1
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Strader ME, Wright RM, Pezner AK, Nuttall MF, Aichelman HE, Davies SW. Intersection of coral molecular responses to a localized mortality event and ex situ deoxygenation. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11275. [PMID: 38654712 PMCID: PMC11036075 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11275] [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: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
In July 2016, East Bank of Flower Garden Banks (FGB) National Marine Sanctuary experienced a localized mortality event (LME) of multiple invertebrate species that ultimately led to reductions in coral cover. Abiotic data taken directly after the event suggested that acute deoxygenation contributed to the mortality. Despite the large impact of this event on the coral community, there was no direct evidence that this LME was driven by acute deoxygenation, and thus we explored whether gene expression responses of corals to the LME would indicate what abiotic factors may have contributed to the LME. Gene expression of affected and unaffected corals sampled during the mortality event revealed evidence of the physiological consequences of the LME on coral hosts and their algal symbionts from two congeneric species (Orbicella franksi and Orbicella faveolata). Affected colonies of both species differentially regulated genes involved in mitochondrial regulation and oxidative stress. To further test the hypothesis that deoxygenation led to the LME, we measured coral host and algal symbiont gene expression in response to ex situ experimental deoxygenation (control = 6.9 ± 0.08 mg L-1, anoxic = 0.083 ± 0.017 mg L-1) in healthy O. faveolata colonies from the FGB. However, this deoxygenation experiment revealed divergent gene expression patterns compared to the corals sampled during the LME and was more similar to a generalized coral environmental stress response. It is therefore likely that while the LME was connected to low oxygen, it was a series of interconnected stressors that elicited the unique gene expression responses observed here. These in situ and ex situ data highlight how field responses to stressors are unique from those in controlled laboratory conditions, and that the complexities of deoxygenation events in the field likely arise from interactions between multiple environmental factors simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie E. Strader
- Department of BiologyTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexasUSA
| | - Rachel M. Wright
- Department of Biological SciencesSouthern Methodist UniversityDallasTexasUSA
| | | | | | | | - Sarah W. Davies
- Department of BiologyBoston UniversityBostonMassachusettsUSA
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2
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Davies SW, Gamache MH, Howe-Kerr LI, Kriefall NG, Baker AC, Banaszak AT, Bay LK, Bellantuono AJ, Bhattacharya D, Chan CX, Claar DC, Coffroth MA, Cunning R, Davy SK, del Campo J, Díaz-Almeyda EM, Frommlet JC, Fuess LE, González-Pech RA, Goulet TL, Hoadley KD, Howells EJ, Hume BCC, Kemp DW, Kenkel CD, Kitchen SA, LaJeunesse TC, Lin S, McIlroy SE, McMinds R, Nitschke MR, Oakley CA, Peixoto RS, Prada C, Putnam HM, Quigley K, Reich HG, Reimer JD, Rodriguez-Lanetty M, Rosales SM, Saad OS, Sampayo EM, Santos SR, Shoguchi E, Smith EG, Stat M, Stephens TG, Strader ME, Suggett DJ, Swain TD, Tran C, Traylor-Knowles N, Voolstra CR, Warner ME, Weis VM, Wright RM, Xiang T, Yamashita H, Ziegler M, Correa AMS, Parkinson JE. Building consensus around the assessment and interpretation of Symbiodiniaceae diversity. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15023. [PMID: 37151292 PMCID: PMC10162043 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Within microeukaryotes, genetic variation and functional variation sometimes accumulate more quickly than morphological differences. To understand the evolutionary history and ecology of such lineages, it is key to examine diversity at multiple levels of organization. In the dinoflagellate family Symbiodiniaceae, which can form endosymbioses with cnidarians (e.g., corals, octocorals, sea anemones, jellyfish), other marine invertebrates (e.g., sponges, molluscs, flatworms), and protists (e.g., foraminifera), molecular data have been used extensively over the past three decades to describe phenotypes and to make evolutionary and ecological inferences. Despite advances in Symbiodiniaceae genomics, a lack of consensus among researchers with respect to interpreting genetic data has slowed progress in the field and acted as a barrier to reconciling observations. Here, we identify key challenges regarding the assessment and interpretation of Symbiodiniaceae genetic diversity across three levels: species, populations, and communities. We summarize areas of agreement and highlight techniques and approaches that are broadly accepted. In areas where debate remains, we identify unresolved issues and discuss technologies and approaches that can help to fill knowledge gaps related to genetic and phenotypic diversity. We also discuss ways to stimulate progress, in particular by fostering a more inclusive and collaborative research community. We hope that this perspective will inspire and accelerate coral reef science by serving as a resource to those designing experiments, publishing research, and applying for funding related to Symbiodiniaceae and their symbiotic partnerships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah W. Davies
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Matthew H. Gamache
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | | | | | - Andrew C. Baker
- Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Anastazia T. Banaszak
- Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Mexico
| | - Line Kolind Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia
| | - Anthony J. Bellantuono
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Debashish Bhattacharya
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Cheong Xin Chan
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Danielle C. Claar
- Nearshore Habitat Program, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA, USA
| | | | - Ross Cunning
- Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Simon K. Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Javier del Campo
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC - Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | | | - Jörg C. Frommlet
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Lauren E. Fuess
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, United States
| | - Raúl A. González-Pech
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
| | - Tamar L. Goulet
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, MS, United States
| | - Kenneth D. Hoadley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama—Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Emily J. Howells
- National Marine Science Centre, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Dustin W. Kemp
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama—Birmingham, Birmingham, Al, United States
| | - Carly D. Kenkel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Sheila A. Kitchen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Todd C. LaJeunesse
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Senjie Lin
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, CT, United States
| | - Shelby E. McIlroy
- Swire Institute of Marine Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Ryan McMinds
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Disease Research, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | | | - Clinton A. Oakley
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Raquel S. Peixoto
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Carlos Prada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | - Hollie M. Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | | | - Hannah G. Reich
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | - James Davis Reimer
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Marine Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan
| | | | - Stephanie M. Rosales
- The Cooperative Institute For Marine and Atmospheric Studies, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Osama S. Saad
- Department of Biological Oceanography, Red Sea University, Port-Sudan, Sudan
| | - Eugenia M. Sampayo
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Scott R. Santos
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Eiichi Shoguchi
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Edward G. Smith
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Michael Stat
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Timothy G. Stephens
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Marie E. Strader
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - David J. Suggett
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Timothy D. Swain
- Department of Marine and Environmental Science, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL, United States
| | - Cawa Tran
- Department of Biology, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Nikki Traylor-Knowles
- Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | | | - Mark E. Warner
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, United States
| | - Virginia M. Weis
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Rachel M. Wright
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Tingting Xiang
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Hiroshi Yamashita
- Fisheries Technology Institute, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, Ishigaki, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Maren Ziegler
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen (Germany), Giessen, Germany
| | | | - John Everett Parkinson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
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3
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Trait Covariances in Eastern Box Turtles Do Not Support Pleiotropic Effects of the Melanocortin System on Color, Behavior, and Stress Physiology. J HERPETOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1670/22-010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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4
