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Vohsen SA, Herrera S. Coral microbiomes are structured by environmental gradients in deep waters. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2024; 19:38. [PMID: 38858739 PMCID: PMC11165896 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-024-00579-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coral-associated microbiomes vary greatly between colonies and localities with functional consequences on the host. However, the full extent of variability across the ranges of most coral species remains unknown, especially for corals living in deep waters which span greater ranges. Here, we characterized the microbiomes of four octocoral species from mesophotic and bathyal deep-sea habitats in the northern Gulf of Mexico, Muricea pendula, Swiftia exserta, Callogorgia delta, and Paramuricea biscaya, using 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding. We sampled extensively across their ranges to test for microbiome differentiation between and within species, examining the influence of environmental factors that vary with depth (53-2224 m) and geographic location (over 680 m) as well as the host coral's genotype using RAD-sequencing. RESULTS Coral microbiomes were often dominated by amplicon sequence variants whose abundances varied across their hosts' ranges, including symbiotic taxa: corallicolids, Endozoicomonas, members of the Mollicutes, and the BD1-7 clade. Coral species, depth, and geographic location significantly affected diversity, microbial community composition, and the relative abundance of individual microbes. Depth was the strongest environmental factor determining microbiome structure within species, which influenced the abundance of most dominant symbiotic taxa. Differences in host genotype, bottom temperature, and surface primary productivity could explain a significant part of the microbiome variation associated with depth and geographic location. CONCLUSIONS Altogether, this work demonstrates that the microbiomes of corals in deep waters vary substantially across their ranges in accordance with depth and other environmental conditions. It reveals that the influence of depth on the ecology of mesophotic and deep-sea corals extends to its effects on their microbiomes which may have functional consequences. This work also identifies the distributions of microbes including potential parasites which can be used to inform restoration plans in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel A Vohsen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA.
- Lehigh Oceans Research Center, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA.
| | - Santiago Herrera
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA.
- Lehigh Oceans Research Center, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA.
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2
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Jiang L, Zhang P, Huang LT, Yu XL, Liu CY, Yuan XC, Liu S, Huang H. Life-stage specificity and temporal variations in transcriptomes and DNA methylomes of the reef coral Pocillopora damicornis in response to thermal acclimation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 921:171098. [PMID: 38387572 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the acclimation capacity of reef corals across generations to thermal stress and its underlying molecular underpinnings could provide insights into their resilience and adaptive responses to future climate change. Here, we acclimated adult brooding coral Pocillopora damicornis to high temperature (32 °C vs. 29 °C) for three weeks and analyzed the changes in phenotypes, transcriptomes and DNA methylomes of adult corals and their brooded larvae. Results showed that although adult corals did not show noticeable bleaching after thermal exposure, they released fewer but larger larvae. Interestingly, larval cohorts from two consecutive lunar days exhibited contrasting physiological resistance to thermal stress, as evidenced by the divergent responses of area-normalized symbiont densities and photochemical efficiency to thermal stress. RNA-seq and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing revealed that adult and larval corals mounted distinct transcriptional and DNA methylation changes in response to thermal stress. Remarkably, larval transcriptomes and DNA methylomes also varied greatly among lunar days and thermal treatments, aligning well with their physiological metrics. Overall, our study shows that changes in transcriptomes and DNA methylomes in response to thermal acclimation can be highly life stage-specific. More importantly, thermally-acclimated adult corals could produce larval offspring with temporally contrasting photochemical performance and thermal resilience, and such variations in larval phenotypes are associated with differential transcriptomes and DNA methylomes, and are likely to increase the likelihood of reproductive success and plasticity of larval propagules under thermal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Pan Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lin-Tao Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiao-Lei Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Cheng-Yue Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Xiang-Cheng Yuan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Sheng Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Hui Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China.
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3
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Matthews JL, Ueland M, Bartels N, Lawson CA, Lockwood TE, Wu Y, Camp EF. Multi-Chemical Omics Analysis of the Symbiodiniaceae Durusdinium trenchii under Heat Stress. Microorganisms 2024; 12:317. [PMID: 38399721 PMCID: PMC10893086 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12020317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The urgency of responding to climate change for corals necessitates the exploration of innovative methods to swiftly enhance our understanding of crucial processes. In this study, we employ an integrated chemical omics approach, combining elementomics, metabolomics, and volatilomics methodologies to unravel the biochemical pathways associated with the thermal response of the coral symbiont, Symbiodiniaceae Durusdinium trenchii. We outline the complimentary sampling approaches and discuss the standardised data corrections used to allow data integration and comparability. Our findings highlight the efficacy of individual methods in discerning differences in the biochemical response of D. trenchii under both control and stress-inducing temperatures. However, a deeper insight emerges when these methods are integrated, offering a more comprehensive understanding, particularly regarding oxidative stress pathways. Employing correlation network analysis enhanced the interpretation of volatile data, shedding light on the potential metabolic origins of volatiles with undescribed functions and presenting promising candidates for further exploration. Elementomics proves to be less straightforward to integrate, likely due to no net change in elements but rather elements being repurposed across compounds. The independent and integrated data from this study informs future omic profiling studies and recommends candidates for targeted research beyond Symbiodiniaceae biology. This study highlights the pivotal role of omic integration in advancing our knowledge, addressing critical gaps, and guiding future research directions in the context of climate change and coral reef preservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L. Matthews
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Maiken Ueland
- Centre for Forensic Sciences, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
- Hyphenated Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Natasha Bartels
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Caitlin A. Lawson
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, NSW 2258, Australia
| | - Thomas E. Lockwood
- Hyphenated Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Yida Wu
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Emma F. Camp
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
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4
