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Boas Lichty KE, Loughran RM, Ushijima B, Richards GP, Boyd EF. Osmotic stress response of the coral and oyster pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus: acquisition of catabolism gene clusters for the compatible solute and signaling molecule myo-inositol. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024:e0092024. [PMID: 38874337 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00920-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Marine bacteria experience fluctuations in osmolarity that they must adapt to, and most bacteria respond to high osmolarity by accumulating compatible solutes also known as osmolytes. The osmotic stress response and compatible solutes used by the coral and oyster pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus were unknown. In this study, we showed that to alleviate osmotic stress V. coralliilyticus biosynthesized glycine betaine (GB) and transported into the cell choline, GB, ectoine, dimethylglycine, and dimethylsulfoniopropionate, but not myo-inositol. Myo-inositol is a stress protectant and a signaling molecule that is biosynthesized and used by algae. Bioinformatics identified myo-inositol (iol) catabolism clusters in V. coralliilyticus and other Vibrio, Photobacterium, Grimontia, and Enterovibrio species. Growth pattern analysis demonstrated that V. coralliilyticus utilized myo-inositol as a sole carbon source, with a short lag time of 3 h. An iolG deletion mutant, which encodes an inositol dehydrogenase, was unable to grow on myo-inositol. Within the iol clusters were an MFS-type (iolT1) and an ABC-type (iolXYZ) transporter and analyses showed that both transported myo-inositol. IolG and IolA phylogeny among Vibrionaceae species showed different evolutionary histories indicating multiple acquisition events. Outside of Vibrionaceae, IolG was most closely related to IolG from a small group of Aeromonas fish and human pathogens and Providencia species. However, IolG from hypervirulent A. hydrophila strains clustered with IolG from Enterobacter, and divergently from Pectobacterium, Brenneria, and Dickeya plant pathogens. The iol cluster was also present within Aliiroseovarius, Burkholderia, Endozoicomonas, Halomonas, Labrenzia, Marinomonas, Marinobacterium, Cobetia, Pantoea, and Pseudomonas, of which many species were associated with marine flora and fauna.IMPORTANCEHost associated bacteria such as Vibrio coralliilyticus encounter competition for nutrients and have evolved metabolic strategies to better compete for food. Emerging studies show that myo-inositol is exchanged in the coral-algae symbiosis, is likely involved in signaling, but is also an osmolyte in algae. The bacterial consumption of myo-inositol could contribute to a breakdown of the coral-algae symbiosis during thermal stress or disrupt the coral microbiome. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the evolutionary history of myo-inositol metabolism is complex, acquired multiple times in Vibrio, but acquired once in many bacterial plant pathogens. Further analysis also showed that a conserved iol cluster is prevalent among many marine species (commensals, mutualists, and pathogens) associated with marine flora and fauna, algae, sponges, corals, molluscs, crustaceans, and fish.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rachel M Loughran
- Microbiology Graduate Program, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Blake Ushijima
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gary P Richards
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Dover, Delaware, USA
| | - E Fidelma Boyd
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
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2
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Boas Lichty KE, Loughran RM, Ushijima B, Richards GP, Boyd EF. Osmotic stress response of the coral and oyster pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus : acquisition of catabolism gene clusters for the compatible solute and signaling molecule myo -inositol. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.16.575920. [PMID: 38766061 PMCID: PMC11100586 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.16.575920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Marine bacteria experience fluctuations in osmolarity that they must adapt to, and most bacteria respond to high osmolarity by accumulating compatible solutes also known as osmolytes. The osmotic stress response and compatible solutes used by the coral and oyster pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus were unknown. In this study, we showed that to alleviate osmotic stress V. coralliilyticus biosynthesized glycine betaine (GB) and transported into the cell choline, GB, ectoine, dimethylglycine, and dimethylsulfoniopropionate, but not myo -inositol. Myo -inositol is a stress protectant and a signaling molecule that is biosynthesized and used by algae. Bioinformatics identified myo -inositol ( iol ) catabolism clusters in V. coralliilyticus and other Vibrio, Photobacterium, Grimontia, and Enterovibrio species. Growth pattern analysis demonstrated that V. coralliilyticus utilized myo -inositol as a sole carbon source, with a short lag time of 3 h. An iolG deletion mutant, which encodes an inositol dehydrogenase, was unable to grow on myo -inositol. Within the iol clusters were an MFS-type ( iolT1) and an ABC-type ( iolXYZ) transporter and analyses showed that both transported myo -inositol. IolG and IolA phylogeny among Vibrionaceae species showed different evolutionary histories indicating multiple acquisition events. Outside of Vibrionaceae , IolG was most closely related to IolG from a small group of Aeromonas fish and human pathogens and Providencia species. However, IolG from hypervirulent A. hydrophila strains clustered with IolG from Enterobacter, and divergently from Pectobacterium, Brenneria, and Dickeya plant pathogens. The iol cluster was also present within Aliiroseovarius, Burkholderia, Endozoicomonas, Halomonas, Labrenzia, Marinomonas, Marinobacterium, Cobetia, Pantoea, and Pseudomonas, of which many species were associated with marine flora and fauna. IMPORTANCE Host associated bacteria such as V. coralliilyticus encounter competition for nutrients and have evolved metabolic strategies to better compete for food. Emerging studies show that myo -inositol is exchanged in the coral-algae symbiosis, is likely involved in signaling, but is also an osmolyte in algae. The bacterial consumption of myo -inositol could contribute to a breakdown of the coral-algae symbiosis during thermal stress or disrupt the coral microbiome. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the evolutionary history of myo -inositol metabolism is complex, acquired multiple times in Vibrio, but acquired once in many bacterial plant pathogens. Further analysis also showed that a conserved iol cluster is prevalent among many marine species (commensals, mutualists, and pathogens) associated with marine flora and fauna, algae, sponges, corals, molluscs, crustaceans, and fish.