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Kriefall NG, Kanke MR, Aglyamova GV, Davies SW. Reef environments shape microbial partners in a highly connected coral population. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212459. [PMID: 35042418 PMCID: PMC8767194 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence is mounting that composition of microorganisms within a host can play an essential role in total holobiont health. In corals, for instance, studies have identified algal and bacterial taxa that can significantly influence coral host function and these communities depend on environmental context. However, few studies have linked host genetics to algal and microbial partners across environments within a single coral population. Here, using 2b-RAD sequencing of corals and metabarcoding of their associated algal (ITS2) and bacterial (16S) communities, we show evidence that reef zones (locales that differ in proximity to shore and other environmental characteristics) structure algal and bacterial communities at different scales in a highly connected coral population (Acropora hyacinthus) in French Polynesia. Fore reef (FR) algal communities in Mo'orea were more diverse than back reef (BR) communities, suggesting that these BR conditions constrain diversity. Interestingly, in FR corals, host genetic diversity correlated with bacterial diversity, which could imply genotype by genotype interactions between these holobiont members. Our results illuminate that local reef conditions play an important role in shaping unique host-microbial partner combinations, which may have fitness consequences for dispersive coral populations arriving in novel environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - M. R. Kanke
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - G. V. Aglyamova
- Department of Integrative Biology, the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - S. W. Davies
- Biology Department, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
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5
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Zhou G, Tong H, Cai L, Huang H. Transgenerational Effects on the Coral Pocillopora damicornis Microbiome Under Ocean Acidification. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2021; 82:572-580. [PMID: 33576852 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01690-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Reef-building corals are inhabited by functionally diverse microorganisms which play important roles in coral health and persistence in the Anthropocene. However, our understanding of the complex associations within coral holobionts is largely limited, particularly transgenerational exposure to environmental stress, like ocean acidification. Here we investigated the microbiome development of an ecologically important coral Pocillopora damicornis following transgenerational exposure to moderate and high pCO2 (partial pressure of CO2) levels, using amplicon sequencing and analysis. Our results showed that the Symbiodiniaceae community structures in adult and juvenile had similar patterns, all of which were dominated by Durusdinium spp., previously known as clade D. Conversely, prokaryotic communities varied between adults and juveniles, possibly driven by the effect of host development. Surprisingly, there were no significant changes in both Symbiodiniaceae and prokaryotic communities with different pCO2 treatments, which was independent of the life history stage. This study shows that ocean acidification has no significant effect on P. damicornis microbiome, and warrants further research to test whether transgenerational acclimation exists in coral holobiont to projected future climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guowei Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
- Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, ISEE, CAS, Guangzhou, China.
- CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Sanya, China.
- Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station and Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.
| | - Haoya Tong
- CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Sanya, China
- 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, SAR, 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, SAR, China
| | - Hui Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
- Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, ISEE, CAS, Guangzhou, China.
- CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Sanya, China.
- Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station and Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.
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6
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Shoguchi E, Beedessee G, Hisata K, Tada I, Narisoko H, Satoh N, Kawachi M, Shinzato C. A New Dinoflagellate Genome Illuminates a Conserved Gene Cluster Involved in Sunscreen Biosynthesis. Genome Biol Evol 2020; 13:5955767. [PMID: 33146374 PMCID: PMC7875005 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Photosynthetic dinoflagellates of the Family Symbiodiniaceae live symbiotically with many organisms that inhabit coral reefs and are currently classified into fifteen groups, including seven genera. Draft genomes from four genera, Symbiodinium, Breviolum, Fugacium, and Cladocopium, which have been isolated from corals, have been reported. However, no genome is available from the genus Durusdinium, which occupies an intermediate phylogenetic position in the Family Symbiodiniaceae and is well known for thermal tolerance (resistance to bleaching). We sequenced, assembled, and annotated the genome of Durusdinium trenchii, isolated from the coral, Favia speciosa, in Okinawa, Japan. Assembled short reads amounted to 670 Mb with ∼47% GC content. This GC content was intermediate among taxa belonging to the Symbiodiniaceae. Approximately 30,000 protein-coding genes were predicted in the D. trenchii genome, fewer than in other genomes from the Symbiodiniaceae. However, annotations revealed that the D. trenchii genome encodes a cluster of genes for synthesis of mycosporine-like amino acids, which absorb UV radiation. Interestingly, a neighboring gene in the cluster encodes a glucose-methanol-choline oxidoreductase with a flavin adenine dinucleotide domain that is also found in Symbiodinium tridacnidorum. This conservation seems to partially clarify an ancestral genomic structure in the Symbiodiniaceae and its loss in late-branching lineages, including Breviolum and Cladocopium, after splitting from the Durusdinium lineage. Our analysis suggests that approximately half of the taxa in the Symbiodiniaceae may maintain the ability to synthesize mycosporine-like amino acids. Thus, this work provides a significant genomic resource for understanding the genomic diversity of Symbiodiniaceae in corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiichi Shoguchi
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Girish Beedessee
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Kanako Hisata
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Ipputa Tada
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, Japan.,Department of Genetics, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Haruhi Narisoko
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Satoh
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Masanobu Kawachi
- Center for Environmental Biology and Ecosystem Studies, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Chuya Shinzato
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, Japan.,Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
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7
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Shi T, Niu G, Kvitt H, Zheng X, Qin Q, Sun D, Ji Z, Tchernov D. Untangling ITS2 genotypes of algal symbionts in zooxanthellate corals. Mol Ecol Resour 2020; 21:137-152. [PMID: 32876380 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Collectively called zooxanthellae, photosynthetic dinoflagellates in the family Symbiodiniaceae are typical endosymbionts that unequivocally mediate coral responses to environmental changes. Symbiodiniaceae are genetically diverse, encompassing at least nine phylogenetically distinct genera (clades A-I). The ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region is commonly utilized for determining Symbiodiniaceae diversity within clades. However, ITS2 is often inadvertently interpreted together with the tailing part of the ribosomal RNA genes (5.8S and 28S or equivalent), leading to unresolved taxonomy and equivocal annotations. To overcome this hurdle, we mined in GenBank and expert reference databases for ITS2 sequences of Symbiodiniaceae having explicit boundaries with adjacent rRNAs. We profiled a Hidden Markov Model of the ITS2-proximal 5.8S-28S rRNA interaction, which was shown to facilitate the delimitation of Symbiodiniaceae ITS2 from GenBank, while considerably reducing sequence ambiguity and redundancy in reference databases. The delineation of ITS2 sequences unveiled intra-clade sequence diversity and inter-clade secondary structure conservation. We compiled the clean data into a non-redundant database that archives the largest number of Symbiodiniaceae ITS2 sequences known to date with definite genotype/subclade representations and well-defined secondary structures. This database provides a fundamental reference catalog for consistent and precise genotyping of Symbiodiniaceae and a tool for automated annotation of user-supplied sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuo Shi
- Marine Genomics and Biotechnology Program, Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, P. R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P. R. China
| | - Gaofeng Niu
- Marine Genomics and Biotechnology Program, Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, P. R. China.,Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, P. R. China
| | - Hagit Kvitt
- Marine Biology Department, The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.,Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Center for Mariculture, Eilat, Israel
| | - Xinqing Zheng
- Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, P. R. China
| | - Qiaoyun Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P. R. China
| | - Danye Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P. R. China
| | - Zhiliang Ji