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Gomez-Campo K, Sanchez R, Martínez-Rugerio I, Yang X, Maher T, Osborne CC, Enriquez S, Baums IB, Mackenzie SA, Iglesias-Prieto R. Phenotypic plasticity for improved light harvesting, in tandem with methylome repatterning in reef-building corals. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17246. [PMID: 38153177 PMCID: PMC10922902 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17246] [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: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Acclimatization through phenotypic plasticity represents a more rapid response to environmental change than adaptation and is vital to optimize organisms' performance in different conditions. Generally, animals are less phenotypically plastic than plants, but reef-building corals exhibit plant-like properties. They are light dependent with a sessile and modular construction that facilitates rapid morphological changes within their lifetime. We induced phenotypic changes by altering light exposure in a reciprocal transplant experiment and found that coral plasticity is a colony trait emerging from comprehensive morphological and physiological changes within the colony. Plasticity in skeletal features optimized coral light harvesting and utilization and paralleled significant methylome and transcriptome modifications. Network-associated responses resulted in the identification of hub genes and clusters associated to the change in phenotype: inter-partner recognition and phagocytosis, soft tissue growth and biomineralization. Furthermore, we identified hub genes putatively involved in animal photoreception-phototransduction. These findings fundamentally advance our understanding of how reef-building corals repattern the methylome and adjust a phenotype, revealing an important role of light sensing by the coral animal to optimize photosynthetic performance of the symbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Gomez-Campo
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Robersy Sanchez
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | | | - Xiaodong Yang
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Tom Maher
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - C. Cornelia Osborne
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Susana Enriquez
- Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales Puerto Morelos, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 77580, México
| | - Iliana B. Baums
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Sally A. Mackenzie
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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5
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Peterson CR, Scott CB, Ghaffari R, Dixon G, Matz MV. Mixed Patterns of Intergenerational DNA Methylation Inheritance in Acropora. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae008. [PMID: 38243377 PMCID: PMC11079325 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae008] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
For sessile organisms at high risk from climate change, phenotypic plasticity can be critical to rapid acclimation. Epigenetic markers like DNA methylation are hypothesized as mediators of plasticity; methylation is associated with the regulation of gene expression, can change in response to ecological cues, and is a proposed basis for the inheritance of acquired traits. Within reef-building corals, gene-body methylation (gbM) can change in response to ecological stressors. If coral DNA methylation is transmissible across generations, this could potentially facilitate rapid acclimation to environmental change. We investigated methylation heritability in Acropora, a stony reef-building coral. Two Acropora millepora and two Acropora selago adults were crossed, producing eight offspring crosses (four hybrid, two of each species). We used whole-genome bisulfite sequencing to identify methylated loci and allele-specific alignments to quantify per-locus inheritance. If methylation is heritable, differential methylation (DM) between the parents should equal DM between paired offspring alleles at a given locus. We found a mixture of heritable and nonheritable loci, with heritable portions ranging from 44% to 90% among crosses. gBM was more heritable than intergenic methylation, and most loci had a consistent degree of heritability between crosses (i.e. the deviation between parental and offspring DM were of similar magnitude and direction). Our results provide evidence that coral methylation can be inherited but that heritability is heterogenous throughout the genome. Future investigations into this heterogeneity and its phenotypic implications will be important to understanding the potential capability of intergenerational environmental acclimation in reef building corals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carly B Scott
- Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Rashin Ghaffari
- Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Groves Dixon
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Mikhail V Matz
- Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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6
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Hackerott S, Virdis F, Flood PJ, Souto DG, Paez W, Eirin-Lopez JM. Relationships between phenotypic plasticity and epigenetic variation in two Caribbean Acropora corals. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:4814-4828. [PMID: 37454286 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
The plastic ability for a range of phenotypes to be exhibited by the same genotype allows organisms to respond to environmental variation and may modulate fitness in novel environments. Differing capacities for phenotypic plasticity within a population, apparent as genotype by environment interactions (GxE), can therefore have both ecological and evolutionary implications. Epigenetic gene regulation alters gene function in response to environmental cues without changes to the underlying genetic sequence and likely mediates phenotypic variation. DNA methylation is currently the most well described epigenetic mechanism and is related to transcriptional homeostasis in invertebrates. However, evidence quantitatively linking variation in DNA methylation with that of phenotype is lacking in some taxa, including reef-building corals. In this study, spatial and seasonal environmental variation in Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands was utilized to assess relationships between physiology and DNA methylation profiles within genetic clones across different genotypes of Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata corals. The physiology of both species was highly influenced by environmental variation compared to the effect of genotype. GxE effects on phenotype were only apparent in A. cervicornis. DNA methylation in both species differed between genotypes and seasons and epigenetic variation was significantly related to coral physiological metrics. Furthermore, plastic shifts in physiology across seasons were significantly positively correlated with shifts in DNA methylation profiles in both species. These results highlight the dynamic influence of environmental conditions and genetic constraints on the physiology of two important Caribbean coral species. Additionally, this study provides quantitative support for the role of epigenetic DNA methylation in mediating phenotypic plasticity in invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Hackerott
- Environmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
- Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Francesca Virdis
- Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire, Kralendijk, Caribbean Netherlands
| | - Peter J Flood
- Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Daniel Garcia Souto
- Genomes and Disease, Centre for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CIMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Wendy Paez
- Environmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
- Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Jose M Eirin-Lopez
- Environmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
- Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
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7
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Dellaert Z, Putnam HM. Reconciling the variability in the biological response of marine invertebrates to climate change. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245834. [PMID: 37655544 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
