on bleaching susceptibility remain unknown. Here, we employed short-term thermal stress assays to show that deoxygenated seawater can lower the thermal limit of an Acropora coral by as much as 1 °C or 0.4 °C based on bleaching index scores or dark-acclimated photosynthetic efficiencies, respectively. Using RNA-Seq, we show similar stress responses to heat with and without deoxygenated seawater, both activating putative key genes of the hypoxia-inducible factor response system indicative of cellular hypoxia. We also detect distinct deoxygenation responses, including a disruption of O2-dependent photo-reception/-protection, redox status, and activation of an immune response prior to the onset of bleaching. Thus, corals are even more vulnerable when faced with heat stress in deoxygenated waters. This highlights the need to integrate dissolved O2 measurements into global monitoring programs of coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Alderdice
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Gabriela Perna
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Anny Cárdenas
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Benjamin C C Hume
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Martin Wolf
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Michael Kühl
- Marine Biology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Strandpromenaden 5, 3000, Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Mathieu Pernice
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - David J Suggett
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
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21
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MacKnight NJ, Dimos BA, Beavers KM, Muller EM, Brandt ME, Mydlarz LD. Disease resistance in coral is mediated by distinct adaptive and plastic gene expression profiles. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabo6153. [PMID: 36179017 PMCID: PMC9524840 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo6153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Infectious diseases are an increasing threat to coral reefs, resulting in altered community structure and hindering the functional contributions of disease-susceptible species. We exposed seven reef-building coral species from the Caribbean to white plague disease and determined processes involved in (i) lesion progression, (ii) within-species gene expression plasticity, and (iii) expression-level adaptation among species that lead to differences in disease risk. Gene expression networks enriched in immune genes and cytoskeletal arrangement processes were correlated to lesion progression rates. Whether or not a coral developed a lesion was mediated by plasticity in genes involved in extracellular matrix maintenance, autophagy, and apoptosis, while resistant coral species had constitutively higher expression of intracellular protein trafficking. This study offers insight into the process involved in lesion progression and within- and between-species dynamics that lead to differences in disease risk that is evident on current Caribbean reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J. MacKnight
- University of Texas at Arlington, 337 Life Science Building, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Bradford A. Dimos
- University of Texas at Arlington, 337 Life Science Building, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Kelsey M. Beavers
- University of Texas at Arlington, 337 Life Science Building, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Erinn M. Muller
- Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA
| | - Marilyn E. Brandt
- University of the Virgin Islands, 2 John Brewers Bay, St. Thomas, VI 00802, USA
| | - Laura D. Mydlarz
- University of Texas at Arlington, 337 Life Science Building, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
- Corresponding author.
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22
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Walker NS, Cornwell BH, Nestor V, Armstrong KC, Golbuu Y, Palumbi SR. Persistence of phenotypic responses to short-term heat stress in the tabletop coral Acropora hyacinthus. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269206. [PMID: 36084033 PMCID: PMC9462741 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Widespread mapping of coral thermal resilience is essential for developing effective management strategies and requires replicable and rapid multi-location assays of heat resistance and recovery. One- or two-day short-term heat stress experiments have been previously employed to assess heat resistance, followed by single assays of bleaching condition. We tested the reliability of short-term heat stress resistance, and linked resistance and recovery assays, by monitoring the phenotypic response of fragments from 101 Acropora hyacinthus colonies located in Palau (Micronesia) to short-term heat stress. Following short-term heat stress, bleaching and mortality were recorded after 16 hours, daily for seven days, and after one and two months of recovery. To follow corals over time, we utilized a qualitative, non-destructive visual bleaching score metric that correlated with standard symbiont retention assays. The bleaching state of coral fragments 16 hours post-heat stress was highly indicative of their state over the next 7 days, suggesting that symbiont population sizes within corals may quickly stabilize post-heat stress. Bleaching 16 hours post-heat stress predicted likelihood of mortality over the subsequent 3–5 days, after which there was little additional mortality. Together, bleaching and mortality suggested that rapid assays of the phenotypic response following short-term heat stress were good metrics of the total heat treatment effect. Additionally, our data confirm geographic patterns of intraspecific variation in Palau and show that bleaching severity among colonies was highly correlated with mortality over the first week post-stress. We found high survival (98%) and visible recovery (100%) two months after heat stress among coral fragments that survived the first week post-stress. These findings help simplify rapid, widespread surveys of heat sensitivity in Acropora hyacinthus by showing that standardized short-term experiments can be confidently assayed after 16 hours, and that bleaching sensitivity may be linked to subsequent survival using experimental assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nia S. Walker
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Brendan H. Cornwell
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, United States of America
| | | | - Katrina C. Armstrong
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, United States of America
| | | | - Stephen R. Palumbi
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, United States of America
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23
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Global change differentially modulates Caribbean coral physiology. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273897. [PMID: 36054126 PMCID: PMC9439252 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Global change driven by anthropogenic carbon emissions is altering ecosystems at unprecedented rates, especially coral reefs, whose symbiosis with algal symbionts is particularly vulnerable to increasing ocean temperatures and altered carbonate chemistry. Here, we assess the physiological responses of three Caribbean coral (animal host + algal symbiont) species from an inshore and offshore reef environment after exposure to simulated ocean warming (28, 31°C), acidification (300–3290 μatm), and the combination of stressors for 93 days. We used multidimensional analyses to assess how a variety of coral physiological parameters respond to ocean acidification and warming. Our results demonstrate reductions in coral health in Siderastrea siderea and Porites astreoides in response to projected ocean acidification, while future warming elicited severe declines in Pseudodiploria strigosa. Offshore S. siderea fragments exhibited higher physiological plasticity than inshore counterparts, suggesting that this offshore population was more susceptible to changing conditions. There were no plasticity differences in P. strigosa and P. astreoides between natal reef environments, however, temperature evoked stronger responses in both species. Interestingly, while each species exhibited unique physiological responses to ocean acidification and warming, when data from all three species are modelled together, convergent stress responses to these conditions are observed, highlighting the overall sensitivities of tropical corals to these stressors. Our results demonstrate that while ocean warming is a severe acute stressor that will have dire consequences for coral reefs globally, chronic exposure to acidification may also impact coral physiology to a greater extent in some species than previously assumed. Further, our study identifies S. siderea and P. astreoides as potential ‘winners’ on future Caribbean coral reefs due to their resilience under projected global change stressors, while P. strigosa will likely be a ‘loser’ due to their sensitivity to thermal stress events. Together, these species-specific responses to global change we observe will likely manifest in altered Caribbean reef assemblages in the future.