- School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P. R. China
| | - Dan Tchernov
- Marine Biology Department, The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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8
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Klepac CN, Barshis DJ. Reduced thermal tolerance of massive coral species in a highly variable environment. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201379. [PMID: 32811319 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral bleaching events are increasing in frequency and severity, resulting in widespread losses in coral cover. However, branching corals native to highly variable (HV) thermal environments can have higher bleaching resistance than corals from more moderate habitats. Here, we investigated the response of two massive corals, Porites lobata and Goniastrea retiformis, from a moderately variable (MV) and a low variability (LV) pool transplanted into a HV pool on Ofu Island in American Samoa. Paired transplant and native ramets were exposed to an acute thermal stress after 6 and 12 months of exposure to the HV pool to evaluate changes in thermal tolerance limits. For both species, photosynthetic efficiency and chlorophyll loss following acute heat stress did not differ between ramets transplanted into the HV pool and respective native pool. Moreover, HV native P. lobata exhibited the greatest bleaching susceptibility compared to MV and LV natives and there was no effect of acute heat stress on MV P. lobata. There was also a thermal anomaly during the study, where Ofu's backreef thermal regime surpassed historical records-2015 had 8 degree heating weeks (DHW) and 2016 had up to 5 DHW (in comparison to less than or equal to 3 over the last 10 years)-which may have exceeded the upper thermal limits of HV native P. lobata. These results strongly contrast with other research on coral tolerance in variable environments, potentially underscoring species-specific mechanisms and regional thermal anomalies that may be equally important in shaping coral responses to extreme temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- C N Klepac
- Department of Biology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA
| | - D J Barshis
- Department of Biology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA
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9
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Speare L, Davies SW, Balmonte JP, Baumann J, Castillo KD. Patterns of environmental variability influence coral-associated bacterial and algal communities on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:2334-2348. [PMID: 32497352 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
A coral's capacity to alter its microbial symbionts may enhance its fitness in the face of climate change. Recent work predicts exposure to high environmental variability may increase coral resilience and adaptability to future climate conditions. However, how this heightened environmental variability impacts coral-associated microbial communities remains largely unexplored. Here, we examined the bacterial and algal symbionts associated with two coral species of the genus Siderastrea with distinct life history strategies from three reef sites on the Belize Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System with low or high environmental variability. Our results reveal bacterial community structure, as well as alpha- and beta-diversity patterns, vary by host species. Differences in bacterial communities between host species were partially explained by high abundance of Deltaproteobacteria and Rhodospirillales and high bacterial diversity in Siderastrea radians. Our findings also suggest Siderastrea spp. have dynamic core bacterial communities that likely drive differences observed in the entire bacterial community, which may play a critical role in rapid acclimatization to environmental change. Unlike the bacterial community, Symbiodiniaceae composition was only distinct between host species at high thermal variability sites, suggesting that different factors shape bacterial versus algal communities within the coral holobiont. Our findings shed light on how domain-specific shifts in dynamic microbiomes may allow for unique methods of enhanced host fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Speare
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sarah W Davies
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John P Balmonte
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Department of Ecology and Genetics - Limnology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Justin Baumann
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Karl D Castillo
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Environment, Ecology, and Energy Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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10
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Howe-Kerr LI, Bachelot B, Wright RM, Kenkel CD, Bay LK, Correa AMS. Symbiont community diversity is more variable in corals that respond poorly to stress. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:2220-2234. [PMID: 32048447 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Coral reefs are declining globally as climate change and local water quality press environmental conditions beyond the physiological tolerances of holobionts-the collective of the host and its microbial symbionts. To assess the relationship between symbiont composition and holobiont stress tolerance, community diversity metrics were quantified for dinoflagellate endosymbionts (Family: Symbiodiniaceae) from eight Acropora millepora genets that thrived under or responded poorly to various stressors. These eight selected genets represent the upper and lower tails of the response distribution of 40 coral genets that were exposed to four stress treatments (and control conditions) in a 10-day experiment. Specifically, four 'best performer' coral genets were analyzed at the end of the experiment because they survived high temperature, high pCO2 , bacterial exposure, or combined stressors, whereas four 'worst performer' genets were characterized because they experienced substantial mortality under these stressors. At the end of the experiment, seven of eight coral genets mainly hosted Cladocopium symbionts, whereas the eighth genet was dominated by both Cladocopium and Durusdinium symbionts. Symbiodiniaceae alpha and beta diversity were higher in worst performing genets than in best performing genets. Symbiont communities in worst performers also differed more after stress exposure relative to their controls (based on normalized proportional differences in beta diversity), than did best performers. A generalized joint attribute model estimated the influence of host genet and treatment on Symbiodiniaceae community composition and identified strong associations among particular symbionts and host genet performance, as well as weaker associations with treatment. Although dominant symbiont physiology and function contribute to host performance, these findings emphasize the importance of symbiont community diversity and stochasticity as components of host performance. Our findings also suggest that symbiont community diversity metrics may function as indicators of resilience and have potential applications in diverse disciplines from climate change adaptation to agriculture and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Carly D Kenkel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Line K Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Qld, Australia
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11
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Claar DC, Tietjen KL, Cox KD, Gates RD, Baum JK. Chronic disturbance modulates symbiont (Symbiodiniaceae) beta diversity on a coral reef. Sci Rep 2020; 10:4492. [PMID: 32161299 PMCID: PMC7066189 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60929-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic disturbance can disrupt ecological interactions including the foundational symbiosis between reef-building corals and the dinoflagellate family Symbiodiniaceae. Symbiodiniaceae are photosynthetic endosymbionts necessary for coral survival, but many Symbiodiniaceae can also be found free-living in the environment. Since most coral species acquire new Symbiodiniaceae from the environment each generation, free-living Symbiodiniaceae represent important pools for coral symbiont acquisition. Yet, little is known about the diversity of, or impacts of disturbance on, free-living Symbiodiniaceae. To determine how chronic and pulse disturbances influence Symbiodiniaceae communities, we sampled three reef habitat compartments - sediment, water, and coral (Pocillopora grandis, Montipora aequituberculata, Porites lobata) - at sites exposed to different levels of chronic anthropogenic disturbance, before, during, and after a major storm. Almost no (4%) Symbiodiniaceae amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were found in all three compartments, and over half were found uniquely in coral. Sites experiencing chronic disturbance were typically associated with higher symbiont beta diversity (i.e., variability and turnover) across reef habitat compartments. Pulse stress, from the storm, exhibited some influence on symbiont beta diversity but the effect was inconsistent. This suggests that in this ecosystem, the effects of chronic disturbance are more prominent than temporal variability during a pulse disturbance for shaping symbiont communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle C Claar
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 2Y2, Canada. .,University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fisheries Science, 1122 NE Boat St, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
| | - Kristina L Tietjen
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Kieran D Cox
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 2Y2, Canada.,Hakai Institute, Calvert Island, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ruth D Gates
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, Kaneohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - Julia K Baum
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 2Y2, Canada. .,Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, Kaneohe, HI, 96744, USA.
