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Addamo AM, Modrell MS, Taviani M, Machordom A. Unravelling the relationships among Madrepora Linnaeus, 1758, Oculina Lamark, 1816 and Cladocora Ehrenberg, 1834 (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Scleractinia). INVERTEBR SYST 2024; 38:IS23027. [PMID: 38744497 DOI: 10.1071/is23027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Despite the widespread use of integrative taxonomic approaches, many scleractinian coral genera and species remain grouped in polyphyletic families, classified as incertae sedis or simply understudied. Oculinidae Gray, 1847 represents a family for which many taxonomic questions remain unresolved, particularly those related to some of the current genera, such as Oculina Lamark, 1816 or recently removed genera, including Cladocora Ehrenberg, 1834 and Madrepora Linnaeus, 1758. Cladocora is currently assigned to the family Cladocoridae Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857 and a new family, Bathyporidae Kitahara, Capel, Zilberberg & Cairns, 2024, was recently raised to accommodate Madrepora . However, the name Bathyporidae is not valid because this was not formed on the basis of a type genus name. To resolve taxonomic questions related to these three genera, the evolutionary relationships are explored through phylogenetic analyses of 18 molecular markers. The results of these analyses support a close relationship between the species Oculina patagonica and Cladocora caespitosa , indicating that these may belong to the same family (and possibly genus), and highlighting the need for detailed revisions of Oculina and Cladocora . By contrast, a distant relationship is found between these two species and Madrepora oculata , with the overall evidence supporting the placement of Madrepora in the resurrected family Madreporidae Ehrenberg, 1834. This study advances our knowledge of coral systematics and highlights the need for a comprehensive review of the genera Oculina , Cladocora and Madrepora .
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M Addamo
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), E-28006 Madrid, Spain; and European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), I-21027 Ispra, Italy; and Climate Change Research Centre (CCRC), University of Insubria, I-21100 Varese, Italy; and Present address: Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, NO-8049 Bodø, Norway
| | - Melinda S Modrell
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), E-28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marco Taviani
- Istituto di Scienze Marine, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ISMAR-CNR), I-40129 Bologna, Italy; and Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, I-80121 Napoli, Italy
| | - Annie Machordom
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), E-28006 Madrid, Spain
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Buschi E, Dell’Anno A, Tangherlini M, Stefanni S, Lo Martire M, Núñez-Pons L, Avila C, Corinaldesi C. Rhodobacteraceae dominate the core microbiome of the sea star Odontaster validus (Koehler, 1906) in two opposite geographical sectors of the Antarctic Ocean. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1234725. [PMID: 37799611 PMCID: PMC10548270 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1234725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbiota plays essential roles in the health, physiology, and in adaptation of marine multi-cellular organisms to their environment. In Antarctica, marine organisms have a wide range of unique physiological functions and adaptive strategies, useful for coping with extremely cold conditions. However, the role of microbiota associated with Antarctic organisms in such adaptive strategies is underexplored. In the present study, we investigated the diversity and putative functions of the microbiome of the sea star Odontaster validus, one of the main keystone species of the Antarctic benthic ecosystems. We compared the whole-body bacterial microbiome of sea stars from different sites of the Antarctic Peninsula and Ross Sea, two areas located in two opposite geographical sectors of the Antarctic continent. The taxonomic composition of O. validus microbiomes changed both between and within the two Antarctic sectors, suggesting that environmental and biological factors acting both at large and local scales may influence microbiome diversity. Despite this, one bacterial family (Rhodobacteraceae) was shared among all sea star individuals from the two geographical sectors, representing up to 95% of the microbial core, and suggesting a key functional role of this taxon in holobiont metabolism and well-being. In addition, the genus Roseobacter belonging to this family was also present in the surrounding sediment, implying a potential horizontal acquisition of dominant bacterial core taxa via host-selection processes from the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela Buschi
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica di Napoli “Anton Dohrn”, Fano Marine Centre, Fano, Italy
| | - Antonio Dell’Anno
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Michael Tangherlini
- Department of Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources, Stazione Zoologica di Napoli “Anton Dohrn”, Fano Marine Centre, Fano, Italy
| | - Sergio Stefanni
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica di Napoli “Anton Dohrn”, Naples, Italy
| | - Marco Lo Martire
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Laura Núñez-Pons
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica di Napoli “Anton Dohrn”, Naples, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Conxita Avila
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Cinzia Corinaldesi
- Department of Materials, Environmental Sciences and Urban Planning, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
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Liu YC, Chen TH, Huang YF, Chen CL, Nai YS. Investigation of the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) gut microbiome and entomopathogenic fungus-induced pathobiome. J Invertebr Pathol 2023; 200:107976. [PMID: 37541570 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2023.107976] [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: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
The gut microflora plays an important role in insect development and physiology. The gut bacterial microbiome of the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, in both cornfield and laboratory-reared populations was investigated using a 16S metagenomic approach. The alpha- and beta-diversity of the cornfield FAW populations varied among sampling sites and were higher than those of the laboratory-reared FAW population, indicating that different diets and environments influence the gut bacterial composition. To better understand the interaction between the microbiome and entomopathogenic fungi (EPF), FAWs from organic and conventionally managed corn fields and from the laboratory-reared colony were inoculated with Beauveria bassiana NCHU-153 (Bb-NCHU-153). A longer median lethal time (LT50) was observed in the Bb-NCHU-153-infected cornfield FAW population than in the laboratory-reared FAWs. In terms of the microbiome, three Bb-NCHU-153-infected FAW groups showed different gut bacterial compositions compared to noninfected FAW. Further investigation of the cooccurrence network and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) of effect size (LEfSe) revealed that the enriched bacterial genera, such as Enterococcus, Serratia, Achromobacter, and Tsukamurella, in the gut might play the role of opportunistic pathogens after fungal infection; in contrast, some gut bacteria of Methylobacterium, Marinomonas, Paenochrobactrum, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Delftia, Dietzia, Gordonia, Leucobacter, Paracoccus, and Stenotrophomonas might be probiotics against EPF infection. These results indicated that EPF infection can change the gut bacterial composition and lead to a pathobiome in the FAW and that some bacterial species might protect the FAW from EPF infection. These findings could be applied to the design of pathobiome-inducing biocontrol strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao-Chia Liu
- Department of Entomology, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Han Chen
- Department of Entomology, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Feng Huang
- Department of Entomology, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan; Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Yuan-Ze University, Tao-Yuan City 32003, Taiwan
| | - Chang-Lin Chen
- Department of Horticulture, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Shin Nai
- Department of Entomology, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan.