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Williams A. Multiomics data integration, limitations, and prospects to reveal the metabolic activity of the coral holobiont. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2024; 100:fiae058. [PMID: 38653719 PMCID: PMC11067971 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiae058] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Since their radiation in the Middle Triassic period ∼240 million years ago, stony corals have survived past climate fluctuations and five mass extinctions. Their long-term survival underscores the inherent resilience of corals, particularly when considering the nutrient-poor marine environments in which they have thrived. However, coral bleaching has emerged as a global threat to coral survival, requiring rapid advancements in coral research to understand holobiont stress responses and allow for interventions before extensive bleaching occurs. This review encompasses the potential, as well as the limits, of multiomics data applications when applied to the coral holobiont. Synopses for how different omics tools have been applied to date and their current restrictions are discussed, in addition to ways these restrictions may be overcome, such as recruiting new technology to studies, utilizing novel bioinformatics approaches, and generally integrating omics data. Lastly, this review presents considerations for the design of holobiont multiomics studies to support lab-to-field advancements of coral stress marker monitoring systems. Although much of the bleaching mechanism has eluded investigation to date, multiomic studies have already produced key findings regarding the holobiont's stress response, and have the potential to advance the field further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Williams
- Microbial Biology Graduate Program, Rutgers University, 76 Lipman Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, 76 Lipman Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States
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4
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Zhou Y, Li Q, Zhang Q, Yuan M, Zhu X, Li Y, Li Q, Downs CA, Huang D, Chou LM, Zhao H. Environmental Concentrations of Herbicide Prometryn Render Stress-Tolerant Corals Susceptible to Ocean Warming. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:4545-4557. [PMID: 38386019 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c10417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Global warming has caused the degradation of coral reefs around the world. While stress-tolerant corals have demonstrated the ability to acclimatize to ocean warming, it remains unclear whether they can sustain their thermal resilience when superimposed with other coastal environmental stressors. We report the combined impacts of a photosystem II (PSII) herbicide, prometryn, and ocean warming on the stress-tolerant coral Galaxea fascicularis through physiological and omics analyses. The results demonstrate that the heat-stress-induced inhibition of photosynthetic efficiency in G. fascicularis is exacerbated in the presence of prometryn. Transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses indicate that the prometryn exposure may overwhelm the photosystem repair mechanism in stress-tolerant corals, thereby compromising their capacity for thermal acclimation. Moreover, prometryn might amplify the adverse effects of heat stress on key energy and nutrient metabolism pathways and induce a stronger response to oxidative stress in stress-tolerant corals. The findings indicate that the presence of prometryn at environmentally relevant concentrations would render corals more susceptible to heat stress and exacerbate the breakdown of coral Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis. The present study provides valuable insights into the necessity of prioritizing PSII herbicide pollution reduction in coral reef protection efforts while mitigating the effects of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
- Center for Eco-Environment Restoration of Hainan Province & Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, School of Environment and Ecology, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Qiuli Li
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
- Center for Eco-Environment Restoration of Hainan Province & Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, School of Environment and Ecology, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Quan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, China
| | - Meile Yuan
- Center for Eco-Environment Restoration of Hainan Province & Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, School of Environment and Ecology, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Xiaoshan Zhu
- Center for Eco-Environment Restoration of Hainan Province & Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, School of Environment and Ecology, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Yuanchao Li
- Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou 571126, China
| | - Qipei Li
- Center for Eco-Environment Restoration of Hainan Province & Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, School of Environment and Ecology, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Craig A Downs
- Haereticus Environmental Laboratory, P.O. Box 92, Clifford, Virginia 24533, United States
| | - Danwei Huang
- Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117377, Singapore
- Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119227, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore
| | - Loke-Ming Chou
- Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119227, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore
| | - Hongwei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
- Center for Eco-Environment Restoration of Hainan Province & Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, School of Environment and Ecology, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
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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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Thukral M, Allen AE, Petras D. Progress and challenges in exploring aquatic microbial communities using non-targeted metabolomics. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:2147-2159. [PMID: 37857709 PMCID: PMC10689791 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01532-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Advances in bioanalytical technologies are constantly expanding our insights into complex ecosystems. Here, we highlight strategies and applications that make use of non-targeted metabolomics methods in aquatic chemical ecology research and discuss opportunities and remaining challenges of mass spectrometry-based methods to broaden our understanding of environmental systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Thukral
- University of California San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA, USA
- J. Craig Venter Institute, Microbial and Environmental Genomics Group, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Andrew E Allen
- University of California San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA, USA
- J. Craig Venter Institute, Microbial and Environmental Genomics Group, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Petras
- University of Tuebingen, CMFI Cluster of Excellence, Tuebingen, Germany.
- University of California Riverside, Department of Biochemistry, Riverside, CA, USA.
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7
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Matthews JL, Hoch L, Raina JB, Pablo M, Hughes DJ, Camp EF, Seymour JR, Ralph PJ, Suggett DJ, Herdean A. Symbiodiniaceae photophysiology and stress resilience is enhanced by microbial associations. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20724. [PMID: 38007500 PMCID: PMC10676399 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48020-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Symbiodiniaceae form associations with extra- and intracellular bacterial symbionts, both in culture and in symbiosis with corals. Bacterial associates can regulate Symbiodiniaceae fitness in terms of growth, calcification and photophysiology. However, the influence of these bacteria on interactive stressors, such as temperature and light, which are known to influence Symbiodiniaceae physiology, remains unclear. Here, we examined the photophysiological response of two Symbiodiniaceae species (Symbiodinium microadriaticum and Breviolum minutum) cultured under acute temperature and light stress with specific bacterial partners from their microbiome (Labrenzia (Roseibium) alexandrii, Marinobacter adhaerens or Muricauda aquimarina). Overall, bacterial presence positively impacted Symbiodiniaceae core photosynthetic health (photosystem II [PSII] quantum yield) and photoprotective capacity (non-photochemical quenching; NPQ) compared to cultures with all extracellular bacteria removed, although specific benefits were variable across Symbiodiniaceae genera and growth phase. Symbiodiniaceae co-cultured with M. aquimarina displayed an inverse NPQ response under high temperatures and light, and those with L. alexandrii demonstrated a lowered threshold for induction of NPQ, potentially through the provision of antioxidant compounds such as zeaxanthin (produced by Muricauda spp.) and dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP; produced by this strain of L. alexandrii). Our co-culture approach empirically demonstrates the benefits bacteria can deliver to Symbiodiniaceae photochemical performance, providing evidence that bacterial associates can play important functional roles for Symbiodiniaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Matthews
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.
| | - Lilian Hoch
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Jean-Baptiste Raina
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Marine Pablo
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
- Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - David J Hughes
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Emma F Camp
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Justin R Seymour
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Peter J Ralph
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - David J Suggett
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
- KAUST Reefscape Restoration Initiative (KRRI) and Red Sea Reseach Centre (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science & Technology, 23955, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Andrei Herdean
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
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8
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Matthews JL, Khalil A, Siboni N, Bougoure J, Guagliardo P, Kuzhiumparambil U, DeMaere M, Le Reun NM, Seymour JR, Suggett DJ, Raina JB. Coral endosymbiont growth is enhanced by metabolic interactions with bacteria. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6864. [PMID: 37891154 PMCID: PMC10611727 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42663-y] [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: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria are key contributors to microalgae resource acquisition, competitive performance, and functional diversity, but their potential metabolic interactions with coral microalgal endosymbionts (Symbiodiniaceae) have been largely overlooked. Here, we show that altering the bacterial composition of two widespread Symbiodiniaceae species, during their free-living stage, results in a significant shift in their cellular metabolism. Indeed, the abundance of monosaccharides and the key phytohormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) were correlated with the presence of specific bacteria, including members of the Labrenzia (Roseibium) and Marinobacter genera. Single-cell stable isotope tracking revealed that these two bacterial genera are involved in reciprocal exchanges of carbon and nitrogen with Symbiodiniaceae. We identified the provision of IAA by Labrenzia and Marinobacter, and this metabolite caused a significant growth enhancement of Symbiodiniaceae. By unravelling these interkingdom interactions, our work demonstrates how specific bacterial associates fundamentally govern Symbiodiniaceae fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Matthews
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
| | - Abeeha Khalil
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Nachshon Siboni
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Jeremy Bougoure
- Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Paul Guagliardo
- Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | | | - Matthew DeMaere
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Nine M Le Reun
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Justin R Seymour
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - David J Suggett
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
- KAUST Reefscape Restoration Initiative (KRRI) and Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jean-Baptiste Raina
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
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9
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Sun F, Yang H, Zhang X, Shi Q. Metabolic and metatranscriptional characteristics of corals bleaching induced by the most severe marine heatwaves in the South China Sea. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:160019. [PMID: 36356778 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Coral bleaching significantly affects the function and health of coral reef ecosystems; however, the mechanisms underlying metabolism and transcription in corals remain unclear. In this study, untargeted metabolomics and metatranscriptomic analyses were performed to analyze the differences between unbleached and bleached Pocillopora corals during the most severe marine heatwaves. Difference analysis showed that bleached corals had significant metabolomic characteristics compared with those in unbleached corals. These differences were significant (p < 0.05) according to partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis revealed that the metabolites were significantly enriched in numerous pathways in bleached or unbleached corals, such as steroid hormone biosynthesis, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, and pyrimidine metabolism. Bleaching greatly affects coral reproduction as well as the tolerance of coral symbionts to heat stress. In metatranscriptomic analysis, we observed large gene expression differences between unbleached and bleached corals. Three Gene Ontology directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) were constructed to show the significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Many biological and molecular processes were significantly enriched between bleached corals to unbleached corals, such as metabolic processes, lipid metabolic processes, oxidation-reduction processes, single-organism metabolic processes, and protein metabolic processes. Metabolome and metatranscriptome analyses showed that bleaching caused substantial physiological damage to corals. This study provides insight into the metabolic and transcriptional changes that occur in corals during bleaching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fulin Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China; Daya Bay Marine Biology Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China; Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, Sanya, China
| | - Hongqiang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China; Nansha Marine Ecological and Environmental Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sansha, China; Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, Sanya, China.