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12
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Transgenerational inheritance of shuffled symbiont communities in the coral Montipora digitata. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13328. [PMID: 31527788 PMCID: PMC6746730 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50045-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult organisms may "prime" their offspring for environmental change through a number of genetic and non-genetic mechanisms, termed parental effects. Some coral species may shuffle the proportions of Symbiodiniaceae within their endosymbiotic communities, subsequently altering their thermal tolerance, but it is unclear if shuffled communities are transferred to offspring. We evaluated Symbiodiniaceae community composition in tagged colonies of Montipora digitata over two successive annual spawning seasons and the 2016 bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef. ITS2 amplicon sequencing was applied to four families (four maternal colonies and 10-12 eggs per family) previously sampled and sequenced the year before to characterize shuffling potential in these M. digitata colonies and determine if shuffled abundances were preserved in gametes. Symbiont densities and photochemical efficiencies differed significantly among adults in 2016, suggesting differential responses to increased temperatures. Low-abundance ("background") sequence variants differed more among years than between maternal colonies and offspring. Results indicate that shuffling can occur in a canonically 'stable' symbiosis, and that the shuffled community is heritable. Hence, acclimatory changes like shuffling of the Symbiodiniaceae community are not limited to the lifetime of an adult coral and that shuffled communities are inherited across generations in a species with vertical symbiont transmission. Although previously hypothesized, to our knowledge, this is the first evidence that shuffled Symbiodiniaceae communities (at both the inter- and intra- genera level) can be inherited by offspring and supports the hypothesis that shuffling in microbial communities may serve as a mechanism of rapid coral acclimation to changing environmental conditions.
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13
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Gong S, Xu L, Yu K, Zhang F, Li Z. Differences in Symbiodiniaceae communities and photosynthesis following thermal bleaching of massive corals in the northern part of the South China Sea. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 144:196-204. [PMID: 31179988 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.04.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Although many achievements have been made in studies on the relationship between Symbiodiniaceae and coral bleaching, there is little information on the responses of Symbiodiniaceae to coral thermal bleaching in the South China Sea (SCS). In this study, Symbiodiniaceae communities and the effective quantum yield (ФPSII) of healthy and bleached massive corals from the SCS were compared. The results indicated that the Symbiodiniaceae communities and ФPSII values showed coral bleaching-dependent variations. Specifically, the relative abundances of the rare putatively thermally tolerant Durusdinium sp. (D1) and the Symbiochlorum hainanensis increased significantly in the bleached corals. In addition, bleached Porites lutea was mainly associated with the putatively thermally tolerant Cladocopium sp. (C15 and C91) and exhibited the highest ФPSII value compared with other bleached corals. These results highlight that the rare putatively thermally tolerant algae and coral species-specific algae may be important for understanding thermal bleaching of corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanqiang Gong
- Marine Biotechnology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lijia Xu
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Fengli Zhang
- Marine Biotechnology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Zhiyong Li
- Marine Biotechnology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism and School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China.
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14
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Kenkel CD, Bay LK. Exploring mechanisms that affect coral cooperation: symbiont transmission mode, cell density and community composition. PeerJ 2018; 6:e6047. [PMID: 30533318 PMCID: PMC6282938 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The coral symbiosis is the linchpin of the reef ecosystem, yet the mechanisms that promote and maintain cooperation between hosts and symbionts have not been fully resolved. We used a phylogenetically controlled design to investigate the role of vertical symbiont transmission, an evolutionary mechanism in which symbionts are inherited directly from parents, predicted to enhance cooperation and holobiont fitness. Six species of coral, three vertical transmitters and their closest horizontally transmitting relatives, which exhibit environmental acquisition of symbionts, were fragmented and subjected to a 2-week thermal stress experiment. Symbiont cell density, photosynthetic function and translocation of photosynthetically fixed carbon between symbionts and hosts were quantified to assess changes in physiological performance and cooperation. All species exhibited similar decreases in symbiont cell density and net photosynthesis in response to elevated temperature, consistent with the onset of bleaching. Yet baseline cooperation, or translocation of photosynthate, in ambient conditions and the reduction in cooperation in response to elevated temperature differed among species. Although Porites lobata and Galaxea acrhelia did exhibit the highest levels of baseline cooperation, we did not observe universally higher levels of cooperation in vertically transmitting species. Post hoc sequencing of the Symbiodinium ITS-2 locus was used to investigate the potential role of differences in symbiont community composition. Interestingly, reductions in cooperation at the onset of bleaching tended to be associated with increased symbiont community diversity among coral species. The theoretical benefits of evolving vertical transmission are based on the underlying assumption that the host-symbiont relationship becomes genetically uniform, thereby reducing competition among symbionts. Taken together, our results suggest that it may not be vertical transmission per se that influences host-symbiont cooperation, but genetic uniformity of the symbiont community, although additional work is needed to test this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly D. Kenkel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Line K. Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
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15
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Pollock FJ, McMinds R, Smith S, Bourne DG, Willis BL, Medina M, Thurber RV, Zaneveld JR. Coral-associated bacteria demonstrate phylosymbiosis and cophylogeny. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4921. [PMID: 30467310 PMCID: PMC6250698 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07275-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Scleractinian corals’ microbial symbionts influence host health, yet how coral microbiomes assembled over evolution is not well understood. We survey bacterial and archaeal communities in phylogenetically diverse Australian corals representing more than 425 million years of diversification. We show that coral microbiomes are anatomically compartmentalized in both modern microbial ecology and evolutionary assembly. Coral mucus, tissue, and skeleton microbiomes differ in microbial community composition, richness, and response to host vs. environmental drivers. We also find evidence of coral-microbe phylosymbiosis, in which coral microbiome composition and richness reflect coral phylogeny. Surprisingly, the coral skeleton represents the most biodiverse coral microbiome, and also shows the strongest evidence of phylosymbiosis. Interactions between bacterial and coral phylogeny significantly influence the abundance of four groups of bacteria–including Endozoicomonas-like bacteria, which divide into host-generalist and host-specific subclades. Together these results trace microbial symbiosis across anatomy during the evolution of a basal animal lineage. Associations between corals and symbiotic microorganisms could be driven by the environment or shared evolutionary history. Here, the authors examine relationships between coral phylogenies and associated microbiomes, finding evidence of phylosymbiosis in microbes from coral skeleton and tissue, but not mucus.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Joseph Pollock
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, 208 Mueller Lab, University Park, State College, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Ryan McMinds
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, 226 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Styles Smith
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, 208 Mueller Lab, University Park, State College, PA, 16802, USA
| | - David G Bourne
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, 4810, Australia
| | - Bette L Willis
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Mónica Medina
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, 208 Mueller Lab, University Park, State College, PA, 16802, USA.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Smithsonian Institution, 9100 Panama City PL, Washington, DC, 20521, USA
| | - Rebecca Vega Thurber
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, 226 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Jesse R Zaneveld
- Division of Biological Sciences, Bothell, School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, University of Washington, UWBB-277, Bothell, WA, 98011, USA.
