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Sasaki S, Mori T, Enomoto H, Nakamura S, Yokota H, Yamashita H, Goto-Inoue N. Assessing Molecular Localization of Symbiont Microalgae in Coral Branches Through Mass Spectrometry Imaging. Mar Biotechnol (NY) 2024; 26:223-229. [PMID: 38345665 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-024-10294-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Reef-building corals are a fundamental pillar of coral reef ecosystems in tropical and subtropical shallow environments. Corals harbor symbiotic dinoflagellates belonging to the family Symbiodiniaceae, commonly known as zooxanthellae. Extensive research has been conducted on this symbiotic relationship, yet the fundamental information about the distribution and localization of Symbiodiniaceae cells in corals is still limited. This information is crucial to understanding the mechanism underlying the metabolite exchange between corals and their algal symbionts, as well as the metabolic flow within holobionts. To examine the distribution of Symbiodiniaceae cells within corals, in this study, we used fluorescence imaging and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MS-Imaging) on branches of the Acropora tenuis coral. We successfully prepared frozen sections of the coral for molecular imaging without fixing or decalcifying the coral branches. By combining the results of MS-Imaging with that of the fluorescence imaging, we determined that the algal Symbiodiniaceae symbionts were not only localized in the tentacle and surface region of the coral branches but also inhabited the in inner parts. Therefore, the molecular imaging technique used in this study could be valuable to further investigate the molecular dynamics between corals and their symbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shudai Sasaki
- Department of Marine Science and Resources, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, 1866 Kameino, , Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 252-0880, Japan
| | - Tsukasa Mori
- Department of Marine Science and Resources, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, 1866 Kameino, , Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 252-0880, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Enomoto
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Teikyo University, 1-1 Toyosatodai, Utsunomiya-Shi, Tochigi, 320-8551, Japan
| | - Sakiko Nakamura
- Image Processing Research Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics, Wako, Japan
| | - Hideo Yokota
- Image Processing Research Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics, Wako, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Yamashita
- Fisheries Technology Institute, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, 148 Fukai-Ohta, Ishigaki, Okinawa, 907-0451, Japan
| | - Naoko Goto-Inoue
- Department of Marine Science and Resources, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, 1866 Kameino, , Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 252-0880, Japan.
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