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Chuang PS, Yamada Y, Liu PY, Tang SL, Mitarai S. Bacterial Community Shifts during Polyp Bail-Out Induction in Pocillopora Corals. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0025723. [PMID: 37378544 PMCID: PMC10433994 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00257-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyp bail-out constitutes both a stress response and an asexual reproductive strategy that potentially facilitates dispersal of some scleractinian corals, including several dominant reef-building taxa in the family Pocilloporidae. Recent studies have proposed that microorganisms may be involved in onset and progression of polyp bail-out. However, changes in the coral microbiome during polyp bail-out have not been investigated. In this study, we induced polyp bail-out in Pocillopora corals using hypersaline and hyperthermal methods. Bacterial community dynamics during bail-out induction were examined using the V5-V6 region of the 16S-rRNA gene. From 70 16S-rRNA gene libraries constructed from coral tissues, 1,980 OTUs were identified. Gammaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria consistently constituted the dominant bacterial taxa in all coral tissue samples. Onset of polyp bail-out was characterized by increased relative abundance of Alphaproteobacteria and decreased abundance of Gammaproteobacteria in both induction experiments, with the shift being more prominent in response to elevated temperature than to elevated salinity. Four OTUs, affiliated with Thalassospira, Marisediminitalea, Rhodobacteraceae, and Myxococcales, showed concurrent abundance increases at the onset of polyp bail-out in both experiments, suggesting potential microbial causes of this coral stress response. IMPORTANCE Polyp bail-out represents both a stress response and an asexual reproductive strategy with significant implications for reshaping tropical coral reefs in response to global climate change. Although earlier studies have suggested that coral-associated microbiomes likely contribute to initiation of polyp bail-out in scleractinian corals, there have been no studies of coral microbiome shifts during polyp bail-out. In this study, we present the first investigation of changes in bacterial symbionts during two experiments in which polyp bail-out was induced by different environmental stressors. These results provide a background of coral microbiome dynamics during polyp bail-out development. Increases in abundance of Thalassospira, Marisediminitalea, Rhodobacteraceae, and Myxococcales that occurred in both experiments suggest that these bacteria are potential microbial causes of polyp bail-out, shedding light on the proximal triggering mechanism of this coral stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Shun Chuang
- Marine Biophysics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Yosuke Yamada
- Marine Biophysics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Po-Yu Liu
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan (ROC)
| | - Sen-Lin Tang
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan (ROC)
| | - Satoshi Mitarai
- Marine Biophysics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
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Tignat-Perrier R, van de Water JAJM, Allemand D, Ferrier-Pagès C. Holobiont responses of mesophotic precious red coral Corallium rubrum to thermal anomalies. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2023; 18:70. [PMID: 37580830 PMCID: PMC10424431 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-023-00525-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Marine heat waves (MHWs) have increased in frequency and intensity worldwide, causing mass mortality of benthic organisms and loss of biodiversity in shallow waters. The Mediterranean Sea is no exception, with shallow populations of habitat-forming octocorals facing the threat of local extinction. The mesophotic zone, which is less affected by MHWs, may be of ecological importance in conservation strategies for these species. However, our understanding of the response of mesophotic octocoral holobionts to changes in seawater temperature remains limited. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a study on an iconic Mediterranean octocoral, the red coral Corallium rubrum sampled at 60 m depth and 15 °C. We exposed the colonies to temperatures they occasionally experience (18 °C) and temperatures that could occur at the end of the century if global warming continues (21 °C). We also tested their response to extremely cold and warm temperatures (12 °C and 24 °C). Our results show a high tolerance of C. rubrum to a two-month long exposure to temperatures ranging from 12 to 21 °C as no colony showed signs of tissue loss, reduced feeding ability, stress-induced gene expression, or disruption of host-bacterial symbioses. At 24 °C, however, we measured a sharp decrease in the relative abundance of Spirochaetaceae, which are the predominant bacterial symbionts under healthy conditions, along with a relative increase in Vibrionaceae. Tissue loss and overexpression of the tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 gene were also observed after two weeks of exposure. In light of ongoing global warming, our study helps predict the consequences of MHWs on mesophotic coralligenous reefs and the biodiversity that depends on them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romie Tignat-Perrier
- Unité de Recherche sur la Biologie des Coraux Précieux CSM-CHANEL, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine 1er, 98000, Monaco, Principality of Monaco.
- Coral Ecophysiology Laboratory, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine 1er, 98000, Monaco, Principality of Monaco.