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24
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Al-Hammady MA, Silva TF, Hussein HN, Saxena G, Modolo LV, Belasy MB, Westphal H, Farag MA. How do algae endosymbionts mediate for their coral host fitness under heat stress? A comprehensive mechanistic overview. ALGAL RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2022.102850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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25
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Ebner JN, Wyss MK, Ritz D, von Fumetti S. Effects of thermal acclimation on the proteome of the planarian Crenobia alpina from an alpine freshwater spring. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:276068. [PMID: 35875852 PMCID: PMC9440759 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Species' acclimation capacity and their ability to maintain molecular homeostasis outside ideal temperature ranges will partly predict their success following climate change-induced thermal regime shifts. Theory predicts that ectothermic organisms from thermally stable environments have muted plasticity, and that these species may be particularly vulnerable to temperature increases. Whether such species retained or lost acclimation capacity remains largely unknown. We studied proteome changes in the planarian Crenobia alpina, a prominent member of cold-stable alpine habitats that is considered to be a cold-adapted stenotherm. We found that the species' critical thermal maximum (CTmax) is above its experienced habitat temperatures and that different populations exhibit differential CTmax acclimation capacity, whereby an alpine population showed reduced plasticity. In a separate experiment, we acclimated C. alpina individuals from the alpine population to 8, 11, 14 or 17°C over the course of 168 h and compared their comprehensively annotated proteomes. Network analyses of 3399 proteins and protein set enrichment showed that while the species' proteome is overall stable across these temperatures, protein sets functioning in oxidative stress response, mitochondria, protein synthesis and turnover are lower in abundance following warm acclimation. Proteins associated with an unfolded protein response, ciliogenesis, tissue damage repair, development and the innate immune system were higher in abundance following warm acclimation. Our findings suggest that this species has not suffered DNA decay (e.g. loss of heat-shock proteins) during evolution in a cold-stable environment and has retained plasticity in response to elevated temperatures, challenging the notion that stable environments necessarily result in muted plasticity. Summary: The proteome of an alpine Crenobia alpina population shows plasticity in response to acclimation to warmer temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Niklas Ebner
- 1 Spring Ecology Research Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mirjam Kathrin Wyss
- 1 Spring Ecology Research Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Danilo Ritz
- 2 Proteomics Core Facility, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stefanie von Fumetti
- 1 Spring Ecology Research Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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26
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Ren L, Lu Z, Xia X, Peng Y, Gong S, Song X, Jeppesen E, Han BP, Wu QL. Metagenomics reveals bacterioplankton community adaptation to long-term thermal pollution through the strategy of functional regulation in a subtropical bay. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 216:118298. [PMID: 35316678 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Thermal effluents from coastal nuclear power plants have led to undesirable pollution and subsequent ecological impacts on local marine ecosystems. However, despite the ecological importance, we know little about the impacts on functionality of bacterioplankton subjected in systems with long-term thermal pollution. We used metagenomic sequencing to study of the effect of thermal pollution on bacterioplankton community metagenomics in summer in a subtropical bay located on the northern coast of the South China Sea. Thermal pollution (>15 y), which resulted in an increase in the summer seawater temperature around 8°C and caused seawater temperature up to approximate 39°C, significantly decreased bacterioplankton metabolic potentials in photosynthesis, organic carbon synthesis, and energy production. The bacterioplankton community metagenomics underwent a significant change in its structure from Synechococcus-dominant autotrophy to Alteromonas, Vibrio, and Pseudoalteromonas-dominated heterotrophy, and significantly up-regulated genes involved in organic compound degradation and dissimilatory nitrate reduction for the matter and energy acquisition under thermal pollution. Moreover, the bacterioplankton community metagenomics showed an up-regulation with heating of genes involved in DNA repair systems, heat shock responsive chaperones and proteins, and proteins involved in other biological processes, such as biofilm formation and the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and glycan, to adapt to the thermal environment. Collectively, it indicates a functional regulation of bacterioplankton adaptation to high-temperature stress, which might advance the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of community adaptation to global extreme warming in aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Ren
- Department of Ecology and Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; 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, China.
| | - Zhe Lu
- Department of Ecology and Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaomin Xia
- 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, China
| | - Yuyang Peng
- Department of Ecology and Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sanqiang Gong
- 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, China
| | - Xingyu Song
- 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, China.
| | - Erik Jeppesen
- Sino-Danish Centre for Education and Research, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Silkeborg, Denmark; Limnology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Ecosystem Research and Implementation, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey; Institute of Marine Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Erdemli-Mersin, Turkey
| | - Bo-Ping Han
- Department of Ecology and Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qinglong L Wu
- Sino-Danish Centre for Education and Research, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
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27
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Thomas L, Underwood JN, Rose NH, Fuller ZL, Richards ZT, Dugal L, Grimaldi CM, Cooke IR, Palumbi SR, Gilmour JP. Spatially varying selection between habitats drives physiological shifts and local adaptation in a broadcast spawning coral on a remote atoll in Western Australia. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabl9185. [PMID: 35476443 PMCID: PMC9045720 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl9185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
At the Rowley Shoals in Western Australia, the prominent reef flat becomes exposed on low tide and the stagnant water in the shallow atoll lagoons heats up, creating a natural laboratory for characterizing the mechanisms of coral resilience to climate change. To explore these mechanisms in the reef coral Acropora tenuis, we collected samples from lagoon and reef slope habitats and combined whole-genome sequencing, ITS2 metabarcoding, experimental heat stress, and transcriptomics. Despite high gene flow across the atoll, we identified clear shifts in allele frequencies between habitats at relatively small linked genomic islands. Common garden heat stress assays showed corals from the lagoon to be more resistant to bleaching, and RNA sequencing revealed marked differences in baseline levels of gene expression between habitats. Our results provide new insight into the complex mechanisms of coral resilience to climate change and highlight the potential for spatially varying selection across complex coral reef seascapes to drive pronounced ecological divergence in climate-related traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Thomas
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Crawley, Australia
- UWA Oceans Institute, Oceans Graduate School, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
- Corresponding author.
| | - Jim N. Underwood
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Crawley, Australia
| | - Noah H. Rose
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Zachary L. Fuller
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zoe T. Richards
- Coral Conservation and Research Group, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- Collections and Research, Western Australian Museum, Welshpool, Australia
| | - Laurence Dugal
- UWA Oceans Institute, Oceans Graduate School, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Camille M. Grimaldi
- UWA Oceans Institute, Oceans Graduate School, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Ira R. Cooke
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Stephen R. Palumbi
- Hopkins Marine Station, Biology Department, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - James P. Gilmour
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Crawley, Australia
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28
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Xu Y, Wang Z, Zhang Y, Liang J, He G, Liu X, Zheng Z, Deng Y, Zhao L. Transcriptome analysis reveals acclimation responses of pearl oysters to marine heatwaves. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 810:151189. [PMID: 34757105 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are weather-timescale extreme events in the oceans and can have devastating effects on marine bivalves and ecosystems they support, with considerable socio-economic consequences. Yet, the extent to which marine bivalves have the capacity to acclimate and adapt to MHWs remains unknown. Understanding molecular responses to MHWs is imperative to develop strategies for conservation of ecologically and economically important marine organisms. Here, using RNA-Seq, we investigate how various MHWs scenarios elicit molecular changes in threatened and vulnerable pearl oysters, Pinctada maxima (Jameson). Acute exposure of MHWs - mimicked by rapid increases of seawater temperature from 24 °C to 28 °C and 32 °C, respectively - significantly affected the expression levels of metabolic and immune-related genes, with thermal stress-responsive genes especially like HSP20, HSP70 and HSP90 being remarkably up-regulated. Following repeat exposure to MHWs, encouragingly, pearl oysters exhibited evident acclimation responses, as best exemplified by significantly lowered expression levels of key stress-responsive genes involved in metabolism and immunity in comparison to those observed during acute exposure. Findings of the present study provide a better understanding of molecular processes underpinning the acclimation and adaptation of marine bivalves to MHWs in the context of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Xu
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Ziman Wang
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Yuehuan 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 Science, Guangzhou 510301, China.
| | - Jian Liang
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China; Department of Fisheries, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China
| | - Guixiang He
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Xiaolong Liu
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Zhe Zheng
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Yuewen Deng
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Liqiang Zhao
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China.