As climate change increases the rate of environmental change and the frequency and intensity of disturbance events, selective forces intensify. However, given the complicated interplay between plasticity and selection for ecological - and thus evolutionary - outcomes, understanding the proximate signals, molecular mechanisms and the role of environmental history becomes increasingly critical for eco-evolutionary forecasting. To enhance the accuracy of our forecasting, we must characterize environmental signals at a level of resolution that is relevant to the organism, such as the microhabitat it inhabits and its intracellular conditions, while also quantifying the biological responses to these signals in the appropriate cells and tissues. In this Commentary, we provide historical context to some of the long-standing challenges in global change biology that constrain our capacity for eco-evolutionary forecasting using reef-building corals as a focal model. We then describe examples of mismatches between the scales of external signals relative to the sensors and signal transduction cascades that initiate and maintain cellular responses. Studying cellular responses at this scale is crucial because these responses are the basis of acclimation to changing environmental conditions and the potential for environmental 'memory' of prior or historical conditions through molecular mechanisms. To challenge the field, we outline some unresolved questions and suggest approaches to align experimental work with an organism's perception of the environment; these aspects are discussed with respect to human interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Dellaert
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, 120 Flagg Rd, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Hollie M Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, 120 Flagg Rd, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
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Pham K, Ho L, D'Incal CP, De Cock A, Berghe WV, Goethals P. Epigenetic analytical approaches in ecotoxicological aquatic research. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 330:121737. [PMID: 37121302 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Environmental epigenetics has become a key research focus in global climate change studies and environmental pollutant investigations impacting aquatic ecosystems. Specifically, triggered by environmental stress conditions, intergenerational DNA methylation changes contribute to biological adaptive responses and survival of organisms to increase their tolerance towards these conditions. To critically review epigenetic analytical approaches in ecotoxicological aquatic research, we evaluated 78 publications reported over the past five years (2016-2021) that applied these methods to investigate the responses of aquatic organisms to environmental changes and pollution. The results show that DNA methylation appears to be the most robust epigenetic regulatory mark studied in aquatic animals. As such, multiple DNA methylation analysis methods have been developed in aquatic organisms, including enzyme restriction digestion-based and methyl-specific immunoprecipitation methods, and bisulfite (in)dependent sequencing strategies. In contrast, only a handful of aquatic studies, i.e. about 15%, have been focusing on histone variants and post-translational modifications due to the lack of species-specific affinity based immunological reagents, such as specific antibodies for chromatin immunoprecipitation applications. Similarly, ncRNA regulation remains as the least popular method used in the field of environmental epigenetics. Insights into the opportunities and challenges of the DNA methylation and histone variant analysis methods as well as decreasing costs of next generation sequencing approaches suggest that large-scale epigenetic environmental studies in model and non-model organisms will soon become available in the near future. Moreover, antibody-dependent and independent methods, such as mass spectrometry-based methods, can be used as an alternative epigenetic approach to characterize global changes of chromatin histone modifications in future aquatic research. Finally, a systematic guide for DNA methylation and histone variant methods is offered for ecotoxicological aquatic researchers to select the most relevant epigenetic analytical approach in their research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Pham
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent 9000, Belgium.
| | - Long Ho
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Claudio Peter D'Incal
- Protein Chemistry, Proteomics and Epigenetic Signaling (PPES), Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Antwerp, 2610, Belgium
| | - Andrée De Cock
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Wim Vanden Berghe
- Protein Chemistry, Proteomics and Epigenetic Signaling (PPES), Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Antwerp, 2610, Belgium
| | - Peter Goethals
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent 9000, Belgium
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9
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Davies SW, Gamache MH, Howe-Kerr LI, Kriefall NG, Baker AC, Banaszak AT, Bay LK, Bellantuono AJ, Bhattacharya D, Chan CX, Claar DC, Coffroth MA, Cunning R, Davy SK, del Campo J, Díaz-Almeyda EM, Frommlet JC, Fuess LE, González-Pech RA, Goulet TL, Hoadley KD, Howells EJ, Hume BCC, Kemp DW, Kenkel CD, Kitchen SA, LaJeunesse TC, Lin S, McIlroy SE, McMinds R, Nitschke MR, Oakley CA, Peixoto RS, Prada C, Putnam HM, Quigley K, Reich HG, Reimer JD, Rodriguez-Lanetty M, Rosales SM, Saad OS, Sampayo EM, Santos SR, Shoguchi E, Smith EG, Stat M, Stephens TG, Strader ME, Suggett DJ, Swain TD, Tran C, Traylor-Knowles N, Voolstra CR, Warner ME, Weis VM, Wright RM, Xiang T, Yamashita H, Ziegler M, Correa AMS, Parkinson JE. Building consensus around the assessment and interpretation of Symbiodiniaceae diversity. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15023. [PMID: 37151292 PMCID: PMC10162043 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Within microeukaryotes, genetic variation and functional variation sometimes accumulate more quickly than morphological differences. To understand the evolutionary history and ecology of such lineages, it is key to examine diversity at multiple levels of organization. In the dinoflagellate family Symbiodiniaceae, which can form endosymbioses with cnidarians (e.g., corals, octocorals, sea anemones, jellyfish), other marine invertebrates (e.g., sponges, molluscs, flatworms), and protists (e.g., foraminifera), molecular data have been used extensively over the past three decades to describe phenotypes and to make evolutionary and ecological inferences. Despite advances in Symbiodiniaceae genomics, a lack of consensus among researchers with respect to interpreting genetic data has slowed progress in the field and acted as a barrier to reconciling observations. Here, we identify key challenges regarding the assessment and interpretation of Symbiodiniaceae genetic diversity across three levels: species, populations, and communities. We summarize areas of agreement and highlight techniques and approaches that are broadly accepted. In areas where debate remains, we identify unresolved issues and discuss technologies and approaches that can help to fill knowledge gaps related to genetic and phenotypic diversity. We also discuss ways to stimulate progress, in particular by fostering a more inclusive and collaborative research community. We hope that this perspective will inspire and accelerate coral reef science by serving as a resource to those designing experiments, publishing research, and applying for funding related to Symbiodiniaceae and their symbiotic partnerships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah W. Davies
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Matthew H. Gamache
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | | | | | - Andrew C. Baker
- Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Anastazia T. Banaszak
- Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Mexico
| | - Line Kolind Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia
| | - Anthony J. Bellantuono
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Debashish Bhattacharya
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Cheong Xin Chan
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Danielle C. Claar
- Nearshore Habitat Program, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA, USA
| | | | - Ross Cunning
- Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Simon K. Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Javier del Campo
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC - Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | | | - Jörg C. Frommlet