| | - Jeroen A J M van de Water
- Unité de Recherche sur la Biologie des Coraux Précieux CSM-CHANEL, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine 1er, 98000, Monaco, Principality of Monaco
- Coral Ecophysiology Laboratory, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine 1er, 98000, Monaco, Principality of Monaco
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Korringaweg 7, 4401 NT, Yerseke, The Netherlands
| | - Denis Allemand
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine 1er, 98000, Monaco, Principality of Monaco
| | - Christine Ferrier-Pagès
- Coral Ecophysiology Laboratory, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine 1er, 98000, Monaco, Principality of Monaco
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Pei PT, Liu L, Jing XL, Liu XL, Sun LY, Gao C, Cui XH, Wang J, Ma ZL, Song SY, Sun ZH, Wang CY. Meta-analysis reveals variations in microbial communities from diverse stony coral taxa at different geographical distances. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1087750. [PMID: 37520377 PMCID: PMC10374221 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1087750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral-associated microbial communities play a vital role in underpinning the health and resilience of reef ecosystems. Previous studies have demonstrated that the microbial communities of corals are affected by multiple factors, mainly focusing on host species and geolocation. However, up-to-date, insight into how the coral microbiota is structured by vast geographic distance with rich taxa is deficient. In the present study, the coral microbiota in six stony coral species collected from the coastal area of three countries, including United States of America (USA), Australia and Fiji, was used for analysis. It was found that the geographic influence on the coral microbiota was stronger than the coral host influence, even though both were significant. Interestingly, the contribution of the deterministic process to bacterial community composition increased as geographical distance grew. A total of 65 differentially abundant features of functions in coral microbial communities were identified to be associated with three geolocations. While in the same coastal area of USA, the similar relationship of coral microbiota was consistent with the phylogenetic relationship of coral hosts. In contrast to the phylum Proteobacteria, which was most abundant in other coral species in USA, Cyanobacteria was the most abundant phylum in Orbicella faveolata. The above findings may help to better understand the multiple natural driving forces shaping the coral microbial community to contribute to defining the healthy baseline of the coral microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Tao Pei
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- School of Pharmacy, Fujian Health College, Fuzhou, China
- Single-Cell Center, Chinese Academy of Science Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, China
| | - Lu Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Fujian Health College, Fuzhou, China
- Single-Cell Center, Chinese Academy of Science Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Li Jing
- High Performance Computing and System Simulation Platform, National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, China
| | - Xiao-Lu Liu
- Single-Cell Center, Chinese Academy of Science Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lu-Yang Sun
- Single-Cell Center, Chinese Academy of Science Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Gao
- Single-Cell Center, Chinese Academy of Science Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiao-Han Cui
- Single-Cell Center, Chinese Academy of Science Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Single-Cell Center, Chinese Academy of Science Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Department of Mathematics, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhong-Lian Ma
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, China
| | - Shu-Yue Song
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, China
| | - Zhi-Hua Sun
- Department of Mathematics, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Chang-Yun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, The Ministry of Education of China, Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
- Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, China
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Repullés M, López-Márquez V, Templado J, Taviani M, Machordom A. Genetic Structure of the Endangered Coral Cladocora caespitosa Matches the Main Bioregions of the Mediterranean Sea. Front Genet 2022; 13:889672. [PMID: 35957690 PMCID: PMC9360616 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.889672] [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: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Population connectivity studies are a useful tool for species management and conservation planning, particular of highly threatened or endangered species. Here, we evaluated the genetic structure and connectivity pattern of the endangered coral Cladocora caespitosa across its entire distribution range in the Mediterranean Sea. Additionally, we examined the relative importance of sexual and asexual reproduction in the studied populations and their genetic diversity. A total of 541 individuals from 20 localities were sampled and analysed with 19 polymorphic microsatellite markers. Of the genotyped individuals, 482 (89%) had unique multilocus genotypes. Clonality percentages of the populations varied from 0% (in eight populations) to nearly 69% (in one population from Crete). A heterozygosity deficit and a high degree of inbreeding was the general trend in our data set. Population differentiation in C. caespitosa was characterised by significant pairwise FST values with lower ones observed at an intraregional scale and higher ones, between populations from different biogeographic regions. Genetic structure analyses showed that the populations are divided according to the three main sub-basins of the Mediterranean Sea: the Western (Balearic, Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas), the Central (Adriatic and Ionian seas) and the Eastern (Levantine and Aegean seas), coinciding with previously described gene flow barriers. However, the three easternmost populations were also clearly separated from one another, and a substructure was observed for the other studied areas. An isolation-by-distance pattern was found among, but not within, the three main population groups. This substructure is mediated mainly by dispersal along the coastline and some resistance to larval movement through the open sea. Despite the low dispersal ability and high self-recruitment rate of C. caespitosa, casual dispersive events between regions seem to be enough to maintain the species’ considerable genetic diversity. Understanding the population connectivity and structure of this endangered scleractinian coral allows for more informed conservation decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mar Repullés
- Department Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, MNCN (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Violeta López-Márquez
- Department Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, MNCN (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - José Templado
- Department Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, MNCN (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marco Taviani
- ISMAR-CNR, Istituto di Scienze Marine, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Bologna, Italy
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Annie Machordom
- Department Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, MNCN (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Annie Machordom,
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Chalifour BN, Elder LE, Li J. Gut microbiome of century-old snail specimens stable across time in preservation. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:99. [PMID: 35765039 PMCID: PMC9241308 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01286-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Museum biological specimens provide a unique means of gathering ecological information that spans wide temporal ranges. Museum specimens can also provide information on the microbial communities that persist within the host specimen. Together, these provide researchers valuable opportunities to study long-term trends and mechanisms of microbial community change. The effects of decades-long museum preservation on host-microbial communities have not been systematically assessed. The University of Colorado's Museum of Natural History has densely sampled Oreohelix strigosa (Rocky Mountainsnail) for the past century; many are preserved in ethanol, which provides an excellent opportunity to explore how the microbiome changes across time in preservation. RESULTS We used 16S rRNA (ribosomal ribonucleic acid) gene amplicon sequencing to examine Oreohelix strigosa gut microbiomes from museum specimens across a 98-year range, as well as within short-term preservation treatments collected in 2018. Treatment groups included samples extracted fresh, without preservation; samples starved prior to extraction; and samples preserved for 1 month, 6 months, and 9 months. General microbiome composition was similar across all years. Sample groups belonging to specific years, or specific short-term treatments, showed unique associations with select bacterial taxa. Collection year was not a significant predictor of microbial richness, though unpreserved short-term treatments showed significantly higher richness than preserved treatments. While the year was a significant factor in microbiome composition, it did not explain much of the variation across samples. The location was a significant driver of community composition and explained more of the variability. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first to examine animal host-associated microbiome change across a period of nearly one century. Generally, geographic location was a greater factor in shaping gut microbiome composition, rather than a year collected. Consistent patterns across this temporal range indicate that historic specimens can answer many ecological questions surrounding the host-associated microbiome. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget N. Chalifour
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, 1900 Pleasant Street, 334 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 USA
| | - Leanne E. Elder
- Museum of Natural History, University of Colorado Boulder, 265 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 USA