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29
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Zhang Y, Ip JCH, Xie JY, Yeung YH, Sun Y, Qiu JW. Host-symbiont transcriptomic changes during natural bleaching and recovery in the leaf coral Pavona decussata. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:150656. [PMID: 34597574 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Coral bleaching has become a major threat to coral reefs worldwide, but for most coral species little is known about their resilience to environmental changes. We aimed to understand the gene expressional regulation underlying natural bleaching and recovery in Pavona decussata, a dominant species of scleractinian coral in the northern South China Sea. Analyzing samples collected in 2017 from the field revealed distinct zooxanthellae density, chlorophyll a concentration and transcriptomic signatures corresponding to changes in health conditions of the coral holobiont. In the host, normal-looking tissues of partially bleached colonies were frontloaded with stress responsive genes, as indicated by upregulation of immune defense, response to endoplasmic reticulum, and oxidative stress genes. Bleaching was characterized by upregulation of apoptosis-related genes which could cause a reduction in algal symbionts, and downregulation of genes involved in stress responses and metabolic processes. The transcription factors stat5b and irf1 played key roles in bleaching by regulating immune and apoptosis pathways. Recovery from bleaching was characterized by enrichment of pathways involved in mitosis, DNA replication, and recombination for tissue repairing, as well as restoration of energy and metabolism. In the symbionts, bleaching corresponded to imbalance in photosystems I and II activities which enhanced oxidative stress and limited energy production and nutrient assimilation. Overall, our study revealed distinct gene expressional profiles and regulation in the different phases of the bleaching and recovery process, and provided new insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying the holobiont's resilience that may determine the species' fate in response to global and regional environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjie Zhang
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jack Chi-Ho Ip
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - James Y Xie
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yip Hung Yeung
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yanan Sun
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jian-Wen Qiu
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.
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30
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Wang JT, Wang YT, Chen CA, Meng PJ, Tew KS, Chiang PW, Tang SL. Extra high superoxide dismutase in host tissue is associated with improving bleaching resistance in "thermal adapted" and Durusdinium trenchii-associating coral. PeerJ 2022; 10:e12746. [PMID: 35070504 PMCID: PMC8760857 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Global warming threatens reef-building corals with large-scale bleaching events; therefore, it is important to discover potential adaptive capabilities for increasing their temperature resistance before it is too late. This study presents two coral species (Platygyra verweyi and Isopora palifera) surviving on a reef having regular hot water influxes via a nearby nuclear power plant that exhibited completely different bleaching susceptibilities to thermal stress, even though both species shared several so-called "winner" characteristics (e.g., containing Durusdinium trenchii, thick tissue, etc.). During acute heating treatment, algal density did not decline in P. verweyi corals within three days of being directly transferred from 25 to 31 °C; however, the same treatment caused I. palifera to lose < 70% of its algal symbionts within 24 h. The most distinctive feature between the two coral species was an overwhelmingly higher constitutive superoxide dismutase (ca. 10-fold) and catalase (ca. 3-fold) in P. verweyi over I. palifera. Moreover, P. verweyi also contained significantly higher saturated and lower mono-unsaturated fatty acids, especially a long-chain saturated fatty acid (C22:0), than I. palifera, and was consistently associated with the symbiotic bacteria Endozoicomonas, which was not found in I. palifera. However, antibiotic treatment and inoculation tests did not support Endozoicomonas having a direct contribution to thermal resistance. This study highlights that, besides its association with a thermally tolerable algal symbiont, a high level of constitutive antioxidant enzymes in the coral host is crucial for coral survivorship in the more fluctuating and higher temperature environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jih-Terng Wang
- Department of Oceanography, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ting Wang
- Department of Oceanography, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | | | - Pei-Jei Meng
- General Education Center, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan,National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Kwee Siong Tew
- National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung, Taiwan,Institute of Marine Biodiversity and Evolution, National Dong Hwa University, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Wen Chiang
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Sen-Lin Tang
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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31
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Gu X, Chen W, Perry T, Batterham P, Hoffmann AA. Genomic knockout of hsp23 both decreases and increases fitness under opposing thermal extremes in Drosophila melanogaster. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 139:103652. [PMID: 34562590 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2021.103652] [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] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Under exposure to harmful environmental stresses, organisms exhibit a general stress response involving upregulation of the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) which is thought to be adaptive. Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are key components of this response, although shsp genes may have other essential roles in development. However, the upregulation of expression of a suite of genes under stress may not necessarily be evidence of an adaptive response to stress that involves those genes. To explore this issue, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to investigate pleiotropic effects of the hsp23 gene in Drosophila melanogaster. Transgenic flies carrying a pCFD5 plasmid containing sgRNAs were created to generate a complete knockout of the hsp23 gene. The transgenic line lacking hsp23 showed an increased hatch rate and no major fitness costs under an intermediate temperature used for culturing the flies. In addition, hsp23 knockout affected tolerance to hot and cold temperature extremes but in opposing directions; knockout flies had reduced tolerance to cold, but increased tolerance to heat. Despite this, hsp23 expression (in wild type flies) was increased under both hot and cold conditions. The hsp23 gene was required for heat hardening at the pupal stage, but not at the 1st-instar larval stage, even though the gene was upregulated in wild type controls at that life stage. The phenotypic effects of hsp23 were not compensated for by expression changes in other shsps. Our study shows that the fitness consequences of an hsp gene knockout depends on environmental conditions, with potential fitness benefits of gene loss even under conditions when the gene is normally upregulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Gu
- School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Wei Chen
- School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Trent Perry
- School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Philip Batterham
- School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ary A Hoffmann
- School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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32
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Johnson MD, Swaminathan SD, Nixon EN, Paul VJ, Altieri AH. Differential susceptibility of reef-building corals to deoxygenation reveals remarkable hypoxia tolerance. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23168. [PMID: 34848743 PMCID: PMC8632909 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01078-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Ocean deoxygenation threatens the persistence of coastal ecosystems worldwide. Despite an increasing awareness that coastal deoxygenation impacts tropical habitats, there remains a paucity of empirical data on the effects of oxygen limitation on reef-building corals. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted laboratory experiments with ecologically important Caribbean corals Acropora cervicornis and Orbicella faveolata. We tested the effects of continuous exposure to conditions ranging from extreme deoxygenation to normoxia (~ 1.0 to 6.25 mg L-1 dissolved oxygen) on coral bleaching, photophysiology, and survival. Coral species demonstrated markedly different temporal resistance to deoxygenation, and within a species there were minimal genotype-specific treatment effects. Acropora cervicornis suffered tissue loss and mortality within a day of exposure to severe deoxygenation (~ 1.0 mg L-1), whereas O. faveolata remained unaffected after 11 days of continuous exposure to 1.0 mg L-1. Intermediate deoxygenation treatments (~ 2.25 mg L-1, ~ 4.25 mg L-1) elicited minimal responses in both species, indicating a low oxygen threshold for coral mortality and coral resilience to oxygen concentrations that are lethal for other marine organisms. These findings demonstrate the potential for variability in species-specific hypoxia thresholds, which has important implications for our ability to predict how coral reefs may be affected as ocean deoxygenation intensifies. With deoxygenation emerging as a critical threat to tropical habitats, there is an urgent need to incorporate deoxygenation into coral reef research, management, and action plans to facilitate better stewardship of coral reefs in an era of rapid environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maggie D. Johnson