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Lauren E. Fuess
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, United States
| | - Raúl A. González-Pech
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
| | - Tamar L. Goulet
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, MS, United States
| | - Kenneth D. Hoadley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama—Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Emily J. Howells
- National Marine Science Centre, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Dustin W. Kemp
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama—Birmingham, Birmingham, Al, United States
| | - Carly D. Kenkel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Sheila A. Kitchen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Todd C. LaJeunesse
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Senjie Lin
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, CT, United States
| | - Shelby E. McIlroy
- Swire Institute of Marine Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Ryan McMinds
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Disease Research, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | | | - Clinton A. Oakley
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Raquel S. Peixoto
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Carlos Prada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | - Hollie M. Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | | | - Hannah G. Reich
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | - James Davis Reimer
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Marine Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan
| | | | - Stephanie M. Rosales
- The Cooperative Institute For Marine and Atmospheric Studies, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Osama S. Saad
- Department of Biological Oceanography, Red Sea University, Port-Sudan, Sudan
| | - Eugenia M. Sampayo
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Scott R. Santos
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Eiichi Shoguchi
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Edward G. Smith
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Michael Stat
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Timothy G. Stephens
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Marie E. Strader
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - David J. Suggett
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Timothy D. Swain
- Department of Marine and Environmental Science, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL, United States
| | - Cawa Tran
- Department of Biology, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Nikki Traylor-Knowles
- Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | | | - Mark E. Warner
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, United States
| | - Virginia M. Weis
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Rachel M. Wright
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Tingting Xiang
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Hiroshi Yamashita
- Fisheries Technology Institute, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, Ishigaki, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Maren Ziegler
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen (Germany), Giessen, Germany
| | | | - John Everett Parkinson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
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10
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Ricci F, Tandon K, Black JR, Lê Cao KA, Blackall LL, Verbruggen H. Host Traits and Phylogeny Contribute to Shaping Coral-Bacterial Symbioses. mSystems 2022; 7:e0004422. [PMID: 35253476 PMCID: PMC9045482 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00044-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The success of tropical scleractinian corals depends on their ability to establish symbioses with microbial partners. Host phylogeny and traits are known to shape the coral microbiome, but to what extent they affect its composition remains unclear. Here, by using 12 coral species representing the complex and robust clades, we explored the influence of host phylogeny, skeletal architecture, and reproductive mode on the microbiome composition, and further investigated the structure of the tissue and skeleton bacterial communities. Our results show that host phylogeny and traits explained 14% of the tissue and 13% of the skeletal microbiome composition, providing evidence that these predictors contributed to shaping the holobiont in terms of presence and relative abundance of bacterial symbionts. Based on our data, we conclude that host phylogeny affects the presence of specific microbial lineages, reproductive mode predictably influences the microbiome composition, and skeletal architecture works like a filter that affects bacterial relative abundance. We show that the β-diversity of coral tissue and skeleton microbiomes differed, but we found that a large overlapping fraction of bacterial sequences were recovered from both anatomical compartments, supporting the hypothesis that the skeleton can function as a microbial reservoir. Additionally, our analysis of the microbiome structure shows that 99.6% of tissue and 99.7% of skeletal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were not consistently present in at least 30% of the samples, suggesting that the coral tissue and skeleton are dominated by rare bacteria. Together, these results provide novel insights into the processes driving coral-bacterial symbioses, along with an improved understanding of the scleractinian microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Ricci
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kshitij Tandon
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jay R. Black
- School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kim-Anh Lê Cao
- Melbourne Integrative Genomics, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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11
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Merck DE, Petrik CG, Manfroy AA, Muller EM. Optimizing seawater temperature conditions to increase the productivity of ex situ coral nurseries. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13017. [PMID: 35287349 PMCID: PMC8917797 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Large scale ex situ propagation of coral colonies for reef restoration is a relatively new and developing field. One of the many advantages of utilizing ex situ coral nurseries is the ability to optimize water quality conditions for coral health and survival. Slight alterations in environmental parameters (light, pH, temperature etc.) can affect the health and grow-out time of cultured coral, ultimately influencing production rates. However, corals are also subjected to pests associated with culture facilities such as ciliates, cyanobacterial blooms, and infectious diseases. Therefore, adjusting environmental parameters to optimize coral growth for a shorter ex situ residency time will lead to greater survival and faster restoration. Studies indicate that some coral species demonstrate parabolic tissue growth in response to increasing sea-surface temperatures until the maximum temperature tolerance is reached, whereafter they bleach. To maximize coral growth in Mote Marine Laboratory's ex situ system, we tested the effect of two water temperature treatments (high temperature: 29.5 ± 0.03 °C; control: 25.2 ± 0.08 °C) on two coral species commonly used in reef restoration. To quantify this, we used four replicates of three genotypes each of Montastraea cavernosa (n = 12) and Acropora palmata (n = 12). Two-dimensional tissue area was recorded monthly using ImageJ and survival rates within each treatment were documented for 7 months. Results found that M. cavernosa had greater growth rates and equal survivorship in the high temperature treatment compared to the control treatment. A. palmata grew faster and had equal survivorship in the control treatment compared with the high temperature treatment. These results suggest that temperature preferences exist among coral species within ex situ systems and restoration practitioners should consider species-specific temperature regimes to maximize ex situ coral growth rates. This information is critical for optimizing production when corals are in the grow-out stage and should also be considered when designing ex situ systems to ensure temperature regulation can be controlled on a species-specific basis.