| | - Xiyang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China; Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, Sanya, China
| | - Qi Shi
- Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China; Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, Sanya, China
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10
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Bove CB, Ingersoll MV, Davies SW. Help Me, Symbionts, You're My Only Hope: Approaches to Accelerate our Understanding of Coral Holobiont Interactions. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:1756-1769. [PMID: 36099871 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Tropical corals construct the three-dimensional framework for one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet, providing habitat to a plethora of species across taxa. However, these ecosystem engineers are facing unprecedented challenges, such as increasing disease prevalence and marine heatwaves associated with anthropogenic global change. As a result, major declines in coral cover and health are being observed across the world's oceans, often due to the breakdown of coral-associated symbioses. Here, we review the interactions between the major symbiotic partners of the coral holobiont-the cnidarian host, algae in the family Symbiodiniaceae, and the microbiome-that influence trait variation, including the molecular mechanisms that underlie symbiosis and the resulting physiological benefits of different microbial partnerships. In doing so, we highlight the current framework for the formation and maintenance of cnidarian-Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis, and the role that immunity pathways play in this relationship. We emphasize that understanding these complex interactions is challenging when you consider the vast genetic variation of the cnidarian host and algal symbiont, as well as their highly diverse microbiome, which is also an important player in coral holobiont health. Given the complex interactions between and among symbiotic partners, we propose several research directions and approaches focused on symbiosis model systems and emerging technologies that will broaden our understanding of how these partner interactions may facilitate the prediction of coral holobiont phenotype, especially under rapid environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen B Bove
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | | | - Sarah W Davies
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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11
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Vega Thurber R, Schmeltzer ER, Grottoli AG, van Woesik R, Toonen RJ, Warner M, Dobson KL, McLachlan RH, Barott K, Barshis DJ, Baumann J, Chapron L, Combosch DJ, Correa AMS, DeCarlo TM, Hagedorn M, Hédouin L, Hoadley K, Felis T, Ferrier-Pagès C, Kenkel C, Kuffner IB, Matthews J, Medina M, Meyer C, Oster C, Price J, Putnam HM, Sawall Y. Unified methods in collecting, preserving, and archiving coral bleaching and restoration specimens to increase sample utility and interdisciplinary collaboration. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14176. [PMID: 36345483 PMCID: PMC9636870 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are declining worldwide primarily because of bleaching and subsequent mortality resulting from thermal stress. Currently, extensive efforts to engage in more holistic research and restoration endeavors have considerably expanded the techniques applied to examine coral samples. Despite such advances, coral bleaching and restoration studies are often conducted within a specific disciplinary focus, where specimens are collected, preserved, and archived in ways that are not always conducive to further downstream analyses by specialists in other disciplines. This approach may prevent the full utilization of unexpended specimens, leading to siloed research, duplicative efforts, unnecessary loss of additional corals to research endeavors, and overall increased costs. A recent US National Science Foundation-sponsored workshop set out to consolidate our collective knowledge across the disciplines of Omics, Physiology, and Microscopy and Imaging regarding the methods used for coral sample collection, preservation, and archiving. Here, we highlight knowledge gaps and propose some simple steps for collecting, preserving, and archiving coral-bleaching specimens that can increase the impact of individual coral bleaching and restoration studies, as well as foster additional analyses and future discoveries through collaboration. Rapid freezing of samples in liquid nitrogen or placing at -80 °C to -20 °C is optimal for most Omics and Physiology studies with a few exceptions; however, freezing samples removes the potential for many Microscopy and Imaging-based analyses due to the alteration of tissue integrity during freezing. For Microscopy and Imaging, samples are best stored in aldehydes. The use of sterile gloves and receptacles during collection supports the downstream analysis of host-associated bacterial and viral communities which are particularly germane to disease and restoration efforts. Across all disciplines, the use of aseptic techniques during collection, preservation, and archiving maximizes the research potential of coral specimens and allows for the greatest number of possible downstream analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Vega Thurber
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Emily R. Schmeltzer
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Andréa G. Grottoli
- School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Robert van Woesik
- Institute for Global Ecology, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Fl, United States
| | - Robert J. Toonen
- Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Kāne’ohe, HI, United States
| | - Mark Warner
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, United States
| | - Kerri L. Dobson
- School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Rowan H. McLachlan
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States,School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Katie Barott
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Daniel J. Barshis
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - Justin Baumann
- Biology Department, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, United States
| | - Leila Chapron
- School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | | | | | - Thomas M. DeCarlo
- College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Hawai’i Pacific University, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Mary Hagedorn
- Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Kāne’ohe, HI, United States,Conservation Biology Institute, Smithsonian, Kāne’ohe, HI, United States
| | - Laetitia Hédouin
- Centre de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l’Environnement, Chargée de Recherches CNRS, Papetō’ai, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Kenneth Hoadley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Thomas Felis
- MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | | | - Carly Kenkel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | | | - Jennifer Matthews
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mónica Medina
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Christopher Meyer
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian, Washington DC, United States
| | - Corinna Oster
- MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - James Price
- School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Hollie M. Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | - Yvonne Sawall
- Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, St. George’s, St. George’s, Bermuda
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12
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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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13
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Huang A, Shi H, Cui R, Cai X, Xie Z. Effects of Taurine on Primary Metabolism and Transcription in a Coral Symbiodinium sp. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:797688. [PMID: 35898918 PMCID: PMC9309572 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.797688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs belong to the marine ecosystems and host the richest biodiversity of marine organisms. Coral reefs are formed as a result of the symbiotic relationship between the host coral animal and photosynthetic dinoflagellates, namely Symbiodinium sp. Coral animals induce the release of carbon fixation products of symbiotic Symbiodinium sp. through secreting host release factors (HRFs) such as taurine. To study the potential effect of taurine on photosynthesis and release of carbon fixation products of Symbiodinium sp., we compared the growth of Symbiodinium sp. under control and taurine-stimulated conditions. Photosynthesis parameters were detected to monitor the photosynthetic efficiency. Biomass and the contents of total soluble sugar, total insoluble sugar, total protein, total lipids, chlorophyll a were analyzed. Metabolome and transcriptome analyses were performed to analyze the potential effect of taurine on primary metabolism and mRNA transcription. The results revealed that taurine significantly increased the growth, photosynthesis efficiency, total soluble sugar, chlorophyll a, and chlorophyll b and free amino acid content of Symbiodinium sp. while decreased the content of total insoluble sugar. Results of metabolome and transcriptome analyses suggested that taurine might affect metabolic pathways in Symbiodinium sp. by altering the permeability of the algal cell membrane, diverting photosynthetically fixed carbon from storage compounds to translocated compounds, releasing a signal of low concentrations of nitrogen to initiate a series of response mechanisms, and controlling the density of Symbiodinium sp. through the quorum sensing effect. These results help to explore how corals control carbon metabolism in Symbiodinium sp. and to provide theoretical guidance for furthering our understanding of Symbiodinium sp. biology and coral-algal symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiyou Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- Laboratory of Development and Utilization of Marine Microbial Resource, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Hydrobiology and Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
- College of Marine Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Hejing Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- Laboratory of Development and Utilization of Marine Microbial Resource, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- College of Marine Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Ruoxuan Cui
- College of Marine Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Xiaoni Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- Laboratory of Development and Utilization of Marine Microbial Resource, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Hydrobiology and Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
- College of Marine Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Zhenyu Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- Laboratory of Development and Utilization of Marine Microbial Resource, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Hydrobiology and Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
- College of Marine Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- *Correspondence: Zhenyu Xie,
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14
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Bleaching physiology: who's the 'weakest link' - host vs. symbiont? Emerg Top Life Sci 2022; 6:17-32. [PMID: 35179208 DOI: 10.1042/etls20210228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Environmental stress, such as an increase in the sea surface temperature, triggers coral bleaching, a profound dysfunction of the mutualist symbiosis between the host cnidarians and their photosynthetic dinoflagellates of the Family Symbiodiniaceae. Because of climate change, mass coral bleaching events will increase in frequency and severity in the future, threatening the persistence of this iconic marine ecosystem at global scale. Strategies adapted to coral reefs preservation and restoration may stem from the identification of the succession of events and of the different molecular and cellular contributors to the bleaching phenomenon. To date, studies aiming to decipher the cellular cascade leading to temperature-related bleaching, emphasized the involvement of reactive species originating from compromised bioenergetic pathways (e.g. cellular respiration and photosynthesis). These molecules are responsible for damage to various cellular components causing the dysregulation of cellular homeostasis and the breakdown of symbiosis. In this review, we synthesize the current knowledge available in the literature on the cellular mechanisms caused by thermal stress, which can initiate or participate in the cell cascade leading to the loss of symbionts, with a particular emphasis on the role of each partner in the initiating processes.