- grid.452909.30000 0001 0479 0204Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL USA ,grid.1214.60000 0000 8716 3312Tenenbaum Marine Observatories Network, Smithsonian Institution, Edgewater, MD USA ,grid.56466.370000 0004 0504 7510Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA USA ,grid.45672.320000 0001 1926 5090Present Address: Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sara D. Swaminathan
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Emily N. Nixon
- grid.452909.30000 0001 0479 0204Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL USA
| | - Valerie J. Paul
- grid.452909.30000 0001 0479 0204Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL USA
| | - Andrew H. Altieri
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
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33
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Li A, Dai H, Guo X, Zhang Z, Zhang K, Wang C, Wang X, Wang W, Chen H, Li X, Zheng H, Li L, Zhang G. Genome of the estuarine oyster provides insights into climate impact and adaptive plasticity. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1287. [PMID: 34773106 PMCID: PMC8590024 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02823-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the roles of genetic divergence and phenotypic plasticity in adaptation is central to evolutionary biology and important for assessing adaptive potential of species under climate change. Analysis of a chromosome-level assembly and resequencing of individuals across wide latitude distribution in the estuarine oyster (Crassostrea ariakensis) revealed unexpectedly low genomic diversity and population structures shaped by historical glaciation, geological events and oceanographic forces. Strong selection signals were detected in genes responding to temperature and salinity stress, especially of the expanded solute carrier families, highlighting the importance of gene expansion in environmental adaptation. Genes exhibiting high plasticity showed strong selection in upstream regulatory regions that modulate transcription, indicating selection favoring plasticity. Our findings suggest that genomic variation and population structure in marine bivalves are heavily influenced by climate history and physical forces, and gene expansion and selection may enhance phenotypic plasticity that is critical for the adaptation to rapidly changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ao Li
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China ,grid.484590.40000 0004 5998 3072Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - He Dai
- grid.410751.6Biomarker Technologies Corporation, Beijing, China
| | - Ximing Guo
- grid.430387.b0000 0004 1936 8796Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, Port Norris, NJ USA
| | - Ziyan Zhang
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China ,grid.484590.40000 0004 5998 3072Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kexin Zhang
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China ,grid.484590.40000 0004 5998 3072Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chaogang Wang
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China ,grid.484590.40000 0004 5998 3072Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinxing Wang
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China ,grid.484590.40000 0004 5998 3072Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Wang
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China ,grid.484590.40000 0004 5998 3072Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309National and Local Joint Engineering Key Laboratory of Ecological Mariculture, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Hongju Chen
- grid.410751.6Biomarker Technologies Corporation, Beijing, China
| | - Xumin Li
- grid.410751.6Biomarker Technologies Corporation, Beijing, China
| | - Hongkun Zheng
- grid.410751.6Biomarker Technologies Corporation, Beijing, China
| | - Li Li
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China. .,Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. .,National and Local Joint Engineering Key Laboratory of Ecological Mariculture, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.
| | - Guofan Zhang
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China. .,Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China. .,National and Local Joint Engineering Key Laboratory of Ecological Mariculture, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.
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34
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Bollati E, Rosenberg Y, Simon-Blecher N, Tamir R, Levy O, Huang D. Untangling the molecular basis of coral response to sedimentation. Mol Ecol 2021; 31:884-901. [PMID: 34738686 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Urbanized coral reefs are often chronically affected by sedimentation and reduced light levels, yet many species of corals appear to be able to thrive under these highly disturbed conditions. Recently, these marginal ecosystems have gained attention as potential climate change refugia due to the shading effect of suspended sediment, as well as potential reservoirs for stress-tolerant species. However, little research exists on the impact of sedimentation on coral physiology, particularly at the molecular level. Here, we investigated the transcriptomic response to sediment stress in corals of the family Merulinidae from a chronically turbid reef (one genet each of Goniastrea pectinata and Mycedium elephantotus from Singapore) and a clear-water reef (multiple genets of G. pectinata from the Gulf of Aqaba/Eilat). In two ex-situ experiments, we exposed corals to either natural sediment or artificial sediment enriched with organic matter and used whole-transcriptome sequencing (RNA sequencing) to quantify gene expression. Analysis revealed a shared basis for the coral transcriptomic response to sediment stress, which involves the expression of genes broadly related to energy metabolism and immune response. In particular, sediment exposure induced upregulation of anaerobic glycolysis and glyoxylate bypass enzymes, as well as genes involved in hydrogen sulphide metabolism and in pathogen pattern recognition. Our results point towards hypoxia as a probable driver of this transcriptomic response, providing a molecular basis to previous work that identified hypoxia as a primary cause of tissue necrosis in sediment-stressed corals. Potential metabolic and immunity trade-offs of corals living under chronic sedimentation should be considered in future studies on the ecology and conservation of turbid reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Bollati
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Biology, Marine Biology Section, University of Copenhagen, Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Yaeli Rosenberg
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Noa Simon-Blecher
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Raz Tamir
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, Eilat, Israel
| | - Oren Levy
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.,The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, Eilat, Israel
| | - Danwei Huang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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35