- New Zealand Arthropod Collection, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, 231 Morrin Road St. Johns, Auckland, NZ 1072 New Zealand
| | - Jingchun Li
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, 1900 Pleasant Street, 334 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 USA
- Museum of Natural History, University of Colorado Boulder, 265 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 USA
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Krabberød AK, Deutschmann IM, Bjorbækmo MFM, Balagué V, Giner CR, Ferrera I, Garcés E, Massana R, Gasol JM, Logares R. Long-term patterns of an interconnected core marine microbiota. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2022; 17:22. [PMID: 35526063 PMCID: PMC9080219 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-022-00417-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ocean microbes constitute ~ 70% of the marine biomass, are responsible for ~ 50% of the Earth's primary production and are crucial for global biogeochemical cycles. Marine microbiotas include core taxa that are usually key for ecosystem function. Despite their importance, core marine microbes are relatively unknown, which reflects the lack of consensus on how to identify them. So far, most core microbiotas have been defined based on species occurrence and abundance. Yet, species interactions are also important to identify core microbes, as communities include interacting species. Here, we investigate interconnected bacteria and small protists of the core pelagic microbiota populating a long-term marine-coastal observatory in the Mediterranean Sea over a decade. RESULTS Core microbes were defined as those present in > 30% of the monthly samples over 10 years, with the strongest associations. The core microbiota included 259 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) including 182 bacteria, 77 protists, and 1411 strong and mostly positive (~ 95%) associations. Core bacteria tended to be associated with other bacteria, while core protists tended to be associated with bacteria. The richness and abundance of core OTUs varied annually, decreasing in stratified warmers waters and increasing in colder mixed waters. Most core OTUs had a preference for one season, mostly winter, which featured subnetworks with the highest connectivity. Groups of highly associated taxa tended to include protists and bacteria with predominance in the same season, particularly winter. A group of 13 highly-connected hub-OTUs, with potentially important ecological roles dominated in winter and spring. Similarly, 18 connector OTUs with a low degree but high centrality were mostly associated with summer or autumn and may represent transitions between seasonal communities. CONCLUSIONS We found a relatively small and dynamic interconnected core microbiota in a model temperate marine-coastal site, with potential interactions being more deterministic in winter than in other seasons. These core microbes would be essential for the functioning of this ecosystem over the year. Other non-core taxa may also carry out important functions but would be redundant and non-essential. Our work contributes to the understanding of the dynamics and potential interactions of core microbes possibly sustaining ocean ecosystem function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders K Krabberød
- Department of Biosciences, Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology (Evogene), University of Oslo, Blindernv. 31, 0316, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Ina M Deutschmann
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marit F M Bjorbækmo
- Department of Biosciences, Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology (Evogene), University of Oslo, Blindernv. 31, 0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Vanessa Balagué
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Caterina R Giner
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isabel Ferrera
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, IEO-CSIC, 29640, Fuengirola, Málaga, Spain
| | - Esther Garcés
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ramon Massana
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep M Gasol
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, School of Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia
| | - Ramiro Logares
- Department of Biosciences, Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology (Evogene), University of Oslo, Blindernv. 31, 0316, Oslo, Norway.
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
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10
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Qi Z, Diao X, Yang T, Zeng R, Wang H, Zhou H. Spatial and interspecific differences in coral-associated bacterial diversity in Hainan, China. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 175:113321. [PMID: 35149312 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Coral reefs are suffering from environmental change and anthropogenic disturbances. It is well known that microbes play an indispensable role in the stable state of coral reef health. Furthermore, the coral reef microbial database helps to understand the connections among microbiomes shifts and ecosystem stress. Hainan Province is the main coral reef distribution area in China. Therefore, targeted microbial reference information from Hainan, including several coral microbiomes, was generated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing in this study. This study focused on a small range of coral-associated bacterial information and found a relationship between microbes and the surrounding environment based on coral interspecific and environmental factors. Interestingly, compared with species, the differences of bacterial community structures are best explained by site. It seems that various environmental factors contribute more to the microbial structure of corals than interspecific influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Xiaoping Diao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; College of Life Science, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China.
| | - Tinghan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Ruohan Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Haihua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Hailong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; College of Life Sciences and Pharmacy, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
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11
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Silva DP, Villela HDM, Santos HF, Duarte GAS, Ribeiro JR, Ghizelini AM, Vilela CLS, Rosado PM, Fazolato CS, Santoro EP, Carmo FL, Ximenes DS, Soriano AU, Rachid CTCC, Vega Thurber RL, Peixoto RS. Multi-domain probiotic consortium as an alternative to chemical remediation of oil spills at coral reefs and adjacent sites. MICROBIOME 2021; 9:118. [PMID: 34020712 PMCID: PMC8138999 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01041-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Beginning in the last century, coral reefs have suffered the consequences of anthropogenic activities, including oil contamination. Chemical remediation methods, such as dispersants, can cause substantial harm to corals and reduce their resilience to stressors. To evaluate the impacts of oil contamination and find potential alternative solutions to chemical dispersants, we conducted a mesocosm experiment with the fire coral Millepora alcicornis, which is sensitive to environmental changes. We exposed M. alcicornis to a realistic oil-spill scenario in which we applied an innovative multi-domain bioremediator consortium (bacteria, filamentous fungi, and yeast) and a chemical dispersant (Corexit® 9500, one of the most widely used dispersants), to assess the effects on host health and host-associated microbial communities. RESULTS The selected multi-domain microbial consortium helped to mitigate the impacts of the oil, substantially degrading the polycyclic aromatic and n-alkane fractions and maintaining the physiological integrity of the corals. Exposure to Corexit 9500 negatively impacted the host physiology and altered the coral-associated microbial community. After exposure, the abundances of certain bacterial genera such as Rugeria and Roseovarius increased, as previously reported in stressed or diseased corals. We also identified several bioindicators of Corexit 9500 in the microbiome. The impact of Corexit 9500 on the coral health and microbial community was far greater than oil alone, killing corals after only 4 days of exposure in the flow-through system. In the treatments with Corexit 9500, the action of the bioremediator consortium could not be observed directly because of the extreme toxicity of the dispersant to M. alcicornis and its associated microbiome. CONCLUSIONS Our results emphasize the importance of investigating the host-associated microbiome in order to detect and mitigate the effects of oil contamination on corals and the potential role of microbial mitigation and bioindicators as conservation tools. Chemical dispersants were far more damaging to corals and their associated microbiome than oil, and should not be used close to coral reefs. This study can aid in decision-making to minimize the negative effects of oil and dispersants on coral reefs. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise P Silva
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Helena D M Villela
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Henrique F Santos
- Department of Marine Biology, Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Niterói, Brazil
| | - Gustavo A S Duarte
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - José Roberto Ribeiro
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Angela M Ghizelini
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Caren L S Vilela
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Phillipe M Rosado
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carolline S Fazolato
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Erika P Santoro
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Flavia L Carmo
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Dalton S Ximenes
- Processes Laboratory, Leopoldo Américo Miguez de Mello Research Center (CENPES), Petrobras, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Adriana U Soriano
- Environmental Treatments, Wastes and Water Resources, Leopoldo Américo Miguez de Mello Research Center (CENPES), Petrobras, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Caio T C C Rachid
- LABEM, Paulo de Góes Institute of Microbiology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rebecca L Vega Thurber
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Nash Hall 226, OSU, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA.