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15
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Suescún-Bolívar LP, Thomé PE. The specific inhibition of glycerol synthesis and the phosphorylation of a putative MAPK give insight into the mechanism of osmotic sensing in a dinoflagellate symbiont. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2021; 69:e12883. [PMID: 34936156 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Signaling pathways are fundamental for the establishment and maintenance of diverse symbioses. The symbiosis of cnidarians and dinoflagellate algae is the foundation for the ecological success of coral reefs, involving the transfer of photosynthetic products from symbiont to host. However, signal transduction pathways for this symbiosis remain uncharacterized. Cultured and natural cnidarian symbionts can produce glycerol, one of the main translocated photosynthates. Here, we investigate whether a signal transduction pathway may be involved in inducing glycerol synthesis in cultured symbionts under an osmotic stress model. We evaluated the effect of specific inhibitors of the main transduction pathways, p38, JNK, and ERK 1/2 in Brevolium minutum, the symbiont of the Aiptasia model system. We found that glycerol production and the specific activity of the enzyme Gpdh were selectively inhibited by a p38 MAPK inhibitor. Additionally, the phosphorylation of a putative p38-like protein was rapidly detected. Finally, we studied the presence of each of the components of the p38 MAPK pathway in silico, in genomes and transcriptomes reported up to date for different symbiont types. We propose a model for the arrangement of this pathway in the family of dinoflagellate symbionts known as Symbiodiniaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- L P Suescún-Bolívar
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales Puerto Morelos, Puerto Morelos, Mexico
| | - P E Thomé
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales Puerto Morelos, Puerto Morelos, Mexico
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16
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Williams A, Pathmanathan JS, Stephens TG, Su X, Chiles EN, Conetta D, Putnam HM, Bhattacharya D. Multi-omic characterization of the thermal stress phenome in the stony coral Montipora capitata. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12335. [PMID: 34824906 PMCID: PMC8590396 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Corals, which form the foundation of biodiverse reef ecosystems, are under threat from warming oceans. Reefs provide essential ecological services, including food, income from tourism, nutrient cycling, waste removal, and the absorption of wave energy to mitigate erosion. Here, we studied the coral thermal stress response using network methods to analyze transcriptomic and polar metabolomic data generated from the Hawaiian rice coral Montipora capitata. Coral nubbins were exposed to ambient or thermal stress conditions over a 5-week period, coinciding with a mass spawning event of this species. The major goal of our study was to expand the inventory of thermal stress-related genes and metabolites present in M. capitata and to study gene-metabolite interactions. These interactions provide the foundation for functional or genetic analysis of key coral genes as well as provide potentially diagnostic markers of pre-bleaching stress. A secondary goal of our study was to analyze the accumulation of sex hormones prior to and during mass spawning to understand how thermal stress may impact reproductive success in M. capitata. Methods M. capitata was exposed to thermal stress during its spawning cycle over the course of 5 weeks, during which time transcriptomic and polar metabolomic data were collected. We analyzed these data streams individually, and then integrated both data sets using MAGI (Metabolite Annotation and Gene Integration) to investigate molecular transitions and biochemical reactions. Results Our results reveal the complexity of the thermal stress phenome in M. capitata, which includes many genes involved in redox regulation, biomineralization, and reproduction. The size and number of modules in the gene co-expression networks expanded from the initial stress response to the onset of bleaching. The later stages involved the suppression of metabolite transport by the coral host, including a variety of sodium-coupled transporters and a putative ammonium transporter, possibly as a response to reduction in algal productivity. The gene-metabolite integration data suggest that thermal treatment results in the activation of animal redox stress pathways involved in quenching molecular oxygen to prevent an overabundance of reactive oxygen species. Lastly, evidence that thermal stress affects reproductive activity was provided by the downregulation of CYP-like genes and the irregular production of sex hormones during the mass spawning cycle. Overall, redox regulation and metabolite transport are key components of the coral animal thermal stress phenome. Mass spawning was highly attenuated under thermal stress, suggesting that global climate change may negatively impact reproductive behavior in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Williams
- Microbial Biology Graduate Program, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, United States
| | - Jananan S Pathmanathan
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, United States
| | - Timothy G Stephens
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, United States
| | - Xiaoyang Su
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, United States.,Metabolomics Shared Resource, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University,New Brunswick, United States
| | - Eric N Chiles
- Metabolomics Shared Resource, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University,New Brunswick, United States
| | - Dennis Conetta
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, United States
| | - Hollie M Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, United States
| | - Debashish Bhattacharya
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, United States
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17
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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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18
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Cross-Linked Regulation of Coral-Associated Dinoflagellates and Bacteria in Pocillopora sp. during High-Temperature Stress and Recovery. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9091972. [PMID: 34576867 PMCID: PMC8468813 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9091972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
As the problem of ocean warming worsens, the environmental adaptation potential of symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria is directly related to the future and fate of corals. This study aimed to analyse the comprehensive community dynamics and physiology of these two groups of organisms in the coral Pocillopora sp. through indoor simulations of heat stress (which involved manually adjusting the temperature between both 26 °C and 34 °C). Heat treatment (≥30 °C) significantly reduced the abundance of Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria by more than 70%. After the temperature was returned to 26 °C for one month, the Symbiodiniaceae density was still low, while the absolute number of bacteria quickly recovered to 55% of that of the control. At this time point, the Fv/Fm value rose to 91% of the pretemperature value. The content of chlorophyll b associated with Cyanobacteria increased by 50% compared with that under the control conditions. Moreover, analysis of the Symbiodiniaceae subclade composition suggested that the relative abundance of C1c.C45, C1, and C1ca increased during heat treatment, indicating that they might constitute heat-resistant subgroups. We suggest that the increase in the absolute number of bacteria during the recovery period could be an important indicator of coral holobiont recovery after heat stress. This study provides insight into the cross-linked regulation of key symbiotic microbes in the coral Pocillopora sp. during high-temperature stress and recovery and provides a scientific basis for exploring the mechanism underlying coral adaptation to global warming.