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Ziegler M, Anton A, Klein SG, Rädecker N, Geraldi NR, Schmidt-Roach S, Saderne V, Mumby PJ, Cziesielski MJ, Martin C, Frölicher TL, Pandolfi JM, Suggett DJ, Aranda M, Duarte CM, Voolstra CR. Integrating environmental variability to broaden the research on coral responses to future ocean conditions. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:5532-5546. [PMID: 34391212 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Our understanding of the response of reef-building corals to changes in their physical environment is largely based on laboratory experiments, analysis of long-term field data, and model projections. Experimental data provide unique insights into how organisms respond to variation of environmental drivers. However, an assessment of how well experimental conditions cover the breadth of environmental conditions and variability where corals live successfully is missing. Here, we compiled and analyzed a globally distributed dataset of in-situ seasonal and diurnal variability of key environmental drivers (temperature, pCO2 , and O2 ) critical for the growth and livelihood of reef-building corals. Using a meta-analysis approach, we compared the variability of environmental conditions assayed in coral experimental studies to current and projected conditions in their natural habitats. We found that annual temperature profiles projected for the end of the 21st century were characterized by distributional shifts in temperatures with warmer winters and longer warm periods in the summer, not just peak temperatures. Furthermore, short-term hourly fluctuations of temperature and pCO2 may regularly expose corals to conditions beyond the projected average increases for the end of the 21st century. Coral reef sites varied in the degree of coupling between temperature, pCO2 , and dissolved O2 , which warrants site-specific, differentiated experimental approaches depending on the local hydrography and influence of biological processes on the carbonate system and O2 availability. Our analysis highlights that a large portion of the natural environmental variability at short and long timescales is underexplored in experimental designs, which may provide a path to extend our understanding on the response of corals to global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maren Ziegler
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Andrea Anton
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Global Change Research Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies, Esporles (Illes Balears), Spain
| | - Shannon G Klein
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Nils Rädecker
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 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
| | - Nathan R Geraldi
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Sebastian Schmidt-Roach
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Vincent Saderne
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Peter J Mumby
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld, Australia
| | - Maha J Cziesielski
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Cecilia Martin
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Thomas L Frölicher
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - John M Pandolfi
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - David J Suggett
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Manuel Aranda
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Carlos M Duarte
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Christian R Voolstra
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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36
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Rivera HE, Davies SW. Symbiosis maintenance in the facultative coral, Oculina arbuscula, relies on nitrogen cycling, cell cycle modulation, and immunity. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21226. [PMID: 34707162 PMCID: PMC8551165 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00697-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Symbiosis with unicellular algae in the family Symbiodiniaceae is common across tropical marine invertebrates. Reef-building corals offer a clear example of cellular dysfunction leading to a dysbiosis that disrupts entire ecosystems in a process termed coral bleaching. Due to their obligate symbiotic relationship, understanding the molecular underpinnings that sustain this symbiosis in tropical reef-building corals is challenging, as any aposymbiotic state is inherently coupled with severe physiological stress. Here, we leverage the subtropical, facultatively symbiotic and calcifying coral Oculina arbuscula to investigate gene expression differences between aposymbiotic and symbiotic branches within the same colonies under baseline conditions. We further compare gene ontology (GO) and KOG enrichment in gene expression patterns from O. arbuscula with prior work in the sea anemone Exaiptasia pallida (Aiptasia) and the salamander Ambystoma maculatum-both of which exhibit endophotosymbiosis with unicellular algae. We identify nitrogen cycling, cell cycle control, and immune responses as key pathways involved in the maintenance of symbiosis under baseline conditions. Understanding the mechanisms that sustain a healthy symbiosis between corals and Symbiodiniaceae algae is of urgent importance given the vulnerability of these partnerships to changing environmental conditions and their role in the continued functioning of critical and highly diverse marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- H E Rivera
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - S W Davies
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
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37
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Broad scale proteomic analysis of heat-destabilised symbiosis in the hard coral Acropora millepora. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19061. [PMID: 34561509 PMCID: PMC8463592 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98548-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs across the globe are threatened by warming oceans. The last few years have seen the worst mass coral bleaching events recorded, with more than one quarter of all reefs irreversibly impacted. Considering the widespread devastation, we need to increase our efforts to understanding the physiological and metabolic shifts underlying the breakdown of this important symbiotic ecosystem. Here, we investigated the proteome (PRIDE accession # PXD011668) of both host and symbionts of the reef-building coral Acropora millepora exposed to ambient (~ 28 °C) and elevated temperature (~ 32 °C for 2 days, following a five-day incremental increase) and explored associated biomolecular changes in the symbiont, with the aim of gaining new insights into the mechanisms underpinning the collapse of the coral symbiosis. We identified 1,230 unique proteins (774 host and 456 symbiont) in the control and thermally stressed corals, of which 107 significantly increased and 125 decreased in abundance under elevated temperature relative to the control. Proteins involved in oxidative stress and proteolysis constituted 29% of the host proteins that increased in abundance, with evidence of impairment to endoplasmic reticulum and cytoskeletal regulation proteins. In the symbiont, we detected a decrease in proteins responsible for photosynthesis and energy production (33% of proteins decreased in abundance), yet minimal signs of oxidative stress or proteolysis. Lipid stores increased > twofold despite reduction in photosynthesis, suggesting reduced translocation of carbon to the host. There were significant changes in proteins related to symbiotic state, including proteins linked to nitrogen metabolism in the host and the V-ATPase (-0.6 fold change) known to control symbiosome acidity. These results highlight key differences in host and symbiont proteomic adjustments under elevated temperature and identify two key proteins directly involved in bilateral nutrient exchange as potential indicators of symbiosis breakdown.
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Barley JM, Cheng BS, Sasaki M, Gignoux-Wolfsohn S, Hays CG, Putnam AB, Sheth S, Villeneuve AR, Kelly M. Limited plasticity in thermally tolerant ectotherm populations: evidence for a trade-off. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20210765. [PMID: 34493077 PMCID: PMC8424342 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Many species face extinction risks owing to climate change, and there is an urgent need to identify which species' populations will be most vulnerable. Plasticity in heat tolerance, which includes acclimation or hardening, occurs when prior exposure to a warmer temperature changes an organism's upper thermal limit. The capacity for thermal acclimation could provide protection against warming, but prior work has found few generalizable patterns to explain variation in this trait. Here, we report the results of, to our knowledge, the first meta-analysis to examine within-species variation in thermal plasticity, using results from 20 studies (19 species) that quantified thermal acclimation capacities across 78 populations. We used meta-regression to evaluate two leading hypotheses. The climate variability hypothesis predicts that populations from more thermally variable habitats will have greater plasticity, while the trade-off hypothesis predicts that populations with the lowest heat tolerance will have the greatest plasticity. Our analysis indicates strong support for the trade-off hypothesis because populations with greater thermal tolerance had reduced plasticity. These results advance our understanding of variation in populations' susceptibility to climate change and imply that populations with the highest thermal tolerance may have limited phenotypic plasticity to adjust to ongoing climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordanna M. Barley
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Brian S. Cheng
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Matthew Sasaki
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, Groton, CT 06340, USA
| | | | - Cynthia G. Hays
- Department of Biology, Keene State College, Keene, NH 03435, USA