| | - Raquel S Peixoto
- LEMM, Laboratory of Molecular Microbial Ecology, Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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12
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Microbiome Variability across the Native and Invasive Ranges of the Ascidian Clavelina oblonga. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:AEM.02233-20. [PMID: 33127817 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02233-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ascidians are prolific colonizers of new environments and possess a range of well-studied features that contribute to their successful spread, but the role of their symbiotic microbial communities in their long-term establishment is mostly unknown. In this study, we utilized next-generation amplicon sequencing to provide a comprehensive description of the microbiome in the colonial ascidian Clavelina oblonga and examined differences in the composition, diversity, and structure of symbiont communities in the host's native and invasive ranges. To identify host haplotypes, we sequenced a fragment of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI). C. oblonga harbored a diverse microbiome spanning 42 bacterial and three archaeal phyla. Colonies in the invasive range hosted significantly less diverse symbiont communities and exhibited lower COI haplotype diversity than colonies in the native range. Differences in microbiome structure were also detected across colonies in the native and invasive range, driven largely by novel bacteria representing symbiont lineages with putative roles in nitrogen cycling. Variability in symbiont composition was also observed among sites within each range. Together, these data suggest that C. oblonga hosts a dynamic microbiome resulting from (i) reductions in symbiont diversity due to founder effects in host populations and (ii) environmental selection of symbiont taxa in response to new habitats within a range. Further investigation is required to document the mechanisms behind these changes and to determine how changes in microbiome structure relate to holobiont function and the successful establishment of C. oblonga worldwide.IMPORTANCE Nonnative species destabilize coastal ecosystems and microbial symbionts may facilitate their spread by enhancing host survival and fitness. However, we know little of the microorganisms that live inside invasive species and whether they change as the host spreads to new areas. In this study, we investigated the microbial communities of an introduced ascidian (Clavelina oblonga) and tracked symbiont changes across locations within the host's native and invasive ranges. Ascidians in the invasive range had less-diverse microbiomes, as well as lower host haplotype diversity, suggesting that specific colonies reach new locations and carry select symbionts from native populations (i.e., founder effects). Further, ascidians in the invasive range hosted a different composition of symbionts, including microbes with the potential to aid in processes related to invasion success (e.g., nutrient cycling). We conclude that the putative functionality and observed flexibility of this introduced ascidian microbiome may represent an underappreciated factor in the successful establishment of nonnative species in new environments.
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13
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van de Water JAJM, Coppari M, Enrichetti F, Ferrier-Pagès C, Bo M. Local Conditions Influence the Prokaryotic Communities Associated With the Mesophotic Black Coral Antipathella subpinnata. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:537813. [PMID: 33123099 PMCID: PMC7573217 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.537813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Black corals are important habitat-forming species in the mesophotic and deep-sea zones of the world’s oceans because of their arborescent colony structure and tendency to form animal forests. Although we have started unraveling the ecology of mesophotic black corals, the importance of the associated microbes to their health has remained unexplored. Here, we provide in-depth assessments of black coral-microbe symbioses by investigating the spatial and temporal stability of these associations, and make comparisons with a sympatric octocoral with similar colony structure. To this end, we collected samples of Antipathella subpinnata colonies from three mesophotic shoals situated along the Ligurian Coast of the Mediterranean Sea (Bordighera, Portofino, Savona) in the spring of 2017. At the Portofino shoal, samples of A. subpinnata and the gorgonian Eunicella cavolini were collected in November 2016 and May 2017. Bacterial communities were profiled using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The bacterial community of E. cavolini was consistently dominated by Endozoicomonas. Contrastingly, the black coral microbiome was more diverse, and was primarily composed of numerous Bacteroidetes, Alpha- and Gammaproteobacterial taxa, putatively involved in all steps of the nitrogen and sulfur cycles. Compositional differences in the A. subpinnata microbiome existed between all locations and both time points, and no phylotypes were consistently associated with A. subpinnata. This highlights that local conditions may influence the bacterial community structure and potentially nutrient cycling within the A. subpinnata holobiont. But it also suggests that this coral holobiont possesses a high degree of microbiome flexibility, which may be a mechanism to acclimate to environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martina Coppari
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell'Ambiente e della Vita, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genova, Italy.,Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Enrichetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell'Ambiente e della Vita, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genova, Italy
| | | | - Marzia Bo
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell'Ambiente e della Vita, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genova, Italy.,Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy
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14
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Musonerimana S, Bez C, Licastro D, Habarugira G, Bigirimana J, Venturi V. Pathobiomes Revealed that Pseudomonas fuscovaginae and Sarocladium oryzae Are Independently Associated with Rice Sheath Rot. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2020; 80:627-642. [PMID: 32474660 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-020-01529-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Rice sheath rot has been mainly associated with the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas fuscovaginae and in some cases to the fungal pathogen Sarocladium oryzae; it is yet unclear if they are part of a complex disease. The bacterial and fungal community associated with rice sheath rot symptomatic and asymptomatic rice plants was determined/studied with the main aim to shed light on the pathogen(s) causing rice sheath rot. Plant samples were collected from different rice varieties in two locations (highland and lowland) in two rice-growing seasons (wet and dry season) in Burundi. Our results showed that the bacterial Pseudomonas genus was prevalent in highland in both rice-growing seasons and was not affected by rice plant varieties. Pseudomonas sequence reads displayed a significant high similarity to Pseudomonas fuscovaginae indicating that it is the causal agent of rice sheath rot as previously reported. The fungal Sarocladium genus was on the other hand prevalent in lowland only in the wet season; the sequence reads were most significantly similar to Sarocladium oryzae. These studies showed that plant microbiome analysis is very useful in determining the microorganisms involved in a plant disease. P. fuscovaginae and S. oryzae were prevalent in symptomatic samples in highland and lowland respectively being present independently and hence are not part of a complex disease. The significant presence of other bacterial and fungal taxa in symptomatic samples is also discussed possibly making this disease more complex. Finally, we also report the microbial communities that are associated with the plant sheath in symptomatic and asymptomatic plants from the same rice fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samson Musonerimana
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Padriciano 99, 34149, Trieste, Italy
| | - Cristina Bez
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Padriciano 99, 34149, Trieste, Italy
| | - Danilo Licastro
- ARGO Open Lab Platform for Genome sequencing, AREA Science Park, Padriciano 99, 34149, Trieste, Italy
| | - Georges Habarugira
- International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)-Africa Regional Crop Improvement Office, Burundi University-Faculty of Agronomy and Bio-Engineering, Avenue de l'UNESCO No 2, Bujumbura, Burundi
| | - Joseph Bigirimana
- International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)-Africa Regional Crop Improvement Office, Burundi University-Faculty of Agronomy and Bio-Engineering, Avenue de l'UNESCO No 2, Bujumbura, Burundi
| | - Vittorio Venturi
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Padriciano 99, 34149, Trieste, Italy.