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19
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Roger LM, Reich HG, Lawrence E, Li S, Vizgaudis W, Brenner N, Kumar L, Klein-Seetharaman J, Yang J, Putnam HM, Lewinski NA. Applying model approaches in non-model systems: A review and case study on coral cell culture. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0248953. [PMID: 33831033 PMCID: PMC8031391 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Model systems approaches search for commonality in patterns underlying biological diversity and complexity led by common evolutionary paths. The success of the approach does not rest on the species chosen but on the scalability of the model and methods used to develop the model and engage research. Fine-tuning approaches to improve coral cell cultures will provide a robust platform for studying symbiosis breakdown, the calcification mechanism and its disruption, protein interactions, micronutrient transport/exchange, and the toxicity of nanoparticles, among other key biological aspects, with the added advantage of minimizing the ethical conundrum of repeated testing on ecologically threatened organisms. The work presented here aimed to lay the foundation towards development of effective methods to sort and culture reef-building coral cells with the ultimate goal of obtaining immortal cell lines for the study of bleaching, disease and toxicity at the cellular and polyp levels. To achieve this objective, the team conducted a thorough review and tested the available methods (i.e. cell dissociation, isolation, sorting, attachment and proliferation). The most effective and reproducible techniques were combined to consolidate culture methods and generate uncontaminated coral cell cultures for ~7 days (10 days maximum). The tests were conducted on scleractinian corals Pocillopora acuta of the same genotype to harmonize results and reduce variation linked to genetic diversity. The development of cell separation and identification methods in conjunction with further investigations into coral cell-type specific metabolic requirements will allow us to tailor growth media for optimized monocultures as a tool for studying essential reef-building coral traits such as symbiosis, wound healing and calcification at multiple scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liza M. Roger
- Life Science and Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail: ,
| | - Hannah G. Reich
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Evan Lawrence
- Life Science and Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Shuaifeng Li
- Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Whitney Vizgaudis
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Nathan Brenner
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Lokender Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, United States of America
| | | | - Jinkyu Yang
- Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Hollie M. Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Nastassja A. Lewinski
- Life Science and Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
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20
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Sun Y, Jiang L, Gong S, Guo M, Yuan X, Zhou G, Lei X, Zhang Y, Yuan T, Lian J, Qian P, Huang H. Impact of Ocean Warming and Acidification on Symbiosis Establishment and Gene Expression Profiles in Recruits of Reef Coral Acropora intermedia. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:532447. [PMID: 33117302 PMCID: PMC7561415 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.532447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The onset of symbiosis and the early development of most broadcast spawning corals play pivotal roles in recruitment success, yet these critical early stages are threatened by multiple stressors. However, molecular mechanisms governing these critical processes under ocean warming and acidification are still poorly understood. The present study investigated the interactive impact of elevated temperature (∼28.0°C and ∼30.5°C) and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) (∼600 and ∼1,200 μatm) on early development and the gene expression patterns in juvenile Acropora intermedia over 33 days. The results showed that coral survival was >89% and was unaffected by high temperature, pCO2, or the combined treatment. Notably, high temperature completely arrested successful symbiosis establishment and the budding process, whereas acidification had a negligible effect. Moreover, there was a positive exponential relationship between symbiosis establishment and budding rates (y = 0.0004e6.43x, R = 0.72, P < 0.0001), which indicated the importance of symbiosis in fueling asexual budding. Compared with corals at the control temperature (28°C), those under elevated temperature preferentially harbored Durusdinium spp., despite unsuccessful symbiosis establishment. In addition, compared to the control, 351 and 153 differentially expressed genes were detected in the symbiont and coral host in response to experimental conditions, respectively. In coral host, some genes involved in nutrient transportation and tissue fluorescence were affected by high temperature. In the symbionts, a suite of genes related to cell growth, ribosomal proteins, photosynthesis, and energy production was downregulated under high temperatures, which may have severely hampered successful cell proliferation of the endosymbionts and explains the failure of symbiosis establishment. Therefore, our results suggest that the responses of symbionts to future ocean conditions could play a vital role in shaping successful symbiosis in juvenile coral.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youfang Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, 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, Sanya, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - 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, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, 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, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sanqiang Gong
- CAS 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.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, China
| | - Minglan Guo
- CAS 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.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, 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, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiangcheng 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, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, 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, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guowei Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, 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, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinming Lei
- CAS 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.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, 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, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuyang 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, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, 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, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao 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, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, 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, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiansheng Lian
- CAS 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.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, 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, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peiyuan Qian
- 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, Sanya, China.,Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, 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, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya, 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, Sanya, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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21
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Rosset SL, Oakley CA, Ferrier-Pagès C, Suggett DJ, Weis VM, Davy SK. The Molecular Language of the Cnidarian-Dinoflagellate Symbiosis. Trends Microbiol 2020; 29:320-333. [PMID: 33041180 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis is of huge importance as it underpins the success of coral reefs, yet we know very little about how the host cnidarian and its dinoflagellate endosymbionts communicate with each other to form a functionally integrated unit. Here, we review the current knowledge of interpartner molecular signaling in this symbiosis, with an emphasis on lipids, glycans, reactive species, biogenic volatiles, and noncoding RNA. We draw upon evidence of these compounds from recent omics-based studies of cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis and discuss the signaling roles that they play in other, better-studied symbioses. We then consider how improved knowledge of interpartner signaling might be used to develop solutions to the coral reef crisis by, for example, engineering more thermally resistant corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina L Rosset
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
| | - Clinton A Oakley
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
| | | | - David J Suggett
- University of Technology Sydney, Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, PO Box 123, Broadway NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Virginia M Weis
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.
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22
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Starzak DE, Quinnell RG, Cook CB, Davy SK. Influence of Symbiont Species on the Glycerol and Glucose Pools in a Model Cnidarian-Dinoflagellate Symbiosis. THE BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN 2020; 239:143-151. [PMID: 33151753 DOI: 10.1086/710349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
AbstractSymbiotic dinoflagellates in the family Symbiodiniaceae release mobile compounds (e.g., glucose, glycerol, amino acids, and lipids) to their host's tissues. Little is known about how different symbionts affect quantitative and qualitative differences in these compounds. We tested how symbiont identity affects glycerol and glucose pools in the tissues of the sea anemone Exaiptasia pallida ("Aiptasia"). We infected symbiont-free anemones with three different symbiotic dinoflagellates: Breviolum minutum isolated from our Aiptasia stock, B. minutum isolated from a different Aiptasia population, and the free-living Effrenium voratum. We measured free glycerol and glucose levels in host tissues under photosynthetic conditions, as well as metabolite release by these algae when freshly isolated from Aiptasia and incubated in a host tissue homogenate. Anemone tissues containing the stock B. minutum accumulated glycerol at a higher symbiont cell-specific rate than those containing the alternative B. minutum or E. voratum (e.g., at 9 h of light incubation: stock B. minutum, 4.05 × 10-5 nmol per algal cell; alternative B. minutum, 0.90 × 10-5 nmol per algal cell; E. voratum: 1.14 × 10-5 nmol per algal cell). All symbiotic hosts accumulated glucose between 1 and 12 h of light incubation. At 12 h, the symbiont cell-specific glucose content was 6-fold higher in anemone tissues that contained stock B. minutum than in those containing the alternative B. minutum (1.73 × 10-6 vs. 0.30 × 10-6 nmol per algal cell, respectively). All freshly isolated algae released glycerol and glucose when incubated in host homogenate except E. voratum, which did not release glycerol. These trends mirrored those in hospite. Our results suggest that, on an algal cell-specific basis, B. minutum isolated from the same Aiptasia stock provided better nutritional support to the host than did the two other algae, though this was not reflected in colonization success, highlighting the underlying complexity of host-symbiont recognition and symbiosis establishment in the cnidarian-dinoflagellate partnership.