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12
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Ying H, Hayward DC, Klimovich A, Bosch TCG, Baldassarre L, Neeman T, Forêt S, Huttley G, Reitzel AM, Fraune S, Ball EE, Miller DJ. The role of DNA methylation in genome defense in Cnidaria and other invertebrates. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:6516040. [PMID: 35084499 PMCID: PMC8857917 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Considerable attention has recently been focused on the potential involvement of DNA methylation in regulating gene expression in cnidarians. Much of this work has been centered on corals, in the context of changes in methylation perhaps facilitating adaptation to higher seawater temperatures and other stressful conditions. Although first proposed more than 30 years ago, the possibility that DNA methylation systems function in protecting animal genomes against the harmful effects of transposon activity has largely been ignored since that time. Here, we show that transposons are specifically targeted by the DNA methylation system in cnidarians, and that the youngest transposons (i.e., those most likely to be active) are most highly methylated. Transposons in longer and highly active genes were preferentially methylated and, as transposons aged, methylation levels declined, reducing the potentially harmful side effects of CpG methylation. In Cnidaria and a range of other invertebrates, correlation between the overall extent of methylation and transposon content was strongly supported. Present transposon burden is the dominant factor in determining overall level of genomic methylation in a range of animals that diverged in or before the early Cambrian, suggesting that genome defense represents the ancestral role of CpG methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Ying
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - David C Hayward
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | | | - Thomas C G Bosch
- Zoological Institute, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany.,Collaborative Research Center for the Origin and Function of Metaorganisms, Christian Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Laura Baldassarre
- Department of Zoology and Organismal Interactions, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Teresa Neeman
- Biological Data Institute, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Sylvain Forêt
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Gavin Huttley
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Adam M Reitzel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, USA
| | - Sebastian Fraune
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Eldon E Ball
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - David J Miller
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.,College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.,Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.,Marine Climate Change Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan
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13
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Dubé CE, Ziegler M, Mercière A, Boissin E, Planes S, Bourmaud CAF, Voolstra CR. Naturally occurring fire coral clones demonstrate a genetic and environmental basis of microbiome composition. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6402. [PMID: 34737272 PMCID: PMC8568919 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26543-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral microbiomes are critical to holobiont functioning, but much remains to be understood about how prevailing environment and host genotype affect microbial communities in ecosystems. Resembling human identical twin studies, we examined bacterial community differences of naturally occurring fire coral clones within and between contrasting reef habitats to assess the relative contribution of host genotype and environment to microbiome structure. Bacterial community composition of coral clones differed between reef habitats, highlighting the contribution of the environment. Similarly, but to a lesser extent, microbiomes varied across different genotypes in identical habitats, denoting the influence of host genotype. Predictions of genomic function based on taxonomic profiles suggest that environmentally determined taxa supported a functional restructuring of the microbial metabolic network. In contrast, bacteria determined by host genotype seemed to be functionally redundant. Our study suggests microbiome flexibility as a mechanism of environmental adaptation with association of different bacterial taxa partially dependent on host genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. E. Dubé
- grid.11642.300000 0001 2111 2608UMR 9220 ENTROPIE, UR-IRD-CNRS-UNC-IFREMER, Université de La Réunion, 15 Avenue René Cassin, CS 92003, 97744 Saint-Denis Cedex, La Réunion France ,grid.11136.340000 0001 2192 5916PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan, France ,Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, 98729 Papetoai, Moorea French Polynesia ,grid.23856.3a0000 0004 1936 8390Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, G1V 0A6 Canada
| | - M. Ziegler
- grid.8664.c0000 0001 2165 8627Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32 IFZ, 35392 Giessen, Germany ,grid.45672.320000 0001 1926 5090Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955 Saudi Arabia
| | - A. Mercière
- grid.11136.340000 0001 2192 5916PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan, France ,Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, 98729 Papetoai, Moorea French Polynesia
| | - E. Boissin
- grid.11136.340000 0001 2192 5916PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan, France ,Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, 98729 Papetoai, Moorea French Polynesia
| | - S. Planes
- grid.11136.340000 0001 2192 5916PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan, France ,Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, 98729 Papetoai, Moorea French Polynesia
| | - C. A. -F. Bourmaud
- grid.11642.300000 0001 2111 2608UMR 9220 ENTROPIE, UR-IRD-CNRS-UNC-IFREMER, Université de La Réunion, 15 Avenue René Cassin, CS 92003, 97744 Saint-Denis Cedex, La Réunion France ,Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, 98729 Papetoai, Moorea French Polynesia
| | - C. R. Voolstra
- grid.45672.320000 0001 1926 5090Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955 Saudi Arabia ,grid.9811.10000 0001 0658 7699Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
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14
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Rodriguez-Casariego JA, Cunning R, Baker AC, Eirin-Lopez JM. Symbiont shuffling induces differential DNA methylation responses to thermal stress in the coral Montastraea cavernosa. Mol Ecol 2021; 31:588-602. [PMID: 34689363 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Algal symbiont shuffling in favour of more thermotolerant species has been shown to enhance coral resistance to heat-stress. Yet, the mechanistic underpinnings and long-term implications of these changes are poorly understood. This work studied the modifications in coral DNA methylation, an epigenetic mechanism involved in coral acclimatization, in response to symbiont manipulation and subsequent heat stress exposure. Symbiont composition was manipulated in the great star coral Montastraea cavernosa through controlled thermal bleaching and recovery, producing paired ramets of three genets dominated by either their native symbionts (genus Cladocopium) or the thermotolerant species (Durusdinium trenchi). Single-base genome-wide analyses showed significant modifications in DNA methylation concentrated in intergenic regions, introns and transposable elements. Remarkably, DNA methylation changes in response to heat stress were dependent on the dominant symbiont, with twice as many differentially methylated regions found in heat-stressed corals hosting different symbionts (Cladocopium vs. D. trenchii) compared to all other comparisons. Interestingly, while differential gene body methylation was not correlated with gene expression, an enrichment in differentially methylated regions was evident in repetitive genome regions. Overall, these results suggest that changes in algal symbionts favouring heat tolerant associations are accompanied by changes in DNA methylation in the coral host. The implications of these results for coral adaptation, along with future avenues of research based on current knowledge gaps, are discussed in the present work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier A Rodriguez-Casariego
- Environmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Ross Cunning
- Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Andrew C Baker
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Jose M Eirin-Lopez
- Environmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
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15
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Barno AR, Villela HDM, Aranda M, Thomas T, Peixoto RS. Host under epigenetic control: A novel perspective on the interaction between microorganisms and corals. Bioessays 2021; 43:e2100068. [PMID: 34463364 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Coral reefs have been challenged by the current rate and severity of environmental change that might outpace their ability to adapt and survive. Current research focuses on understanding how microbial communities and epigenetic changes separately affect phenotypes and gene expression of corals. Here, we provide the hypothesis that coral-associated microorganisms may directly or indirectly affect the coral's phenotypic response through the modulation of its epigenome. Homologs of ankyrin-repeat protein A and internalin B, which indirectly cause histone modifications in humans, as well as Rv1988 histone methyltransferase, and the DNA methyltransferases Rv2966c, Mhy1, Mhy2, and Mhy3 found in coral-associated bacteria indicate that there are potential host epigenome-modifying proteins in the coral microbiome. With the ideas presented here, we suggest that microbiome manipulation may be a means to alter a coral's epigenome, which could aid the current efforts to protect coral reefs. Also see the video abstract here: https://youtu.be/CW9GbChjKM4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam R Barno
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia
| | - Helena D M Villela
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia
| | - Manuel Aranda
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia
| | - Torsten Thomas
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australia
| | - Raquel S Peixoto
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia.,Institute of Microbiology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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16
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Rinkevich B. Augmenting coral adaptation to climate change via coral gardening (the nursery phase). JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 291:112727. [PMID: 33957417 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Unceasing climate change and anthropogenic impacts on coral reefs worldwide lead the needs for augmenting adaptive potential of corals. Currently, the most successful approach for restoring degraded reefs is 'coral gardening', where corals are farmed in underwater nurseries, then outplanted to damaged reefs. Dealing with enhanced coral adaptation, the 'coral gardening' approach is conceptually structured here within a hierarchical list of five encircling tiers that include all restoration activities, focusing on the nursery phase. Each tier encompasses all the activities performed in the levels below it hierarchically. The first is the 'coral mariculture' tier, followed by the 'ecological engineering' tier. The third is the adaptation-based reef restoration (ABRR) tier, preceding the fourth ('ecosystem seascape') and the fifth ('ecosystem services') tiers. The ABRR tier is further conceptualized and its constituent five classes (phenotypic plasticity, assisted migration, epigenetics, coral chimerism, holobiont modification) are detailed. It is concluded that the nursery phase of the 'gardening' tenet may further serve as a platform to enhance the adaptation capacities of corals to climate change through the five ABBR classes. Employing the 'gardening' tiers in reef restoration without considering ABRR will scarcely be able to meet global targets for healthy reef ecosystems in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baruch Rinkevich
- Israel Oceanography and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Tel Shikmona, PO Box 9753, Haifa, 3109701, Israel.
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17
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Putnam HM. Avenues of reef-building coral acclimatization in response to rapid environmental change. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:224/Suppl_1/jeb239319. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.239319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The swiftly changing climate presents a challenge to organismal fitness by creating a mismatch between the current environment and phenotypes adapted to historic conditions. Acclimatory mechanisms may be especially crucial for sessile benthic marine taxa, such as reef-building corals, where climate change factors including ocean acidification and increasing temperature elicit strong negative physiological responses such as bleaching, disease and mortality. Here, within the context of multiple stressors threatening marine organisms, I describe the wealth of metaorganism response mechanisms to rapid ocean change and the ontogenetic shifts in organism interactions with the environment that can generate plasticity. I then highlight the need to consider the interactions of rapid and evolutionary responses in an adaptive (epi)genetic continuum. Building on the definitions of these mechanisms and continuum, I also present how the interplay of the microbiome, epigenetics and parental effects creates additional avenues for rapid acclimatization. To consider under what conditions epigenetic inheritance has a more substantial role, I propose investigation into the offset of timing of gametogenesis leading to different environmental integration times between eggs and sperm and the consequences of this for gamete epigenetic compatibility. Collectively, non-genetic, yet heritable phenotypic plasticity will have significant ecological and evolutionary implications for sessile marine organism persistence under rapid climate change. As such, reef-building corals present ideal and time-sensitive models for further development of our understanding of adaptive feedback loops in a multi-player (epi)genetic continuum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hollie M. Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
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18
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Boilard A, Dubé CE, Gruet C, Mercière A, Hernandez-Agreda A, Derome N. Defining Coral Bleaching as a Microbial Dysbiosis within the Coral Holobiont. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8111682. [PMID: 33138319 PMCID: PMC7692791 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8111682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral microbiomes are critical to holobiont health and functioning, but the stability of host–microbial interactions is fragile, easily shifting from eubiosis to dysbiosis. The heat-induced breakdown of the symbiosis between the host and its dinoflagellate algae (that is, “bleaching”), is one of the most devastating outcomes for reef ecosystems. Yet, bleaching tolerance has been observed in some coral species. This review provides an overview of the holobiont’s diversity, explores coral thermal tolerance in relation to their associated microorganisms, discusses the hypothesis of adaptive dysbiosis as a mechanism of environmental adaptation, mentions potential solutions to mitigate bleaching, and suggests new research avenues. More specifically, we define coral bleaching as the succession of three holobiont stages, where the microbiota can (i) maintain essential functions for holobiont homeostasis during stress and/or (ii) act as a buffer to mitigate bleaching by favoring the recruitment of thermally tolerant Symbiodiniaceae species (adaptive dysbiosis), and where (iii) environmental stressors exceed the buffering capacity of both microbial and dinoflagellate partners leading to coral death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Boilard
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; (A.B.); (C.G.)