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15
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Rosales SM, Clark AS, Huebner LK, Ruzicka RR, Muller EM. Rhodobacterales and Rhizobiales Are Associated With Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease and Its Suspected Sources of Transmission. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:681. [PMID: 32425901 PMCID: PMC7212369 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2014, Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) was first detected off the coast of Miami, FL, United States, and continues to persist and spread along the Florida Reef Tractr (FRT) and into the Caribbean. SCTLD can have up to a 61% prevalence in reefs and has affected at least 23 species of scleractinian corals. This has contributed to the regional near-extinction of at least one coral species, Dendrogyra cylindrus. Initial studies of SCTLD indicate microbial community shifts and cessation of lesion progression in response to antibiotics on some colonies. However, the etiology and abiotic sources of SCTLD transmission are unknown. To characterize SCTLD microbial signatures, we collected tissue samples from four affected coral species: Stephanocoenia intersepta, Diploria labyrinthiformis, Dichocoenia stokesii, and Meandrina meandrites. Tissue samples were from apparently healthy (AH) corals, and unaffected tissue (DU) and lesion tissue (DL) on diseased corals. Samples were collected in June 2018 from three zones: (1) vulnerable (ahead of the SCTLD disease boundary in the Lower Florida Keys), (2) endemic (post-outbreak in the Upper Florida Keys), and (3) epidemic (SCTLD was active and prevalent in the Middle Florida Keys). From each zone, sediment and water samples were also collected to identify whether they may serve as potential sources of transmission for SCTLD-associated microbes. We used 16S rRNA gene amplicon high-throughput sequencing methods to characterize the microbiomes of the coral, water, and sediment samples. We identified a relatively higher abundance of the bacteria orders Rhodobacterales and Rhizobiales in DL tissue compared to AH and DU tissue. Also, our results showed relatively higher abundances of Rhodobacterales in water from the endemic and epidemic zones compared to the vulnerable zone. Rhodobacterales and Rhizobiales identified at higher relative abundances in DL samples were also detected in sediment samples, but not in water samples. Our data indicate that Rhodobacterales and Rhizobiales may play a role in SCTLD and that sediment may be a source of transmission for Rhodobacterales and Rhizobiales associated with SCTLD lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M. Rosales
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
- Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Abigail S. Clark
- Mote Marine Laboratory, Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration, Summerland Key, FL, United States
| | - Lindsay K. Huebner
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
| | - Rob R. Ruzicka
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
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16
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Tong H, Cai L, Zhou G, Zhang W, Huang H, Qian PY. Correlations Between Prokaryotic Microbes and Stress-Resistant Algae in Different Corals Subjected to Environmental Stress in Hong Kong. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:686. [PMID: 32390975 PMCID: PMC7191007 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are extremely vulnerable to global climate change, as evidenced by increasing bleaching events. Previous studies suggest that both algal and microbial partners benefit coral hosts, but the nature of interactions between Symbiodiniaceae and prokaryotic microbes and their effects on coral hosts remains unclear. In the present study, we examined correlations between Symbiodiniaceae and prokaryotic microbes in Montipora spp. and Porites lutea sampled from two sites in Hong Kong with contrasting environmental conditions in March and October 2014. The results showed that the prokaryotic microbial communities had adaptable structures in both Montipora spp. and P. lutea, and environmental conditions had greater effects on the algal/microbial communities in Montipora spp. than in P. lutea. Further network analysis revealed a greater number of prokaryotic microbes were significantly correlated with potentially stress-resistant Symbiodiniaceae in P. lutea than in Montipora spp. Stress-resistant Symbiodiniaceae played more important roles in the community and in the algal–microbial correlations in P. lutea than in Montipora spp. Since P. lutea is faring better in Hong Kong as the seawater temperature gradually increases, the results suggest that the correlations between stress-resistant algae and prokaryotic microbes could provide a compensation mechanism allowing coral hosts to adapt to higher temperatures, particularly as the prokaryotic microbes correlated with Symbiodiniaceae provide the ecological functions of photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoya Tong
- Department of Ocean Science, Division of Life Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lin Cai
- Department of Ocean Science, Division of Life Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Guowei Zhou
- Department of Ocean Science, Division of Life Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Weipeng Zhang
- Department of Ocean Science, Division of Life Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hui Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Pei-Yuan Qian
- Department of Ocean Science, Division of Life Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
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17
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Sweet M, Burian A, Fifer J, Bulling M, Elliott D, Raymundo L. Compositional homogeneity in the pathobiome of a new, slow-spreading coral disease. MICROBIOME 2019; 7:139. [PMID: 31752998 PMCID: PMC6873542 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-019-0759-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coral reefs face unprecedented declines in diversity and cover, a development largely attributed to climate change-induced bleaching and subsequent disease outbreaks. Coral-associated microbiomes may strongly influence the fitness of their hosts and alter heat tolerance and disease susceptibility of coral colonies. Here, we describe a new coral disease found in Micronesia and present a detailed assessment of infection-driven changes in the coral microbiome. RESULTS Combining field monitoring and histological, microscopic and next-generation barcoding assessments, we demonstrate that the outbreak of the disease, named 'grey-patch disease', is associated with the establishment of cyanobacterial biofilm overgrowing coral tissue. The disease is characterised by slow progression rates, with coral tissue sometimes growing back over the GPD biofilm. Network analysis of the corals' microbiome highlighted the clustering of specific microbes which appeared to benefit from the onset of disease, resulting in the formation of 'infection clusters' in the microbiomes of apparently healthy corals. CONCLUSIONS Our results appear to be in contrast to the recently proposed Anna-Karenina principle, which states that disturbances (such as disease) trigger chaotic dynamics in microbial communities and increase β-diversity. Here, we show significantly higher community similarity (compositional homogeneity) in the pathobiome of diseased corals, compared to the microbiome associated with apparently healthy tissue. A possible explanation for this pattern is strong competition between the pathogenic community and those associated with the 'healthy' coral holobiont, homogenising the composition of the pathobiome. Further, one of our key findings is that multiple agents appear to be involved in degrading the corals' defences causing the onset of this disease. This supports recent findings indicating a need for a shift from the one-pathogen-one-disease paradigm to exploring the importance of multiple pathogenic players in any given disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Sweet
- Aquatic Research Facility, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, University of Derby, Derby, UK.