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16
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Ziegler M, Stone E, Colman D, Takacs-Vesbach C, Shepherd U. Patterns of Symbiodinium (Dinophyceae) diversity and assemblages among diverse hosts and the coral reef environment of Lizard Island, Australia. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2018; 54:447-460. [PMID: 29696650 PMCID: PMC6105428 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.12749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Large-scale environmental disturbances may impact both partners in coral host-Symbiodinium systems. Elucidation of the assembly patterns in such complex and interdependent communities may enable better prediction of environmental impacts across coral reef ecosystems. In this study, we investigated how the community composition and diversity of dinoflagellate symbionts in the genus Symbiodinium were distributed among 12 host species from six taxonomic orders (Actinaria, Alcyonacea, Miliolida, Porifera, Rhizostoma, Scleractinia) and in the reef water and sediments at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef before the 3rd Global Coral Bleaching Event. 454 pyrosequencing of the ITS2 region of Symbiodinium yielded 83 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at a 97% similarity cut-off. Approximately half of the Symbiodinium OTUs from reef water or sediments were also present in symbio. OTUs belonged to six clades (A-D, F-G), but community structure was uneven. The two most abundant OTUs (100% matches to types C1 and A3) comprised 91% of reads and OTU C1 was shared by all species. However, sequence-based analysis of these dominant OTUs revealed host species specificity, suggesting that genetic similarity cut-offs of Symbiodinium ITS2 data sets need careful evaluation. Of the less abundant OTUs, roughly half occurred at only one site or in one species and the background Symbiodinium communities were distinct between individual samples. We conclude that sampling multiple host taxa with differing life history traits will be critical to fully understand the symbiont diversity of a given system and to predict coral ecosystem responses to environmental change and disturbance considering the differential stress response of the taxa within.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maren Ziegler
- Author for correspondence: Maren Ziegler, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Building 2, Office 2227, 3955-6900 Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, Tel.: +966 12 808 2446,
| | - Elizabeth Stone
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Castetter Hall, MSC03-2020 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
| | - Daniel Colman
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Castetter Hall, MSC03-2020 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
| | - Cristina Takacs-Vesbach
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Castetter Hall, MSC03-2020 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
| | - Ursula Shepherd
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Castetter Hall, MSC03-2020 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA; Honors College, University of New Mexico, Student Health Center Building, MSCO6-3890 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA
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17
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Baumann JH, Davies SW, Aichelman HE, Castillo KD. Coral Symbiodinium Community Composition Across the Belize Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System is Influenced by Host Species and Thermal Variability. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2018; 75:903-915. [PMID: 29098358 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-017-1096-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Reef-building corals maintain a symbiotic relationship with dinoflagellate algae of the genus Symbiodinium, and this symbiosis is vital for the survival of the coral holobiont. Symbiodinium community composition within the coral host has been shown to influence a coral's ability to resist and recover from stress. A multitude of stressors including ocean warming, ocean acidification, and eutrophication have been linked to global scale decline in coral health and cover in recent decades. Three distinct thermal regimes (highTP, modTP, and lowTP) following an inshore-offshore gradient of declining average temperatures and thermal variation were identified on the Belize Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS). Quantitative metabarcoding of the ITS-2 locus was employed to investigate differences and similarities in Symbiodinium genetic diversity of the Caribbean corals Siderastrea siderea, S. radians, and Pseudodiploria strigosa between the three thermal regimes. A total of ten Symbiodinium lineages were identified across the three coral host species. S. siderea was associated with distinct Symbiodinium communities; however, Symbiodinium communities of its congener, S. radians and P. strigosa, were more similar to one another. Thermal regime played a role in defining Symbiodinium communities in S. siderea but not S. radians or P. strigosa. Against expectations, Symbiodinium trenchii, a symbiont known to confer thermal tolerance, was dominant only in S. siderea at one sampled offshore site and was rare inshore, suggesting that coral thermal tolerance in more thermally variable inshore habitats is achieved through alternative mechanisms. Overall, thermal parameters alone were likely not the only primary drivers of Symbiodinium community composition, suggesting that environmental variables unrelated to temperature (i.e., light availability or nutrients) may play key roles in structuring coral-algal communities in Belize and that the relative importance of these environmental variables may vary by coral host species.
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Affiliation(s)
- J H Baumann
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3300, USA.
| | - S W Davies
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3300, USA
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - H E Aichelman
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3300, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, 302 Miles Godwin building, Norfolk, VA, 23529, USA
| | - K D Castillo
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3300, USA
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18
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Quigley KM, Warner PA, Bay LK, Willis BL. Unexpected mixed-mode transmission and moderate genetic regulation of Symbiodinium communities in a brooding coral. Heredity (Edinb) 2018; 121:524-536. [PMID: 29453423 PMCID: PMC6221883 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-018-0059-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2017] [Revised: 12/25/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Determining the extent to which Symbiodinium communities in corals are inherited versus environmentally acquired is fundamental to understanding coral resilience and to predicting coral responses to stressors like warming oceans that disrupt this critical endosymbiosis. We examined the fidelity with which Symbiodinium communities in the brooding coral Seriatopora hystrix are vertically transmitted and the extent to which communities are genetically regulated, by genotyping the symbiont communities within 60 larvae and their parents (9 maternal and 45 paternal colonies) using high-throughput sequencing of the ITS2 locus. Unexpectedly, Symbiodinium communities associated with brooded larvae were distinct from those within parent colonies, including the presence of types not detected in adults. Bayesian heritability (h2) analysis revealed that 33% of variability in larval Symbiodinium communities was genetically controlled. Results highlight flexibility in the establishment of larval symbiont communities and demonstrate that symbiont transmission is not exclusively vertical in brooding corals. Instead, we show that Symbiodinium transmission in S. hystrix involves a mixed-mode strategy, similar to many terrestrial invertebrate symbioses. Also, variation in the abundances of common Symbiodinium types among adult corals suggests that microhabitat differences influence the structure of in hospite Symbiodinium communities. Partial genetic regulation coupled with flexibility in the environmentally acquired component of Symbiodinium communities implies that corals with vertical transmission, like S. hystrix, may be more resilient to environmental change than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate M Quigley
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia. .,AIMS@JCU, Australian Institute of Marine Science and James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
| | - Patricia A Warner
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.,AIMS@JCU, Australian Institute of Marine Science and James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Line K Bay
- AIMS@JCU, Australian Institute of Marine Science and James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB3, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Bette L Willis
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.,AIMS@JCU, Australian Institute of Marine Science and James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
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19