| | - Caroline E. Dubé
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; (A.B.); (C.G.)
- California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA;
- Correspondence: (C.E.D.); (N.D.)
| | - Cécile Gruet
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; (A.B.); (C.G.)
| | - Alexandre Mercière
- PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 66860 Perpignan CEDEX, France;
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, 98729 Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | | | - Nicolas Derome
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; (A.B.); (C.G.)
- Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences et de Génie, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Correspondence: (C.E.D.); (N.D.)
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19
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van Oppen MJH, Medina M. Coral evolutionary responses to microbial symbioses. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190591. [PMID: 32772672 PMCID: PMC7435167 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This review explores how microbial symbioses may have influenced and continue to influence the evolution of reef-building corals (Cnidaria; Scleractinia). The coral holobiont comprises a diverse microbiome including dinoflagellate algae (Dinophyceae; Symbiodiniaceae), bacteria, archaea, fungi and viruses, but here we focus on the Symbiodiniaceae as knowledge of the impact of other microbial symbionts on coral evolution is scant. Symbiosis with Symbiodiniaceae has extended the coral's metabolic capacity through metabolic handoffs and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and has contributed to the ecological success of these iconic organisms. It necessitated the prior existence or the evolution of a series of adaptations of the host to attract and select the right symbionts, to provide them with a suitable environment and to remove disfunctional symbionts. Signatures of microbial symbiosis in the coral genome include HGT from Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria, gene family expansions, and a broad repertoire of oxidative stress response and innate immunity genes. Symbiosis with Symbiodiniaceae has permitted corals to occupy oligotrophic waters as the algae provide most corals with the majority of their nutrition. However, the coral-Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis is sensitive to climate warming, which disrupts this intimate relationship, causing coral bleaching, mortality and a worldwide decline of coral reefs. This article is part of the theme issue 'The role of the microbiome in host evolution'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine J. H. van Oppen
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010 Victoria, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No. 3, Townsville MC, 4810 Queensland, Australia
| | - Mónica Medina
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, 208 Mueller Lab, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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Cornwell BH. Gene flow in the anemone
Anthopleura elegantissima
limits signatures of local adaptation across an extensive geographic range. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:2550-2566. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Damjanovic K, Menéndez P, Blackall LL, van Oppen MJH. Early Life Stages of a Common Broadcast Spawning Coral Associate with Specific Bacterial Communities Despite Lack of Internalized Bacteria. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2020; 79:706-719. [PMID: 31435691 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-019-01428-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Coral-associated bacteria are critical for the well-being of their host and may play essential roles during ontogeny, as suggested by the vertical transmission of some bacteria in brooding corals. Bacterial acquisition patterns in broadcast spawners remain uncertain, as 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding of coral early life stages suggests the presence of bacterial communities, which have not been detected by microscopic examinations. Here, we combined 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) microscopy to analyze bacterial assemblages in Acropora tenuis egg-sperm bundles, embryos, and larvae following a spawning event. Metabarcoding results indicated that A. tenuis offspring ≤ 4-day-old were associated with diverse and dynamic bacterial microbiomes, dominated by Rhodobacteraceae, Alteromonadaceae, and Oceanospirillaceae. While FISH analyses confirmed the lack of internalized bacteria in A. tenuis offspring, metabarcoding showed that even the earliest life stages examined (egg-sperm bundles and two-cell stages) were associated with a diverse bacterial community, suggesting the bacteria were confined to the mucus layer. These results can be explained by vertical transmission of certain taxa (mainly Endozoicomonas) in the mucus surrounding the gametes within bundles, or by horizontal bacterial transmission through the release of bacteria by spawning adults into the water column.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Damjanovic
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No 3, Townsville MC, QLD, 4810, Australia.