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23
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Mohamed AR, Andrade N, Moya A, Chan CX, Negri AP, Bourne DG, Ying H, Ball EE, Miller DJ. Dual RNA-sequencing analyses of a coral and its native symbiont during the establishment of symbiosis. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:3921-3937. [PMID: 32853430 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Despite the ecological significance of the mutualistic relationship between Symbiodiniaceae and reef-building corals, the molecular interactions during establishment of this relationship are not well understood. This is particularly true of the transcriptional changes that occur in the symbiont. In the current study, a dual RNA-sequencing approach was used to better understand transcriptional changes on both sides of the coral-symbiont interaction during the colonization of Acropora tenuis by a compatible Symbiodiniaceae strain (Cladocopium goreaui; ITS2 type C1). Comparison of transcript levels of the in hospite symbiont 3, 12, 48 and 72 hr after exposure to those of the same strain in culture revealed that extensive and generalized down-regulation of symbiont gene expression occurred during the infection process. Included in this "symbiosis-derived transcriptional repression" were a range of stress response and immune-related genes. In contrast, a suite of symbiont genes implicated in metabolism was upregulated in the symbiotic state. The coral data support the hypothesis that immune-suppression and arrest of phagosome maturation play important roles during the establishment of compatible symbioses, and additionally imply the involvement of some SCRiP family members in the colonization process. Consistent with previous ecological studies, the transcriptomic data suggest that active translocation of metabolites to the host may begin early in the colonization process, and thus that the mutualistic relationship can be established at the larval stage. This dual RNA-sequencing study provides insights into the transcriptomic remodelling that occurs in C. goreaui during transition to a symbiotic lifestyle and the novel coral genes implicated in symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin R Mohamed
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Queensland Bioscience Precinct, St Lucia, Qld, Australia.,Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia.,Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia.,Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, AIMS@JCU, Australian Institute of Marine Science, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia
| | - Natalia Andrade
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia.,Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia
| | - Aurelie Moya
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia.,Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia
| | - Cheong Xin Chan
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Andrew P Negri
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Qld, Australia
| | - David G Bourne
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Qld, Australia.,Department of Marine Ecosystems and Impacts, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia
| | - Hua Ying
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Acton, ACT, Australia
| | - Eldon E Ball
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia.,Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Acton, ACT, Australia
| | - David J Miller
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia.,Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia
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24
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Lanctôt CM, Bednarz VN, Melvin S, Jacob H, Oberhaensli F, Swarzenski PW, Ferrier-Pagès C, Carroll AR, Metian M. Physiological stress response of the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata exposed to polyethylene microplastics. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 263:114559. [PMID: 32325355 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We investigated physiological responses including calcification, photosynthesis and alterations to polar metabolites, in the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata exposed to different concentrations of polyethylene microplastics. Results showed that at high plastic concentrations (50 particles/mL nominal concentration) the photosynthetic efficiency of photosystem II in the coral symbiont was affected after 4 weeks of exposure. Both moderate and high (5 and 50 particles/mL nominal) concentrations of microplastics caused subtle but significant alterations to metabolite profiles of coral, as determined by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Specifically, exposed corals were found to have increased levels of phosphorylated sugars and pyrimidine nucleobases that make up nucleotides, scyllo-inositol and a region containing overlapping proline and glutamate signals, compared to control animals. Together with the photo-physiological stress response observed and previously published literature, these findings support the hypothesis that microplastics disrupt host-symbiont signaling and that corals respond to this interference by increasing signaling and chemical support to the symbiotic zooxanthellae algae. These findings are also consistent with increased mucus production in corals exposed to microplastics described in previous studies. Considering the importance of coral reefs to marine ecosystems and their sensitivity to anthropogenic stressors, more research is needed to elucidate coral response mechanisms to microplastics under realistic exposure conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantal M Lanctôt
- Environment Laboratories, International Atomic Energy Agency, 4a, Quai Antoine Ier, 98000, Monaco; Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, 4215, Australia.
| | - Vanessa N Bednarz
- CSM - Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Equipe Ecophysiologie corallienne, 8 Quai Antoine 1er, 98000, Monaco.
| | - Steven Melvin
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, 4215, Australia.
| | - Hugo Jacob
- Environment Laboratories, International Atomic Energy Agency, 4a, Quai Antoine Ier, 98000, Monaco.
| | - François Oberhaensli
- Environment Laboratories, International Atomic Energy Agency, 4a, Quai Antoine Ier, 98000, Monaco.
| | - Peter W Swarzenski
- Environment Laboratories, International Atomic Energy Agency, 4a, Quai Antoine Ier, 98000, Monaco.
| | - Christine Ferrier-Pagès
- CSM - Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Equipe Ecophysiologie corallienne, 8 Quai Antoine 1er, 98000, Monaco.
| | - Anthony R Carroll
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, 4222, Australia; Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, 4111, Australia.
| | - Marc Metian
- Environment Laboratories, International Atomic Energy Agency, 4a, Quai Antoine Ier, 98000, Monaco.
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25
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Sproles AE, Oakley CA, Krueger T, Grossman AR, Weis VM, Meibom A, Davy SK. Sub-cellular imaging shows reduced photosynthetic carbon and increased nitrogen assimilation by the non-native endosymbiont Durusdinium trenchii in the model cnidarian Aiptasia. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:3741-3753. [PMID: 32592285 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Hosting different symbiont species can affect inter-partner nutritional fluxes within the cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis. Using nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS), we measured the spatial incorporation of photosynthetically fixed 13 C and heterotrophically derived 15 N into host and symbiont cells of the model symbiotic cnidarian Aiptasia (Exaiptasia pallida) when colonized with its native symbiont Breviolum minutum or the non-native Durusdinium trenchii. Breviolum minutum exhibited high photosynthetic carbon assimilation per cell and translocation to host tissue throughout symbiosis establishment, whereas D. trenchii assimilated significantly less carbon, but obtained more host nitrogen. These findings suggest that D. trenchii has less potential to provide photosynthetically fixed carbon to the host despite obtaining considerable amounts of heterotrophically derived nitrogen. These sub-cellular events help explain previous observations that demonstrate differential effects of D. trenchii compared to B. minutum on the host transcriptome, proteome, metabolome and host growth and asexual reproduction. Together, these differential effects suggest that the non-native host-symbiont pairing is sub-optimal with respect to the host's nutritional benefits under normal environmental conditions. This contributes to our understanding of the ways in which metabolic integration impacts the benefits of a symbiotic association, and the potential evolution of novel host-symbiont pairings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley E Sproles
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand.,The California Center for Algae Biotechnology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Clinton A Oakley
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
| | - Thomas Krueger
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Hopkins Building, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QW, UK
| | - Arthur R Grossman
- Department of Plant Biology, The Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| | - Virginia M Weis
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331, USA
| | - Anders Meibom
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland.,Center for Advanced Surface Analysis, Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
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26
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Exaiptasia diaphana from the great barrier reef: a valuable resource for coral symbiosis research. Symbiosis 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s13199-020-00665-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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27
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A Review: The Role of Reactive Oxygen Species in Mass Coral Bleaching. PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN ALGAE: BIOCHEMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-33397-3_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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28
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Omics Analysis for Dinoflagellates Biology Research. Microorganisms 2019; 7:microorganisms7090288. [PMID: 31450827 PMCID: PMC6780300 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7090288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Dinoflagellates are important primary producers for marine ecosystems and are also responsible for certain essential components in human foods. However, they are also notorious for their ability to form harmful algal blooms, and cause shellfish poisoning. Although much work has been devoted to dinoflagellates in recent decades, our understanding of them at a molecular level is still limited owing to some of their challenging biological properties, such as large genome size, permanently condensed liquid-crystalline chromosomes, and the 10-fold lower ratio of protein to DNA than other eukaryotic species. In recent years, omics technologies, such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, have been applied to the study of marine dinoflagellates and have uncovered many new physiological and metabolic characteristics of dinoflagellates. In this article, we review recent application of omics technologies in revealing some of the unusual features of dinoflagellate genomes and molecular mechanisms relevant to their biology, including the mechanism of harmful algal bloom formations, toxin biosynthesis, symbiosis, lipid biosynthesis, as well as species identification and evolution. We also discuss the challenges and provide prospective further study directions and applications of dinoflagellates.