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Bonthond G, Merselis DG, Dougan KE, Graff T, Todd W, Fourqurean JW, Rodriguez-Lanetty M. Inter-domain microbial diversity within the coral holobiont Siderastrea siderea from two depth habitats. PeerJ 2018; 6:e4323. [PMID: 29441234 PMCID: PMC5808317 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Corals host diverse microbial communities that are involved in acclimatization, pathogen defense, and nutrient cycling. Surveys of coral-associated microbes have been particularly directed toward Symbiodinium and bacteria. However, a holistic understanding of the total microbiome has been hindered by a lack of analyses bridging taxonomically disparate groups. Using high-throughput amplicon sequencing, we simultaneously characterized the Symbiodinium, bacterial, and fungal communities associated with the Caribbean coral Siderastrea siderea collected from two depths (17 and 27 m) on Conch reef in the Florida Keys. S. siderea hosted an exceptionally diverse Symbiodinium community, structured differently between sampled depth habitats. While dominated at 27 m by a Symbiodinium belonging to clade C, at 17 m S. siderea primarily hosted a mixture of clade B types. Most fungal operational taxonomic units were distantly related to available reference sequences, indicating the presence of a high degree of fungal novelty within the S. siderea holobiont and a lack of knowledge on the diversity of fungi on coral reefs. Network analysis showed that co-occurrence patterns in the S. siderea holobiont were prevalent among bacteria, however, also detected between fungi and bacteria. Overall, our data show a drastic shift in the associated Symbiodinium community between depths on Conch Reef, which might indicate that alteration in this community is an important mechanism facilitating local physiological adaptation of the S. siderea holobiont. In contrast, bacterial and fungal communities were not structured differently between depth habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido Bonthond
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.,Aquatic Microbiology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel G Merselis
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Katherine E Dougan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | | | | | - James W Fourqurean
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
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20
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21
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Kennedy EV, Tonk L, Foster NL, Chollett I, Ortiz JC, Dove S, Hoegh-Guldberg O, Mumby PJ, Stevens JR. Symbiodinium biogeography tracks environmental patterns rather than host genetics in a key Caribbean reef-builder, Orbicella annularis. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 283:rspb.2016.1938. [PMID: 27807263 PMCID: PMC5124097 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.1938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 10/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The physiological performance of a reef-building coral is a combined outcome of both the coral host and its algal endosymbionts, Symbiodinium. While Orbicella annularis—a dominant reef-building coral in the Wider Caribbean—is known to be a flexible host in terms of the diversity of Symbiodinium types it can associate with, it is uncertain how this diversity varies across the Caribbean, and whether spatial variability in the symbiont community is related to either O. annularis genotype or environment. Here, we target the Symbiodinium-ITS2 gene to characterize and map dominant Symbiodinium hosted by O. annularis at an unprecedented spatial scale. We reveal northwest–southeast partitioning across the Caribbean, both in terms of the dominant symbiont taxa hosted and in assemblage diversity. Multivariate regression analyses incorporating a suite of environmental and genetic factors reveal that observed spatial patterns are predominantly explained by chronic thermal stress (summer temperatures) and are unrelated to host genotype. Furthermore, we were able to associate the presence of specific Symbiodinium types with local environmental drivers (for example, Symbiodinium C7 with areas experiencing cooler summers, B1j with nutrient loading and B17 with turbidity), associations that have not previously been described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma V Kennedy
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK .,Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, 4111 Queensland, Australia
| | - Linda Tonk
- Coral Reef Ecosystems Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072 Queensland, Australia
| | - Nicola L Foster
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK.,School of Marine Science and Engineering, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Iliana Chollett
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Smithsonian Institution, Fort Pierce, FL 34949, USA
| | - Juan-Carlos Ortiz
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072 Queensland, Australia
| | - Sophie Dove
- Coral Reef Ecosystems Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072 Queensland, Australia
| | - Ove Hoegh-Guldberg
- Coral Reef Ecosystems Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072 Queensland, Australia
| | - Peter J Mumby
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK.,Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072 Queensland, Australia
| | - Jamie R Stevens
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
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22
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Zhou G, Cai L, Li Y, Tong H, Jiang L, Zhang Y, Lei X, Guo M, Liu S, Qian PY, Huang H. Temperature-Driven Local Acclimatization of Symbiodnium Hosted by the Coral Galaxea fascicularis at Hainan Island, China. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2487. [PMID: 29312196 PMCID: PMC5733085 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The success of coral reef ecosystems largely depends on mutualistic symbiosis between scleractinian corals and the dinoflagellate photosymbiont Symbiodinium spp. However, further investigation is needed to elucidate the flexibility of coral-algae associations in response to environmental changes. In this study, we applied a molecular method (high-throughput internal transcribed spacer 2 region of ribosomal RNA gene amplicon sequencing) to explore diversity and flexibility of Symbiodinium associated with Galaxea fascicularis, an ecologically important scleractinian coral species collected at five locations around Hainan Island, South China Sea. The results revealed a high diversity of Symbiodinium subclades with C2r and D17 being dominant in G. fascicularis. Clade D Symbiodinium occurred most frequently in habitats where the annual average sea surface temperatures are the highest, suggesting that temperature is an important factor in determining Symbiodinium D abundance in G. fascicularis. The distribution of coral-Symbiodinium associations are possibly mediated by trade-off mechanisms which change the relative abundance of Symbiodinium clades/subclades under different environmental conditions. These findings provide further evidence that reef-building corals such as G. fascicularis can shuffle their symbionts to cope with environmental changes, and have implications for our understanding of the ecology of flexible coral-algal symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guowei Zhou
- 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.,Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Lin Cai
- Shenzhen Research Institute and Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Yuanchao Li
- Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Haoya Tong
- Shenzhen Research Institute and Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Lei Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuyang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinming Lei
- 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
| | - Minglan Guo
- 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
| | - Sheng Liu
- 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
| | - Pei-Yuan Qian
- Shenzhen Research Institute and Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Hui Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
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23
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Heritability of the Symbiodinium community in vertically- and horizontally-transmitting broadcast spawning corals. Sci Rep 2017; 7:8219. [PMID: 28811517 PMCID: PMC5557748 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-08179-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The dinoflagellate-coral partnership influences the coral holobiont’s tolerance to thermal stress and bleaching. However, the comparative roles of host genetic versus environmental factors in determining the composition of this symbiosis are largely unknown. Here we quantify the heritability of the initial Symbiodinium communities for two broadcast-spawning corals with different symbiont transmission modes: Acropora tenuis has environmental acquisition, whereas Montipora digitata has maternal transmission. Using high throughput sequencing of the ITS-2 region to characterize communities in parents, juveniles and eggs, we describe previously undocumented Symbiodinium diversity and dynamics in both corals. After one month of uptake in the field, Symbiodinium communities associated with A. tenuis juveniles were dominated by A3, C1, D1, A-type CCMP828, and D1a in proportional abundances conserved between experiments in two years. M. digitata eggs were predominantly characterized by C15, D1, and A3. In contrast to current paradigms, host genetic influences accounted for a surprising 29% of phenotypic variation in Symbiodinium communities in the horizontally-transmitting A. tenuis, but only 62% in the vertically-transmitting M. digitata. Our results reveal hitherto unknown flexibility in the acquisition of Symbiodinium communities and substantial heritability in both species, providing material for selection to produce partnerships that are locally adapted to changing environmental conditions.