| | - Alysha B. Putnam
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Seema Sheth
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Andrew R. Villeneuve
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Morgan Kelly
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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Li A, Li L, Zhang Z, Li S, Wang W, Guo X, Zhang G. Noncoding variation and transcriptional plasticity promote thermal adaptation in oysters by altering energy metabolism. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:5144-5155. [PMID: 34390581 PMCID: PMC8557435 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic variation and phenotypic plasticity are both important to adaptive evolution. However, how they act together on particular traits remains poorly understood. Here, we integrated phenotypic, genomic, and transcriptomic data from two allopatric but closely related congeneric oyster species, Crassostrea angulata from southern/warm environments and Crassostrea gigas from northern/cold environments, to investigate the roles of genetic divergence and plasticity in thermal adaptation. Reciprocal transplantation experiments showed that both species had higher fitness in their native habitats than in nonnative environments, indicating strong adaptive divergence. The southern species evolved higher transcriptional plasticity, and the plasticity was adaptive, suggesting that increased plasticity is important for thermal adaptation to warm climates. Genome-wide comparisons between the two species revealed that genes under selection tended to respond to environmental changes and showed higher sequence divergence in noncoding regions. All genes under selection and related to energy metabolism exhibited habitat-specific expression with genes involved in ATP production and lipid catabolism highly expressed in warm/southern habitats, and genes involved in ATP consumption and lipid synthesis were highly expressed in cold/northern habitats. The gene for acyl-CoA desaturase, a key enzyme for lipid synthesis, showed strong selective sweep in the upstream noncoding region and lower transcription in the southern species. These results were further supported by the lower free fatty acid (FFA) but higher ATP content in southern species and habitat, pointing to significance of ATP/FFA trade-off. Our findings provide evidence that noncoding variation and transcriptional plasticity play important roles in shaping energy metabolism for thermal adaptation in oysters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ao Li
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China.,National & Local Joint Engineering Key Laboratory of Ecological Mariculture, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Li Li
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,National & Local Joint Engineering Key Laboratory of Ecological Mariculture, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Ziyan Zhang
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,National & Local Joint Engineering Key Laboratory of Ecological Mariculture, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Shiming Li
- BGI Genomics, BGI-Shenzhen, China Shenzhen.,BGI-Argo Seed Service (Wuhan) Co., Ltd, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Wang
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China.,National & Local Joint Engineering Key Laboratory of Ecological Mariculture, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Ximing Guo
- Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, Port Norris, NJ, USA
| | - Guofan Zhang
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.,Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, China.,National & Local Joint Engineering Key Laboratory of Ecological Mariculture, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
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40
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Variation in Immune-Related Gene Expression Provides Evidence of Local Adaptation in Porites astreoides (Lamarck, 1816) between Inshore and Offshore Meta-Populations Inhabiting the Lower Florida Reef Tract, USA. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13152107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Coral communities of the Florida Reef Tract (FRT) have changed dramatically over the past 30 years. Coral cover throughout the FRT is disproportionately distributed; >70% of total coral cover is found within the inshore patch reef zone (<2 km from shore) compared to 30% found within the offshore bank reef zone (>5 km from shore). Coral mortality from disease has been differentially observed between inshore and offshore reefs along the FRT. Therefore, differences between the response of inshore and offshore coral populations to bacterial challenge may contribute to differences in coral cover. We examined immune system activation in Porites astreoides (Lamarck, 1816), a species common in both inshore and offshore reef environments in the FRT. Colonies from a representative inshore and offshore site were reciprocally transplanted and the expression of three genes monitored biannually for two years (two summer and two winter periods). Variation in the expression of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3, subunit H (eIF3H), an indicator of cellular stress in Porites astreoides, did not follow annual patterns of seawater temperatures (SWT) indicating the contribution of other stressors (e.g., irradiance). Greater expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor associated factor 3 (TRAF3), a signaling protein of the inflammatory response, was observed among corals transplanted to, or located within the offshore environment indicating that an increased immune response is associated with offshore coral more so than the inshore coral (p < 0.001). Corals collected from the offshore site also upregulated the expression of adenylyl cyclase associated protein 2 (ACAP2), increases which are associated with decreasing innate immune system inflammatory responses, indicating a counteractive response to increased stimulation of the innate immune system. Activation of the innate immune system is a metabolically costly survival strategy. Among the two reefs studied, the offshore population had a smaller mean colony size and decreased colony abundance compared to the inshore site. This correlation suggests that tradeoffs may exist between the activation of the innate immune system and survival and growth. Consequently, immune system activation may contribute to coral community dynamics and declines along the FRT.
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41
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Huang Z, Xiao Q, Yu F, Gan Y, Lu C, Peng W, Zhang Y, Luo X, Chen N, You W, Ke C. Comparative Transcriptome and DNA Methylation Analysis of Phenotypic Plasticity in the Pacific Abalone ( Haliotis discus hannai). Front Physiol 2021; 12:683499. [PMID: 34267674 PMCID: PMC8277243 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.683499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity is an adaptive mechanism used by organisms to cope with environmental fluctuations. Pacific abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) are large-scale farmed in the temperate area of northern China and in the warmer waters of southern China. RNA-seq and comparative transcriptomic analysis here were performed to determine if the northern and southern populations have evolved divergent plasticity and if functional differences are associated with protein synthesis and growth-related biological progress. The DNA methylation (5mC) landscape of H. discus hannai from the two populations using whole genomic bisulfite sequencing (WGBS), exhibited different epigenetic patterns. The southern population had significant genomic hypo-methylation that may have resulted from long-term acclimation to heat stress. Combining 790 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 7635 differentially methylated genes (DMGs), we found that methylation within the gene body might be important in predicting abalone gene expression. Genes related to growth, development, transduction, and apoptosis may be regulated by methylation and could explain the phenotypic divergence of H. discus hannai. Our findings not only emphasize the significant roles of adaptive plasticity in the acclimation of H. discus hannai to high temperatures but also provide a new understanding of the epigenetic mechanism underlying the phenotypic plasticity in adaptation to climate change for marine organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zekun Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding of Marine Organisms, Xiamen University, Xiamen China
| | - Qizhen Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding of Marine Organisms, Xiamen University, Xiamen China
| | - Feng Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding of Marine Organisms, Xiamen University, Xiamen China
| | - Yang Gan
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding of Marine Organisms, Xiamen University, Xiamen China
| | - Chengkuan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding of Marine Organisms, Xiamen University, Xiamen China
| | - Wenzhu Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding of Marine Organisms, Xiamen University, Xiamen China