| | - Alfred Burian
- Aquatic Research Facility, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, University of Derby, Derby, UK
| | - James Fifer
- Marine Laboratory, University of Guam, Mangilao, GU, 96923, Guam
| | - Mark Bulling
- Aquatic Research Facility, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, University of Derby, Derby, UK
| | - David Elliott
- Aquatic Research Facility, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, University of Derby, Derby, UK
| | - Laurie Raymundo
- Marine Laboratory, University of Guam, Mangilao, GU, 96923, Guam
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18
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Griffiths SM, Antwis RE, Lenzi L, Lucaci A, Behringer DC, Butler MJ, Preziosi RF. Host genetics and geography influence microbiome composition in the sponge Ircinia campana. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:1684-1695. [PMID: 31325164 PMCID: PMC6899969 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Marine sponges are hosts to large, diverse communities of microorganisms. These microbiomes are distinct among sponge species and from seawater bacterial communities, indicating a key role of host identity in shaping its resident microbial community. However, the factors governing intraspecific microbiome variability are underexplored and may shed light on the evolutionary and ecological relationships between host and microbiome. Here, we examined the influence of genetic variation and geographic location on the composition of the Ircinia campana microbiome. We developed new microsatellite markers to genotype I. campana from two locations in the Florida Keys, USA, and characterized their microbiomes using V4 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. We show that microbial community composition and diversity is influenced by host genotype, with more genetically similar sponges hosting more similar microbial communities. We also found that although I. campana was not genetically differentiated between sites, microbiome composition differed by location. Our results demonstrate that both host genetics and geography influence the composition of the sponge microbiome. Host genotypic influence on microbiome composition may be due to stable vertical transmission of the microbial community from parent to offspring, making microbiomes more similar by descent. Alternatively, sponge genotypic variation may reflect variation in functional traits that influence the acquisition of environmental microbes. This study reveals drivers of microbiome variation within and among locations, and shows the importance of intraspecific variability in mediating eco-evolutionary dynamics of host-associated microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Griffiths
- Ecology and Environment Research CentreManchester Metropolitan UniversityManchesterUK
| | - Rachael E. Antwis
- School of Environment and Life SciencesUniversity of SalfordSalfordUK
| | - Luca Lenzi
- Centre for Genomic Research, Institute of Integrative BiologyUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | - Anita Lucaci
- Centre for Genomic Research, Institute of Integrative BiologyUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | - Donald C. Behringer
- Fisheries and Aquatic SciencesUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFLUSA
- Emerging Pathogens InstituteUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFLUSA
| | - Mark J. Butler
- Department of Biological SciencesOld Dominion UniversityNorfolkVAUSA
| | - Richard F. Preziosi
- Ecology and Environment Research CentreManchester Metropolitan UniversityManchesterUK
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19
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Bass D, Stentiford GD, Wang HC, Koskella B, Tyler CR. The Pathobiome in Animal and Plant Diseases. Trends Ecol Evol 2019; 34:996-1008. [PMID: 31522755 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2019.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 07/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
A growing awareness of the diversity and ubiquity of microbes (eukaryotes, prokaryotes, and viruses) associated with larger 'host' organisms has led to the realisation that many diseases thought to be caused by one primary agent are the result of interactions between multiple taxa and the host. Even where a primary agent can be identified, its effect is often moderated by other symbionts. Therefore, the one pathogen-one disease paradigm is shifting towards the pathobiome concept, integrating the interaction of multiple symbionts, host, and environment in a new understanding of disease aetiology. Taxonomically, pathobiomes are variable across host species, ecology, tissue type, and time. Therefore, a more functionally driven understanding of pathobiotic systems is necessary, based on gene expression, metabolic interactions, and ecological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Bass
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Barrack Road, The Nothe, Weymouth, DT4 8UB, UK; Sustainable Aquaculture Futures, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK; Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK.
| | - Grant D Stentiford
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Barrack Road, The Nothe, Weymouth, DT4 8UB, UK; Sustainable Aquaculture Futures, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Han-Ching Wang
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan; International Center for Scientific Development of Shrimp Aquaculture, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan
| | - Britt Koskella
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Charles R Tyler
- Sustainable Aquaculture Futures, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK; Biosciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4HB, UK
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20
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Goldsmith DB, Kellogg CA, Morrison CL, Gray MA, Stone RP, Waller RG, Brooke SD, Ross SW. Comparison of microbiomes of cold-water corals Primnoa pacifica and Primnoa resedaeformis, with possible link between microbiome composition and host genotype. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12383. [PMID: 30120375 PMCID: PMC6098105 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30901-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cold-water corals provide critical habitats for a multitude of marine species, but are understudied relative to tropical corals. Primnoa pacifica is a cold-water coral prevalent throughout Alaskan waters, while another species in the genus, Primnoa resedaeformis, is widely distributed in the Atlantic Ocean. This study examined the V4-V5 region of the 16S rRNA gene after amplifying and pyrosequencing bacterial DNA from samples of these species. Key differences between the two species' microbiomes included a robust presence of bacteria belonging to the Chlamydiales order in most of the P. pacifica samples, whereas no more than 2% of any microbial community from P. resedaeformis comprised these bacteria. Microbiomes of P. resedaeformis exhibited higher diversity than those of P. pacifica, and the two species largely clustered separately in a principal coordinate analysis. Comparison of P. resedaeformis microbiomes from samples collected in two submarine canyons revealed a significant difference between locations. This finding mirrored significant genetic differences among the P. resedaeformis from the two canyons based upon population genetic analysis of microsatellite loci. This study presents the first report of microbiomes associated with these two coral species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn B Goldsmith
- St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, US Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, FL, United States of America
| | - Christina A Kellogg
- St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, US Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, FL, United States of America.