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24
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Cunning R, Gates RD, Edmunds PJ. Using high-throughput sequencing of ITS2 to describe Symbiodinium metacommunities in St. John, US Virgin Islands. PeerJ 2017. [PMID: 28649474 PMCID: PMC5482262 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Symbiotic microalgae (Symbiodinium spp.) strongly influence the performance and stress-tolerance of their coral hosts, making the analysis of Symbiodinium communities in corals (and metacommunities on reefs) advantageous for many aspects of coral reef research. High-throughput sequencing of ITS2 nrDNA offers unprecedented scale in describing these communities, yet high intragenomic variability at this locus complicates the resolution of biologically meaningful diversity. Here, we demonstrate that generating operational taxonomic units by clustering ITS2 sequences at 97% similarity within, but not across, samples collapses sequence diversity that is more likely to be intragenomic, while preserving diversity that is more likely interspecific. We utilize this ‘within-sample clustering’ to analyze Symbiodinium from ten host taxa on shallow reefs on the north and south shores of St. John, US Virgin Islands. While Symbiodinium communities did not differ between shores, metacommunity network analysis of host-symbiont associations revealed Symbiodinium lineages occupying ‘dominant’ and ‘background’ niches, and coral hosts that are more ‘flexible’ or ‘specific’ in their associations with Symbiodinium. These methods shed new light on important questions in coral symbiosis ecology, and demonstrate how application-specific bioinformatic pipelines can improve the analysis of metabarcoding data in microbial metacommunity studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross Cunning
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, United States of America
| | - Ruth D Gates
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, United States of America
| | - Peter J Edmunds
- Department of Biology, California State University, Northridge, CA, United States of America
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25
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Intraspecific differences in molecular stress responses and coral pathobiome contribute to mortality under bacterial challenge in Acropora millepora. Sci Rep 2017; 7:2609. [PMID: 28572677 PMCID: PMC5454005 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02685-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Disease causes significant coral mortality worldwide; however, factors responsible for intraspecific variation in disease resistance remain unclear. We exposed fragments of eight Acropora millepora colonies (genotypes) to putatively pathogenic bacteria (Vibrio spp.). Genotypes varied from zero to >90% mortality, with bacterial challenge increasing average mortality rates 4–6 fold and shifting the microbiome in favor of stress-associated taxa. Constitutive immunity and subsequent immune and transcriptomic responses to the challenge were more prominent in high-mortality individuals, whereas low-mortality corals remained largely unaffected and maintained expression signatures of a healthier condition (i.e., did not launch a large stress response). Our results suggest that lesions appeared due to changes in the coral pathobiome (multiple bacterial species associated with disease) and general health deterioration after the biotic disturbance, rather than the direct activity of any specific pathogen. If diseases in nature arise because of weaknesses in holobiont physiology, instead of the virulence of any single etiological agent, environmental stressors compromising coral condition might play a larger role in disease outbreaks than is currently thought. To facilitate the diagnosis of compromised individuals, we developed and independently cross-validated a biomarker assay to predict mortality based on genes whose expression in asymptomatic individuals coincides with mortality rates.
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26
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Symbiont community stability through severe coral bleaching in a thermally extreme lagoon. Sci Rep 2017; 7:2428. [PMID: 28546553 PMCID: PMC5445074 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01569-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are threatened by climate change as coral-algal symbioses are currently living close to their upper thermal limits. The resilience of the algal partner plays a key role in determining the thermal tolerance of the coral holobiont and therefore, understanding the acclimatory limits of present day coral-algal symbioses is fundamental to forecasting corals' responses to climate change. This study characterised the symbiont community in a highly variable and thermally extreme (Max = 37.5 °C, Min = 16.8 °C) lagoon located in the southern Persian/Arabian Gulf using next generation sequencing of ITS2 amplicons. Despite experiencing extreme temperatures, severe bleaching and many factors that would be expected to promote the presence of, or transition to clade D dominance, the symbiont communities of the lagoon remain dominated by the C3 variant, Symbiodinium thermophilum. The stability of this symbiosis across multiple genera with different means of symbiont transmission highlights the importance of Symbiodinium thermophilum for corals living at the acclimatory limits of modern day corals. Corals in this extreme environment did not undergo adaptive bleaching, suggesting they are living at the edge of their acclimatory potential and that this valuable source of thermally tolerant genotypes may be lost in the near future under climate change.
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27
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Boulotte NM, Dalton SJ, Carroll AG, Harrison PL, Putnam HM, Peplow LM, van Oppen MJ. Exploring the Symbiodinium rare biosphere provides evidence for symbiont switching in reef-building corals. ISME JOURNAL 2016; 10:2693-2701. [PMID: 27093048 PMCID: PMC5113844 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2016.54] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2015] [Revised: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Reef-building corals possess a range of acclimatisation and adaptation mechanisms to respond to seawater temperature increases. In some corals, thermal tolerance increases through community composition changes of their dinoflagellate endosymbionts (Symbiodinium spp.), but this mechanism is believed to be limited to the Symbiodinium types already present in the coral tissue acquired during early life stages. Compelling evidence for symbiont switching, that is, the acquisition of novel Symbiodinium types from the environment, by adult coral colonies, is currently lacking. Using deep sequencing analysis of Symbiodinium rDNA internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) PCR amplicons from two pocilloporid coral species, we show evidence consistent with de novo acquisition of Symbiodinium types from the environment by adult corals following two consecutive bleaching events. Most of these newly detected symbionts remained in the rare biosphere (background types occurring below 1% relative abundance), but one novel type reached a relative abundance of ~33%. Two de novo acquired Symbiodinium types belong to the thermally resistant clade D, suggesting that this switching may have been driven by consecutive thermal bleaching events. Our results are particularly important given the maternal mode of Symbiodinium transmission in the study species, which generally results in high symbiont specificity. These findings will cause a paradigm shift in our understanding of coral-Symbiodinium symbiosis flexibility and mechanisms of environmental acclimatisation in corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine M Boulotte
- National Marine Science Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia.,Marine Ecology Research Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Steven J Dalton
- National Marine Science Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia.,Marine Ecology Research Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andrew G Carroll
- Marine Ecology Research Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Peter L Harrison
- Marine Ecology Research Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Hollie M Putnam
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i, Kaneohe, HI, USA
| | - Lesa M Peplow
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville MC, Queensland, Australia
| | - Madeleine Jh van Oppen
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville MC, Queensland, Australia.,School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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28