| | - Yifang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding of Marine Organisms, Xiamen University, Xiamen China
| | - Xuan Luo
- College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding of Marine Organisms, Xiamen University, Xiamen China
| | - Nan Chen
- College of Fisheries, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
| | - Weiwei You
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding of Marine Organisms, Xiamen University, Xiamen China
| | - Caihuan Ke
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding of Marine Organisms, Xiamen University, Xiamen China
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42
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Innis T, Allen-Waller L, Brown KT, Sparagon W, Carlson C, Kruse E, Huffmyer AS, Nelson CE, Putnam HM, Barott KL. Marine heatwaves depress metabolic activity and impair cellular acid-base homeostasis in reef-building corals regardless of bleaching susceptibility. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:2728-2743. [PMID: 33784420 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ocean warming is causing global coral bleaching events to increase in frequency, resulting in widespread coral mortality and disrupting the function of coral reef ecosystems. However, even during mass bleaching events, many corals resist bleaching despite exposure to abnormally high temperatures. While the physiological effects of bleaching have been well documented, the consequences of heat stress for bleaching-resistant individuals are not well understood. In addition, much remains to be learned about how heat stress affects cellular-level processes that may be overlooked at the organismal level, yet are crucial for coral performance in the short term and ecological success over the long term. Here we compared the physiological and cellular responses of bleaching-resistant and bleaching-susceptible corals throughout the 2019 marine heatwave in Hawai'i, a repeat bleaching event that occurred 4 years after the previous regional event. Relative bleaching susceptibility within species was consistent between the two bleaching events, yet corals of both resistant and susceptible phenotypes exhibited pronounced metabolic depression during the heatwave. At the cellular level, bleaching-susceptible corals had lower intracellular pH than bleaching-resistant corals at the peak of bleaching for both symbiont-hosting and symbiont-free cells, indicating greater disruption of acid-base homeostasis in bleaching-susceptible individuals. Notably, cells from both phenotypes were unable to compensate for experimentally induced cellular acidosis, indicating that acid-base regulation was significantly impaired at the cellular level even in bleaching-resistant corals and in cells containing symbionts. Thermal disturbances may thus have substantial ecological consequences, as even small reallocations in energy budgets to maintain homeostasis during stress can negatively affect fitness. These results suggest concern is warranted for corals coping with ocean acidification alongside ocean warming, as the feedback between temperature stress and acid-base regulation may further exacerbate the physiological effects of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teegan Innis
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Kristen T Brown
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld, Australia
| | - Wesley Sparagon
- Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, Department of Oceanography and Sea Grant College Program, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | | | - Elisa Kruse
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ariana S Huffmyer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Craig E Nelson
- Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, Department of Oceanography and Sea Grant College Program, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Hollie M Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Katie L Barott
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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43
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Edmunds PJ, Didden C, Frank K. Over three decades, a classic winner starts to lose in a Caribbean coral community. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Peter J. Edmunds
- Department of Biology California State University 18111 Nordhoff Street Northridge California91330USA
| | - Craig Didden
- Viewpoint School 23620 Mulholland Highway Calabasas California91302USA
| | - Karl Frank
- Campbell Hall School 4533 Laurel Canyon Boulevard Studio City California91607USA
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Yu X, Yu K, Chen B, Liao Z, Qin Z, Yao Q, Huang Y, Liang J, Huang W. Nanopore long-read RNAseq reveals regulatory mechanisms of thermally variable reef environments promoting heat tolerance of scleractinian coral Pocillopora damicornis. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 195:110782. [PMID: 33503412 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.110782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Some scleractinian corals exhibit high thermal adaptability to climate changes, although the mechanism of their adaptation is unclear. This study investigated the adaptability of scleractinian coral Pocillopora damicornis to thermally variable reef environments by applying a nanopore-based RNA sequencing method to characterize different transcription responses that promote heat tolerance of P. damicornis. We identified 1414 novel genes and optimized 6256 mis-annotated loci. Based on full-length transcriptome data, we identified complex alternative polyadenylation and alternative splicing events, which can improve our understanding of the genome annotation and gene structures of P. damicornis. Furthermore, we constructed differentially expressed lncRNA-mRNA co-expression networks, which may play a crucial role in the P. damicornis thermal adaptive response. KEGG function enrichment analysis revealed that P. damicornis from the high-temperature pool had a lower metabolic rate than that from the low-temperature pool. We hypothesize that metabolic readjustment, in the form of a lower metabolic rate, positively correlated with increased heat tolerance in P. damicornis in thermally variable reef environments. Our study provides novel insights into lncRNAs that promote thermally tolerance of scleractinian corals in the thermally variable reef environment, suggesting potential mechanisms for their adaptation to global warming in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaopeng Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, China.
| | - Biao Chen
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Zhiheng Liao
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Zhenjun Qin
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Qiucui Yao
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Yanhua Huang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Jiayuan Liang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Wen Huang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
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45
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Onyango CA, Glassom D, MacDonald A. De novo assembly of the transcriptome of scleractinian coral, Anomastraea irregularis and analyses of its response to thermal stress. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:2083-2092. [PMID: 33660094 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06184-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Rising seawater temperatures cause coral bleaching. The molecular responses of the coral holobiont under stress conditions, determine the success of the symbiosis. Anomastraea irregularis is a hard coral commonly found in the harsh intertidal zones of the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, where it thrives at the very margins of hard coral distribution in the Western Indian Ocean. To identify the possible molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying its resilience to heat stress, experimental and control nubbins were exposed to temperatures of 29 and 19 °C respectively for 24 h. The transcriptome was assembled de novo from 42.8 million quality controlled 63 bp paired-end short sequence reads obtained via RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). The assembly yielded 333,057 contigs (> 500 bp = 55,626, Largest = 6341 bp N50 = 747 bp). 1362 (1.23%) of the transcripts were significantly differentially expressed between heat stressed and control samples. Log fold change magnitudes among individual genes ranged from - 4.6 to 7.2. Overall, the heat stress response in the A. irregularis constituted a protective response involving up regulation of apoptosis and SUMOylation. Gene ontology (GO) analyses revealed that heat stress in the coral affected the metabolism, protein synthesis, photosynthesis, transport and cytoskeleton. This is the first study to produce a reference transcriptome of this coral species and analyze its response to heat stress. The assembled transcriptome also presents a valuable resource for further transcriptomic and genomic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine A Onyango
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 4000, South Africa. .,School of Natural Sciences, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kakamega, 50100, Kenya.