| | - Patricia Menéndez
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No 3, Townsville MC, QLD, 4810, Australia
- Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Linda L Blackall
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Madeleine J H van Oppen
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No 3, Townsville MC, QLD, 4810, Australia
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22
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Vohsen SA, Anderson KE, Gade AM, Gruber-Vodicka HR, Dannenberg RP, Osman EO, Dubilier N, Fisher CR, Baums IB. Deep-sea corals provide new insight into the ecology, evolution, and the role of plastids in widespread apicomplexan symbionts of anthozoans. MICROBIOME 2020; 8:34. [PMID: 32164774 PMCID: PMC7068898 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-020-00798-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Apicomplexans are the causative agents of major human diseases such as malaria and toxoplasmosis. A novel group of apicomplexans, recently named corallicolids, have been detected in corals inhabiting tropical shallow reefs. These apicomplexans may represent a transitional lifestyle between free-living phototrophs and obligate parasites. To shed light on the evolutionary history of apicomplexans and to investigate their ecology in association with corals, we screened scleractinians, antipatharians, alcyonaceans, and zoantharians from shallow, mesophotic, and deep-sea communities. We detected corallicolid plastids using 16S metabarcoding, sequenced the nuclear 18S rRNA gene of corallicolids from selected samples, assembled and annotated the plastid and mitochondrial genomes from a corallicolid that associates with a deep-sea coral, and screened the metagenomes of four coral species for corallicolids. RESULTS We detected 23 corallicolid plastotypes that were associated with 14 coral species from three orders and depths down to 1400 m. Individual plastotypes were restricted to coral hosts within a single depth zone and within a single taxonomic order of corals. Some clusters of closely related corallicolids were revealed that associated with closely related coral species. However, the presence of divergent corallicolid lineages that associated with similar coral species and depths suggests that corallicolid/coral relations are flexible over evolutionary timescales and that a large diversity of apicomplexans may remain undiscovered. The corallicolid plastid genome from a deep-sea coral contained four genes involved in chlorophyll biosynthesis: the three genes of the LIPOR complex and acsF. CONCLUSIONS The presence of corallicolid apicomplexans in corals below the photic zone demonstrates that they are not restricted to shallow-water reefs and are more general anthozoan symbionts. The presence of LIPOR genes in the deep-sea corallicolid precludes a role involving photosynthesis and suggests they may be involved in a different function. Thus, these genes may represent another set of genetic tools whose function was adapted from photosynthesis as the ancestors of apicomplexans evolved towards parasitic lifestyles. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel A Vohsen
- Biology Department, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Kaitlin E Anderson
- Biology Department, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Andrea M Gade
- Biology Department, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | | | - Richard P Dannenberg
- Biology Department, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Epic, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Eslam O Osman
- Biology Department, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Marine Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Nicole Dubilier
- Department of Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Charles R Fisher
- Biology Department, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Iliana B Baums
- Biology Department, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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Cleves PA, Shumaker A, Lee J, Putnam HM, Bhattacharya D. Unknown to Known: Advancing Knowledge of Coral Gene Function. Trends Genet 2019; 36:93-104. [PMID: 31882190 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2019.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Given the catastrophic changes befalling coral reefs, understanding coral gene function is essential to advance reef conservation. This has proved challenging due to the paucity of genomic data and genetic tools available for corals. Recently, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing was applied to these species; however, a major bottleneck is the identification and prioritization of candidate genes for manipulation. This issue is exacerbated by the many unknown ('dark') coral genes that may play key roles in the stress response. We review the use of gene coexpression networks that incorporate both known and unknown genes to identify targets for reverse genetic analysis. This approach also provides a framework for the annotation of dark genes in established interaction networks to improve our fundamental knowledge of coral gene function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip A Cleves
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Alexander Shumaker
- Microbial Biology Graduate Program, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - JunMo Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; Current address: Department of Oceanography, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
| | - Hollie M Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Debashish Bhattacharya
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
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Thermal Stress and Resilience of Corals in a Climate-Changing World. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse8010015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Coral reef ecosystems are under the direct threat of increasing atmospheric greenhouse gases, which increase seawater temperatures in the oceans and lead to bleaching events. Global bleaching events are becoming more frequent and stronger, and understanding how corals can tolerate and survive high-temperature stress should be accorded paramount priority. Here, we review evidence of the different mechanisms that corals employ to mitigate thermal stress, which include association with thermally tolerant endosymbionts, acclimatisation, and adaptation processes. These differences highlight the physiological diversity and complexity of symbiotic organisms, such as scleractinian corals, where each species (coral host and microbial endosymbionts) responds differently to thermal stress. We conclude by offering some insights into the future of coral reefs and examining the strategies scientists are leveraging to ensure the survival of this valuable ecosystem. Without a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a divergence from our societal dependence on fossil fuels, natural mechanisms possessed by corals might be insufficient towards ensuring the ecological functioning of coral reef ecosystems.
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25
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Durante MK, Baums IB, Williams DE, Vohsen S, Kemp DW. What drives phenotypic divergence among coral clonemates of Acropora palmata? Mol Ecol 2019; 28:3208-3224. [PMID: 31282031 PMCID: PMC6852117 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Evolutionary rescue of populations depends on their ability to produce phenotypic variation that is heritable and adaptive. DNA mutations are the best understood mechanisms to create phenotypic variation, but other, less well-studied mechanisms exist. Marine benthic foundation species provide opportunities to study these mechanisms because many are dominated by isogenic stands produced through asexual reproduction. For example, Caribbean acroporid corals are long lived and reproduce asexually via breakage of branches. Fragmentation is often the dominant mode of local population maintenance. Thus, large genets with many ramets (colonies) are common. Here, we observed phenotypic variation in stress responses within genets following the coral bleaching events in 2014 and 2015 caused by high water temperatures. This was not due to genetic variation in their symbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium "fitti") because each genet of this coral species typically harbours a single strain of S. "fitti". Characterization of the microbiome via 16S tag sequencing correlated the abundance of only two microbiome members (Tepidiphilus, Endozoicomonas) with a bleaching response. Epigenetic changes were significantly correlated with the host's genetic background, the location of the sampled polyps within the colonies (e.g., branch vs. base of colony), and differences in the colonies' condition during the bleaching event. We conclude that long-term microenvironmental differences led to changes in the way the ramets methylated their genomes, contributing to the differential bleaching response. However, most of the variation in differential bleaching response among clonemates of Acropora palmata remains unexplained. This research provides novel data and hypotheses to help understand intragenet variability in stress phenotypes of sessile marine species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dana E. Williams
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationSoutheast Fisheries Science CenterMiamiFLUSA
| | - Sam Vohsen
- The Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPAUSA
| | - Dustin W. Kemp
- The Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPAUSA
- Present address:
University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamALUSA
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