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29
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Cooke I, Mead O, Whalen C, Boote C, Moya A, Ying H, Robbins S, Strugnell JM, Darling A, Miller D, Voolstra CR, Adamska M. Molecular techniques and their limitations shape our view of the holobiont. ZOOLOGY 2019; 137:125695. [PMID: 31759226 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2019.125695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
It is now recognised that the biology of almost any organism cannot be fully understood without recognising the existence and potential functional importance of associated microbes. Arguably, the emergence of this holistic viewpoint may never have occurred without the development of a crucial molecular technique, 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing, which allowed microbial communities to be easily profiled across a broad range of contexts. A diverse array of molecular techniques are now used to profile microbial communities, infer their evolutionary histories, visualise them in host tissues, and measure their molecular activity. In this review, we examine each of these categories of measurement and inference with a focus on the questions they make tractable, and the degree to which their capabilities and limitations shape our view of the holobiont.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ira Cooke
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.
| | - Oliver Mead
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia; Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Casey Whalen
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Chloë Boote
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Aurelie Moya
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Hua Ying
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Steven Robbins
- Australian Center for Ecogenomics, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Jan M Strugnell
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; Centre of Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville, 4810, QLD, Australia; Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, 3083, Australia
| | - Aaron Darling
- The ithree institute, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - David Miller
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | | | - Maja Adamska
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia; Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
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30
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Metabolomic profiles differ among unique genotypes of a threatened Caribbean coral. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6067. [PMID: 30988456 PMCID: PMC6465396 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42434-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Global threats to reefs require urgent efforts to resolve coral attributes that affect survival in a changing environment. Genetically different individuals of the same coral species are known to exhibit different responses to the same environmental conditions. New information on coral physiology, particularly as it relates to genotype, could aid in unraveling mechanisms that facilitate coral survival in the face of stressors. Metabolomic profiling detects a large subset of metabolites in an organism, and, when linked to metabolic pathways, can provide a snapshot of an organism’s physiological state. Identifying metabolites associated with desirable, genotype-specific traits could improve coral selection for restoration and other interventions. A key step toward this goal is determining whether intraspecific variation in coral metabolite profiles can be detected for species of interest, however little information exists to illustrate such differences. To address this gap, we applied untargeted 1H-NMR and LC-MS metabolomic profiling to three genotypes of the threatened coral Acropora cervicornis. Both methods revealed distinct metabolite “fingerprints” for each genotype examined. A number of metabolites driving separation among genotypes were identified or putatively annotated. Pathway analysis suggested differences in protein synthesis among genotypes. For the first time, these data illustrate intraspecific variation in metabolomic profiles for corals in a common garden. Our results contribute to the growing body of work on coral metabolomics and suggest future work could identify specific links between phenotype and metabolite profile in corals.
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31
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Lin MF, Takahashi S, Forêt S, Davy SK, Miller DJ. Transcriptomic analyses highlight the likely metabolic consequences of colonization of a cnidarian host by native or non-native Symbiodinium species. Biol Open 2019; 8:bio.038281. [PMID: 30814067 PMCID: PMC6451341 DOI: 10.1242/bio.038281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Reef-building corals and some other cnidarians form symbiotic relationships with members of the dinoflagellate family Symbiodinaceae. As Symbiodinaceae is a highly diverse taxon, the physiological interactions between its members and their hosts are assumed to differ between associations. The presence of different symbiont types is known to affect expression levels of specific host genes, but knowledge of the effects on the transcriptome more broadly remains limited. In the present study, transcriptome profiling was conducted on the tropical corallimorpharian, Ricordea yuma, following the establishment of symbiosis with either the ‘homologous’ symbiont Symbiodinium goreaui (also known as Cladocopium goreaui; ITS2 type C1) or ‘heterologous’ symbionts (predominantly S. trenchii, which is also known as Durusdinium trenchii; ITS2 type D1a) isolated from a different corallimorpharian host (Rhodactis indosinensis). Transcriptomic analyses showed that genes encoding host glycogen biosynthesis pathway components are more highly induced during colonization by the homologous symbiont than by the heterologous symbiont. Similar patterns were also observed for several other genes thought to facilitate symbiotic nutrient exchange, including those involved in lipid translocation/storage and metabolite transport. The gene expression results presented here imply that colonization by homologous or heterologous Symbiodinium types may have very different metabolic consequences for the Ricordea host, supporting the notion that even though some cnidarians may be able to form novel symbioses after bleaching, the metabolic performance of these may be compromised. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: Colonization by the homologous symbiont, Symbiodinium goreaui, resulted in greater glycogen synthesis and ammonium assimilation capacity in the host than when it was colonized by a heterologous symbiont (S. trenchii).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Fang Lin
- Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.,Evolutionary Neurobiology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Shunichi Takahashi
- Division of Environmental Photobiology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Nishigonaka 38, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
| | - Sylvain Forêt
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.,Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
| | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Kelburn Parade, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
| | - David J Miller
- Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia .,ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
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Lohr KE, Camp EF, Kuzhiumparambil U, Lutz A, Leggat W, Patterson JT, Suggett DJ. Resolving coral photoacclimation dynamics through coupled photophysiological and metabolomic profiling. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb.195982. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.195982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Corals continuously adjust to short term variation in light availability on shallow reefs. Long-term light alterations can also occur due to natural and anthropogenic stressors, as well as management interventions such as coral transplantation. Although short term photophysiological responses are relatively well-understood in corals, little information is available regarding photoacclimation dynamics over weeks of altered light availability. We coupled photophysiology and metabolomic profiling to explore changes that accompany longer-term photoacclimation in a key Great Barrier Reef coral species (Acropora muricata). High (HL) and low light (LL) acclimated corals were collected from the reef and reciprocally exposed to high and low light ex situ. Rapid light curves using Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM) fluorometry revealed photophysiological acclimation of LL to HL and HL to LL shifted corals within 21 days. A subset of colonies sampled at 7 and 21 days for untargeted LC-MS and GC-MS metabolomic profiling revealed metabolic reorganization before acclimation was detected using PAM fluorometry. Metabolomic shifts were more pronounced for LL to HL treated corals than their HL to LL counterparts. Compounds driving metabolomic separation between HL-exposed and LL control colonies included amino acids, organic acids, fatty acids and sterols. Reduced glycerol and campesterol suggest decreased translocation of photosynthetic products from symbiont to host in LL to HL shifted corals, with concurrent increases in fatty acid abundance indicating reliance on stored lipids for energy. We discuss how these data provide novel insight into environmental regulation of metabolism and implications for management strategies that drive rapid changes in light availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E. Lohr
- Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Emma F. Camp
- Climate Change Cluster (C3), University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Adrian Lutz
- Metabolomics Australia, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - William Leggat
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, NSW, Australia
| | - Joshua T. Patterson
- Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Center for Conservation, The Florida Aquarium, Apollo Beach, FL, USA
| | - David J. Suggett
- Climate Change Cluster (C3), University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