| | - David Glassom
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Angus MacDonald
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 4000, South Africa
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46
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Rivera HE, Aichelman HE, Fifer JE, Kriefall NG, Wuitchik DM, Wuitchik SJS, Davies SW. A framework for understanding gene expression plasticity and its influence on stress tolerance. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:1381-1397. [PMID: 33503298 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity can serve as a stepping stone towards adaptation. Recently, studies have shown that gene expression contributes to emergent stress responses such as thermal tolerance, with tolerant and susceptible populations showing distinct transcriptional profiles. However, given the dynamic nature of gene expression, interpreting transcriptomic results in a way that elucidates the functional connection between gene expression and the observed stress response is challenging. Here, we present a conceptual framework to guide interpretation of gene expression reaction norms in the context of stress tolerance. We consider the evolutionary and adaptive potential of gene expression reaction norms and discuss the influence of sampling timing, transcriptomic resilience, as well as complexities related to life history when interpreting gene expression dynamics and how these patterns relate to host tolerance. We highlight corals as a case study to demonstrate the value of this framework for non-model systems. As species face rapidly changing environmental conditions, modulating gene expression can serve as a mechanistic link from genetic and cellular processes to the physiological responses that allow organisms to thrive under novel conditions. Interpreting how or whether a species can employ gene expression plasticity to ensure short-term survival will be critical for understanding the global impacts of climate change across diverse taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanny E Rivera
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - James E Fifer
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Sara J S Wuitchik
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.,FAS Informatics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sarah W Davies
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
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47
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Collins M, Clark MS, Spicer JI, Truebano M. Transcriptional frontloading contributes to cross-tolerance between stressors. Evol Appl 2021; 14:577-587. [PMID: 33664796 PMCID: PMC7896706 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The adaptive value of phenotypic plasticity for performance under single stressors is well documented. However, plasticity may only truly be adaptive in the natural multifactorial environment if it confers resilience to stressors of a different nature, a phenomenon known as cross-tolerance. An understanding of the mechanistic basis of cross-tolerance is essential to aid prediction of species resilience to future environmental change. Here, we identified mechanisms underpinning cross-tolerance between two stressors predicted to increasingly challenge aquatic ecosystems under climate change, chronic warming and hypoxia, in an ecologically-important aquatic invertebrate. Warm acclimation improved hypoxic performance through an adaptive hypometabolic strategy and changes in the expression of hundreds of genes that are important in the response to hypoxia. These 'frontloaded' genes showed a reduced reaction to hypoxia in the warm acclimated compared to the cold acclimated group. Frontloaded genes included stress indicators, immune response and protein synthesis genes that are protective at the cellular level. We conclude that increased constitutive gene expression as a result of warm acclimation reduced the requirement for inducible stress responses to hypoxia. We propose that transcriptional frontloading contributes to cross-tolerance between stressors and may promote fitness of organisms in environments increasingly challenged by multiple anthropogenic threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Collins
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological and Marine SciencesUniversity of PlymouthPlymouthUK
- British Antarctic SurveyNatural Environment Research CouncilCambridgeUK
| | - Melody S. Clark
- British Antarctic SurveyNatural Environment Research CouncilCambridgeUK
| | - John I. Spicer
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological and Marine SciencesUniversity of PlymouthPlymouthUK
| | - Manuela Truebano
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological and Marine SciencesUniversity of PlymouthPlymouthUK
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Shitaoka R, Ishibashi H, Takeuchi I. Thermal tolerance of the hermatypic coral Acropora tenuis elucidated by RGB analysis and expression of heat shock proteins in coral and symbiotic dinoflagellates. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 162:111812. [PMID: 33213856 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111812] [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: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Increased seawater temperature has resulted in mass coral bleaching events globally. Acropora tenuis, the dominant hermatypic coral species in southern Japan, was exposed to four temperature treatments [28 °C, 30 °C, 32 °C, and >32 (=33.3 °C)] for 7 d. The coral colour was converted to R (red), G (green), and B (blue) values, each ranging from 0 (darkest) to 255 (brightest). RGB values exposed to 28 °C and 30 °C decreased slightly, whereas those exposed to 32 °C increased significantly after day 3-6, and those exposed to 33.3 °C changed to white within 2 d. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed no significant changes in heat shock proteins in Acropora and symbiotic dinoflagellates at 28 °C and 30 °C after a 7 d exposure. Our findings revealed that 30 °C, higher than the mean temperature of the warmest month in southern Japan, was an inhabitable temperature for A. tenuis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rin Shitaoka
- Faculty of Agriculture, Ehime University, 3-5-7 Tarumi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8566, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ishibashi
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Ehime University, 3-5-7 Tarumi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8566, Japan; Center of Advanced Technology for the Environment, Graduate School of Agriculture, Ehime University, 3-5-7 Tarumi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8566, Japan
| | - Ichiro Takeuchi
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Ehime University, 3-5-7 Tarumi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8566, Japan; Center of Advanced Technology for the Environment, Graduate School of Agriculture, Ehime University, 3-5-7 Tarumi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8566, Japan.
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Alderdice R, Suggett DJ, Cárdenas A, Hughes DJ, Kühl M, Pernice M, Voolstra CR. Divergent expression of hypoxia response systems under deoxygenation in reef-forming corals aligns with bleaching susceptibility. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:312-326. [PMID: 33197302 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15436] [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: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Exposure of marine life to low oxygen is accelerating worldwide via climate change and localized pollution. Mass coral bleaching and mortality have recently occurred where reefs have experienced chronic low oxygen events. However, the mechanistic basis of tolerance to oxygen levels inadequate to sustain normal functioning (i.e. hypoxia) and whether it contributes to bleaching susceptibility, remain unknown. We therefore experimentally exposed colonies of the environmentally resilient Acropora tenuis, a common reef-building coral from the Great Barrier Reef, to deoxygenation-reoxygenation stress that was aligned to their natural night-day light cycle. Specifically, the treatment involved removing the 'night-time O2 buffer' to challenge the inherent hypoxia thresholds. RNA-Seq analysis revealed that coral possess a complete and active hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-mediated hypoxia response system (HRS) homologous to other metazoans. As expected, A. tenuis exhibited bleaching resistance and showed a strong inducibility of HIF target genes in response to deoxygenation stress. We applied this same approach in parallel to a colony of Acropora selago, known to be environmnetally susceptible, which conversely exhibited a bleaching phenotype response. This phenotypic divergence of A. selago was accompanied by contrasting gene expression profiles indicative of varied effectiveness of their HIF-HRS. Based on our RNA-Seq analysis, we propose (a) that the HIF-HRS is central for corals to manage deoxygenation stress and (b) that key genes of this system (and the wider gene network) may contribute to variation in coral bleaching susceptibility. Our analysis suggests that heat shock protein (hsp) 70 and 90 are important for low oxygen stress tolerance and further highlights how hsp90 expression might also affect the inducibility of coral HIF-HRS in overcoming a metabolic crisis under deoxygenation stress. We propose that differences in coral HIF-HRS could be central in regulating sensitivity to other climate change stressors-notably thermal stress-that commonly drive bleaching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Alderdice
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - David J Suggett
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Anny Cárdenas
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - David J Hughes
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Michael Kühl
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
- Marine Biology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Mathieu Pernice
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
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Tonione MA, Bi K, Tsutsui ND. Transcriptomic signatures of cold adaptation and heat stress in the winter ant (Prenolepis imparis). PLoS One 2020; 15:e0239558. [PMID: 33002025 PMCID: PMC7529264 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change is a serious threat to biodiversity; it is therefore important to understand how animals will react to this stress. Ectotherms, such as ants, are especially sensitive to the climate as the environmental temperature influences myriad aspects of their biology, from optimal foraging time to developmental rate. In this study, we conducted an RNA-seq analysis to identify stress-induced genes in the winter ant (Prenolepis imparis). We quantified gene expression during heat and cold stress relative to a control temperature. From each of our conditions, we sequenced the transcriptome of three individuals. Our de novo assembly included 13,324 contigs that were annotated against the nr and SwissProt databases. We performed gene ontology and enrichment analyses to gain insight into the physiological processes involved in the stress response. We identified a total of 643 differentially expressed genes across both treatments. Of these, only seven genes were differentially expressed in the cold-stressed ants, which could indicate that the temperature we chose for trials did not induce a strong stress response, perhaps due to the cold adaptations of this species. Conversely, we found a strong response to heat: 426 upregulated genes and 210 downregulated genes. Of these, ten were expressed at a greater than ten-fold change relative to the control. The transcripts we could identify included those encoding for protein folding genes, heat shock proteins, histones, and Ca2+ ion transport. One of these transcripts, hsc70-4L was found to be under positive selection. We also characterized the functional categories of differentially expressed genes. These candidate genes may be functionally conserved and relevant for related species that will deal with rapid climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Adelena Tonione
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Ke Bi
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America.,Computational Genomics Resource Laboratory (CGRL), California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Neil Durie Tsutsui
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
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