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Cunning R, Yost DM, Guarinello ML, Putnam HM, Gates RD. Variability of Symbiodinium Communities in Waters, Sediments, and Corals of Thermally Distinct Reef Pools in American Samoa. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0145099. [PMID: 26713847 PMCID: PMC4695085 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0145099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 11/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Reef-building corals host assemblages of symbiotic algae (Symbiodinium spp.) whose diversity and abundance may fluctuate under different conditions, potentially facilitating acclimatization to environmental change. The composition of free-living Symbiodinium in reef waters and sediments may also be environmentally labile and may influence symbiotic assemblages by mediating supply and dispersal. The magnitude and spatial scales of environmental influence over Symbiodinium composition in different reef habitat compartments are, however, not well understood. We used pyrosequencing to compare Symbiodinium in sediments, water, and ten coral species between two backreef pools in American Samoa with contrasting thermal environments. We found distinct compartmental assemblages of clades A, C, D, F, and/or G Symbiodinium types, with strong differences between pools in water, sediments, and two coral species. In the pool with higher and more variable temperatures, abundance of various clade A and C types differed compared to the other pool, while abundance of D types was lower in sediments but higher in water and in Pavona venosa, revealing an altered habitat distribution and potential linkages among compartments. The lack of between-pool effects in other coral species was due to either low overall variability (in the case of Porites) or high within-pool variability. Symbiodinium communities in water and sediment also showed within-pool structure, indicating that environmental influences may operate over multiple, small spatial scales. This work suggests that Symbiodinium composition is highly labile in reef waters, sediments, and some corals, but the underlying drivers and functional consequences of this plasticity require further testing with high spatial resolution biological and environmental sampling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross Cunning
- University of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, PO Box 1346, Kāne‘ohe, Hawaii, 96744, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Denise M. Yost
- University of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, PO Box 1346, Kāne‘ohe, Hawaii, 96744, United States of America
| | - Marisa L. Guarinello
- Northwest Knowledge Network, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Dr. MS2358, Moscow, Idaho, 83844, United States of America
| | - Hollie M. Putnam
- University of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, PO Box 1346, Kāne‘ohe, Hawaii, 96744, United States of America
| | - Ruth D. Gates
- University of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, PO Box 1346, Kāne‘ohe, Hawaii, 96744, United States of America
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29
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Silva-Lima AW, Walter JM, Garcia GD, Ramires N, Ank G, Meirelles PM, Nobrega AF, Siva-Neto ID, Moura RL, Salomon PS, Thompson CC, Thompson FL. Multiple Symbiodinium Strains Are Hosted by the Brazilian Endemic Corals Mussismilia spp. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2015; 70:301-310. [PMID: 25666537 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-015-0573-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2014] [Accepted: 01/21/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Corals of genus Mussismilia (Mussidae) are one of the oldest extant clades of scleractinians. These Neogene relicts are endemic to the Brazilian coast and represent the main reef-building corals in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean (SAO). The relatively low-diversity/high-endemism SAO coralline systems are under rapid decline from emerging diseases and other local and global stressors, but have not been severely affected by coral bleaching. Despite the biogeographic significance and importance for understanding coral resilience, there is scant information about the diversity of Symbiodinium in this ocean basin. In this study, we established the first culture collections of Symbiodinium from Mussismilia hosts, comprising 11 isolates, four of them obtained by fluorescent-activated cell sorting (FACS). We also analyzed Symbiodinium diversity directly from Mussismilia tissue samples (N = 16) and characterized taxonomically the cultures and tissue samples by sequencing the dominant ITS2 region. Symbiodinium strains A4, B19, and C3 were detected. Symbiodinium C3 was predominant in the larger SAO reef system (Abrolhos), while Symbiodinium B19 was found only in deep samples from the oceanic Trindade Island. Symbiodinium strains A4 and C3 isolates were recovered from the same Mussismilia braziliensis coral colony. In face of increasing threats, these results indicate that Symbiodinium community dynamics shall have an important contribution for the resilience of Mussismilia spp. corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur W Silva-Lima
- Laboratório de Microbiologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Av. Carlos Chagas Fo. S/N - CCS - IB - Lab de Microbiologia - BLOCO A (Anexo) A3 - sl 102, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, 21941-599
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30
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Parkinson JE, Baums IB. The extended phenotypes of marine symbioses: ecological and evolutionary consequences of intraspecific genetic diversity in coral-algal associations. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:445. [PMID: 25202306 PMCID: PMC4142987 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2014] [Accepted: 08/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Reef-building corals owe much of their success to a symbiosis with dinoflagellate microalgae in the genus Symbiodinium. In this association, the performance of each organism is tied to that of its partner, and together the partners form a holobiont that can be subject to selection. Climate change affects coral reefs, which are declining globally as a result. Yet the extent to which coral holobionts will be able to acclimate or evolve to handle climate change and other stressors remains unclear. Selection acts on individuals and evidence from terrestrial systems demonstrates that intraspecific genetic diversity plays a significant role in symbiosis ecology and evolution. However, we have a limited understanding of the effects of such diversity in corals. As molecular methods have advanced, so too has our recognition of the taxonomic and functional diversity of holobiont partners. Resolving the major components of the holobiont to the level of the individual will help us assess the importance of intraspecific diversity and partner interactions in coral-algal symbioses. Here, we hypothesize that unique combinations of coral and algal individuals yield functional diversity that affects not only the ecology and evolution of the coral holobiont, but associated communities as well. Our synthesis is derived from reviewing existing evidence and presenting novel data. By incorporating the effects of holobiont extended phenotypes into predictive models, we may refine our understanding of the evolutionary trajectory of corals and reef communities responding to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Iliana B. Baums
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University ParkPA, USA
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31
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Arif C, Daniels C, Bayer T, Banguera-Hinestroza E, Barbrook A, Howe CJ, LaJeunesse TC, Voolstra CR. Assessing Symbiodinium diversity in scleractinian corals via next-generation sequencing-based genotyping of the ITS2 rDNA region. Mol Ecol 2014; 23:4418-33. [PMID: 25052021 PMCID: PMC4285332 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2014] [Revised: 07/17/2014] [Accepted: 07/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The persistence of coral reef ecosystems relies on the symbiotic relationship between scleractinian corals and intracellular, photosynthetic dinoflagellates in the genus Symbiodinium. Genetic evidence indicates that these symbionts are biologically diverse and exhibit discrete patterns of environmental and host distribution. This makes the assessment of Symbiodinium diversity critical to understanding the symbiosis ecology of corals. Here, we applied pyrosequencing to the elucidation of Symbiodinium diversity via analysis of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region, a multicopy genetic marker commonly used to analyse Symbiodinium diversity. Replicated data generated from isoclonal Symbiodinium cultures showed that all genomes contained numerous, yet mostly rare, ITS2 sequence variants. Pyrosequencing data were consistent with more traditional denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) approaches to the screening of ITS2 PCR amplifications, where the most common sequences appeared as the most intense bands. Further, we developed an operational taxonomic unit (OTU)-based pipeline for Symbiodinium ITS2 diversity typing to provisionally resolve ecologically discrete entities from intragenomic variation. A genetic distance cut-off of 0.03 collapsed intragenomic ITS2 variants of isoclonal cultures into single OTUs. When applied to the analysis of field-collected coral samples, our analyses confirm that much of the commonly observed SymbiodiniumITS2 diversity can be attributed to intragenomic variation. We conclude that by analysing Symbiodinium populations in an OTU-based framework, we can improve objectivity, comparability and simplicity when assessing ITS2 diversity in field-based studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chatchanit Arif
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 23955, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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