| | - Cheryl L Morrison
- Leetown Science Center, US Geological Survey, Kearneysville, WV, United States of America
| | - Michael A Gray
- St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, US Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, FL, United States of America
| | - Robert P Stone
- Auke Bay Laboratories, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, 17109, Point Lena Loop Road, Juneau, AK, United States of America
| | - Rhian G Waller
- Darling Marine Center, University of Maine, Walpole, ME, United States of America
| | - Sandra D Brooke
- Coastal and Marine Laboratory, Florida State University, St. Teresa, FL, United States of America
| | - Steve W Ross
- Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, United States of America
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21
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Shelyakin PV, Garushyants SK, Nikitin MA, Mudrova SV, Berumen M, Speksnijder AGCL, Hoeksema BW, Fontaneto D, Gelfand MS, Ivanenko VN. Microbiomes of gall-inducing copepod crustaceans from the corals Stylophora pistillata (Scleractinia) and Gorgonia ventalina (Alcyonacea). Sci Rep 2018; 8:11563. [PMID: 30069039 PMCID: PMC6070567 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29953-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Corals harbor complex and diverse microbial communities that strongly impact host fitness and resistance to diseases, but these microbes themselves can be influenced by stresses, like those caused by the presence of macroscopic symbionts. In addition to directly influencing the host, symbionts may transmit pathogenic microbial communities. We analyzed two coral gall-forming copepod systems by using 16S rRNA gene metagenomic sequencing: (1) the sea fan Gorgonia ventalina with copepods of the genus Sphaerippe from the Caribbean and (2) the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata with copepods of the genus Spaniomolgus from the Saudi Arabian part of the Red Sea. We show that bacterial communities in these two systems were substantially different with Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, and Betaproteobacteria more prevalent in samples from Gorgonia ventalina, and Gammaproteobacteria in Stylophora pistillata. In Stylophora pistillata, normal coral microbiomes were enriched with the common coral symbiont Endozoicomonas and some unclassified bacteria, while copepod and gall-tissue microbiomes were highly enriched with the family ME2 (Oceanospirillales) or Rhodobacteraceae. In Gorgonia ventalina, no bacterial group had significantly different prevalence in the normal coral tissues, copepods, and injured tissues. The total microbiome composition of polyps injured by copepods was different. Contrary to our expectations, the microbial community composition of the injured gall tissues was not directly affected by the microbiome of the gall-forming symbiont copepods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel V Shelyakin
- Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems RAS, B. Karetny per. 19, Moscow, 127051, Russia.,Vavilov Institute of General Genetics RAS, Gubkina str. 3, Moscow, 119333, Russia
| | - Sofya K Garushyants
- Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems RAS, B. Karetny per. 19, Moscow, 127051, Russia.,Center for Data-Intensive Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Nobel str. 1, Moscow, 121205, Russia
| | - Mikhail A Nikitin
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia
| | - Sofya V Mudrova
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Michael Berumen
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Bert W Hoeksema
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, 2332 AA, The Netherlands
| | - Diego Fontaneto
- National Research Council, Institute of Ecosystem Study, Verbania, 28922, Italy
| | - Mikhail S Gelfand
- Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems RAS, B. Karetny per. 19, Moscow, 127051, Russia.,Center for Data-Intensive Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Nobel str. 1, Moscow, 121205, Russia.,Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia.,Faculty of Computer Science, Higher School of Economics, Kochnovsky pr. 3, Moscow, 125319, Russia
| | - Viatcheslav N Ivanenko
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, 2332 AA, The Netherlands. .,Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Biological Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia.
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22
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Abstract
Tropical scleractinian corals are dependent to varying degrees on their photosymbiotic partners. Under normal levels of temperature and irradiance, they can provide most, but not all, of the host's nutritional requirements. Heterotrophy is required to adequately supply critical nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus. Scleractinian corals are known as mesozooplankton predators, and most employ tentacle capture. The ability to trap nano- and picoplankton has been demonstrated by several coral species and appears to fulfill a substantial proportion of their daily metabolic requirements. The mechanism of capture likely involves mucociliary activity or extracoelenteric digestion, but the relative contribution of these avenues have not been evaluated. Many corals employ mesenterial filaments to procure food in various forms, but the functional morphology and chemical activities of these structures have been poorly documented. Corals are capable of acquiring nutrition from particulate and dissolved organic matter, although the degree of reliance on these sources generally has not been established. Corals, including tropical, deep- and cold-water species, are known as a major source of carbon and other nutrients for benthic communities through the secretion of mucus, despite wide variation in chemical composition. Mucus is cycled through the planktonic microbial loop, the benthos, and the microbial community within the sediments. The consensus indicates that the dissolved organic fraction of mucus usually exceeds the insoluble portion, and both serve as sources for the growth of nano- and picoplankton. As many corals employ mucus to trap food, a portion is taken back during feeding. The net gain or loss has not been evaluated, although production is generally thought to exceed consumption. The same is true for the net uptake and loss of dissolved organic matter by mucus secretion. Octocorals are thought not to employ mucus capture or mesenterial filaments during feeding and generally rely on tentacular filtration of weakly swimming mesozooplankton, particulates, dissolved organic matter, and picoplankton. Nonsymbiotic species in the tropics favor phytoplankton and weakly swimming zooplankton. Azooxanthellate soft corals are opportunistic feeders and shift their diet according to the season from phyto- and nanoplankton in summer to primarily particulate organic matter (POM) in winter. Cold-water species favor POM, phytodetritus, microplankton, and larger zooplankton when available. Antipatharians apparently feed on mesozooplankton but also use mucus nets, possibly for capture of POM. Feeding modes in this group are poorly known.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter M Goldberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
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