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Matthews JL, Oakley CA, Lutz A, Hillyer KE, Roessner U, Grossman AR, Weis VM, Davy SK. Partner switching and metabolic flux in a model cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:20182336. [PMID: 30487315 PMCID: PMC6283946 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.2336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolite exchange is fundamental to the viability of the cnidarian-Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis and survival of coral reefs. Coral holobiont tolerance to environmental change might be achieved through changes in Symbiodiniaceae species composition, but differences in the metabolites supplied by different Symbiodiniaceae species could influence holobiont fitness. Using 13C stable-isotope labelling coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, we characterized newly fixed carbon fate in the model cnidarian Exaiptasia pallida (Aiptasia) when experimentally colonized with either native Breviolum minutum or non-native Durusdinium trenchii Relative to anemones containing B. minutum, D. trenchii-colonized hosts exhibited a 4.5-fold reduction in 13C-labelled glucose and reduced abundance and diversity of 13C-labelled carbohydrates and lipogenesis precursors, indicating symbiont species-specific modifications to carbohydrate availability and lipid storage. Mapping carbon fate also revealed significant alterations to host molecular signalling pathways. In particular, D. trenchii-colonized hosts exhibited a 40-fold reduction in 13C-labelled scyllo-inositol, a potential interpartner signalling molecule in symbiosis specificity. 13C-labelling also highlighted differential antioxidant- and ammonium-producing pathway activities, suggesting physiological responses to different symbiont species. Such differences in symbiont metabolite contribution and host utilization may limit the proliferation of stress-driven symbioses; this contributes valuable information towards future scenarios that select in favour of less-competent symbionts in response to environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Matthews
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
| | - Clinton A Oakley
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
| | - Adrian Lutz
- Metabolomics Australia, School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Katie E Hillyer
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
| | - Ute Roessner
- Metabolomics Australia, School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Arthur R Grossman
- Department of Plant Biology, The Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Virginia M Weis
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, 3029 Cordley Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
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Putnam HM, Barott KL, Ainsworth TD, Gates RD. The Vulnerability and Resilience of Reef-Building Corals. Curr Biol 2018; 27:R528-R540. [PMID: 28586690 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.04.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Reef-building corals provide the foundation for the structural and biological diversity of coral-reef ecosystems. These massive biological structures, which can be seen from space, are the culmination of complex interactions between the tiny polyps of the coral animal in concert with its unicellular symbiotic algae and a wide diversity of closely associated microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses). While reef-building corals have persisted in various forms for over 200 million years, human-induced conditions threaten their function and persistence. The scope for loss associated with the destruction of coral reef systems is economically, biologically, physically and culturally immense. Here, we provide a micro-to-macro perspective on the biology of scleractinian corals and discuss how cellular processes of the host and symbionts potentially affect the response of these reef builders to the wide variety of both natural and anthropogenic stressors encountered by corals in the Anthropocene. We argue that the internal physicochemical settings matter to both the performance of the host and microbiome, as bio-physical feedbacks may enhance stress tolerance through environmentally mediated host priming and effects on microbiome ecological and evolutionary dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hollie M Putnam
- University of Rhode Island, Department of Biological Sciences, Kingston, RI, USA.
| | - Katie L Barott
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Biology, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Hawaii Institute for Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Manoa, HI, USA
| | - Tracy D Ainsworth
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Australia
| | - Ruth D Gates
- Hawaii Institute for Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Manoa, HI, USA
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Hillyer KE, Dias D, Lutz A, Roessner U, Davy SK. 13C metabolomics reveals widespread change in carbon fate during coral bleaching. Metabolomics 2017; 14:12. [PMID: 30830326 DOI: 10.1007/s11306-017-1306-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Rising seawater temperatures are threatening the persistence of coral reefs; where above critical thresholds, thermal stress results in a breakdown of the coral-dinoflagellate symbiosis and the loss of algal symbionts (coral bleaching). As symbiont-derived organic products typically form a major portion of host energy budgets, this has major implications for the fitness and persistence of symbiotic corals. OBJECTIVES We aimed to determine change in autotrophic carbon fate within individual compounds and downstream metabolic pathways in a coral symbiosis exposed to varying degrees of thermal stress and bleaching. METHODS We applied gas chromatography-mass spectrometry coupled to a stable isotope tracer (13C), to track change in autotrophic carbon fate, in symbiont and host individually, following exposure to elevated water temperature. RESULTS Thermal stress resulted in partner-specific changes in carbon fate, which progressed with heat stress duration. We detected modifications to carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism, lipogenesis, and homeostatic responses to thermal, oxidative and osmotic stress. Despite pronounced photodamage, remaining in hospite symbionts continued to produce organic products de novo and translocate to the coral host. However as bleaching progressed, we observed minimal 13C enrichment of symbiont long-chain fatty acids, also reflected in 13C enrichment of host fatty acid pools. CONCLUSION These data have major implications for our understanding of coral symbiosis function during bleaching. Our findings suggest that during early stage bleaching, remaining symbionts continue to effectively translocate a variety of organic products to the host, however under prolonged thermal stress there is likely a reduction in the quality of these products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie E Hillyer
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P. O. Box 600, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
| | - Daniel Dias
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia
| | - Adrian Lutz
- Metabolomics Australia, School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Ute Roessner
- Metabolomics Australia, School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P. O. Box 600, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand.
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Suggett DJ, Warner ME, Leggat W. Symbiotic Dinoflagellate Functional Diversity Mediates Coral Survival under Ecological Crisis. Trends Ecol Evol 2017; 32:735-745. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2017.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Revised: 07/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Núñez-Pons L, Bertocci I, Baghdasarian G. Symbiont dynamics during thermal acclimation using cnidarian-dinoflagellate model holobionts. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 130:303-314. [PMID: 28867132 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2017.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2017] [Revised: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Warming oceans menace reef ecosystems by disrupting symbiosis between cnidarians and Symbiodinium zooxanthellae, thus triggering bleach episodes. Temperature fluctuations promote adjustments in physiological variables and symbiont composition, which can cause stress responses, but can also yield adaptation if fitter host-symbiont homeostasis are achieved. To understand such processes manipulative studies are required, but many reef-building cnidarians pose limitations to experimental prospects. We exposed Exaiptasia anemones to Gradual Thermal Stress (GTS) and Heat Shock (HS) exposures and monitored chlorophyll and symbiont dynamics to test the phenotypic plasticity of these photosynthetic holobionts. GTS enhanced chlorophyll concentrations and decreased Symbiodinium proliferation. A recovery period after GTS returned chlorophyll to lower concentrations and symbiont divisions to higher rates. HS triggered a stress response characterized by intense symbiont declines through degradation and expulsion, algal compensatory proliferation, and chlorophyll accumulation. Anemones pre-exposed to GTS displayed more acute signs of symbiont paucity after HS, demonstrating that recurrent stress does not always induce bleaching-resistance. Our study is the first documenting Symbiodinium C and D, along with the predominant Clade B1 in Exaiptasia anemones. C subclades found in outdoor specimens faded under laboratory exposures. Clade D emerged after HS treatments, and especially after GTS pre-exposure. This highlights the thermotolerance of D subclades found in E. pallida and shows that bleaching-recovery can involve shifts of background symbiont phylotypes. This study enlightens the capability of Exaiptasia anemones to acclimate to gradually increased temperatures, and explores into how thermal history influences in subsequent stress tolerance in symbiotic cnidarians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Núñez-Pons
- Dept. of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica 'Anton Dohrn' (SZN), Villa Comunale 80121, Naples, Italy; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Bocas del Toro, Panama; Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mänoa, 46-007 Lilipuna rd, Kane'ohe, HI 96744, USA.
| | - Iacopo Bertocci
- Dept. of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica 'Anton Dohrn' (SZN), Villa Comunale 80121, Naples, Italy
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