Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Arne A. S. Adam, Luke Thomas, Jim Underwood, James Gilmour, Zoe T. Richards
Summary: Anthropogenic climate change has caused widespread loss of species biodiversity and ecosystem productivity, particularly on tropical coral reefs. This study explores patterns of genetic offset in the reef-building coral Acropora digitifera across Western Australia using population genetic and seascape analyses. The findings reveal restricted gene flow and limited genetic connectivity among geographically distant reef systems, as well as loci strongly associated with regional temperature variation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Benjamin M. M. Mason, Mitsumasa Koyanagi, Tomohiro Sugihara, Makoto Iwasaki, Vladlen Slepak, David J. J. Miller, Yusuke Sakai, Akihisa Terakita
Summary: We identified six opsins from a coral species, including three novel opsins. We characterized the properties of four of these opsins and found that opsins 1 and 6 can activate Gs-type G protein in a light-dependent manner, with maximum sensitivities at 472 nm and 476 nm, respectively. Opsin 4 can induce intracellular Ca2+ increases through light-dependency. Our findings reveal that corals possess multiple opsins that regulate light-dependent signaling through different cascades.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Diane L. Brinkman, Florita Flores, Heidi M. Luter, F. Mikaela Nordborg, Maxime Brooks, Thomas F. Parkerton, Andrew P. Negri
Summary: The risks posed by petroleum spills to coral reefs are not well understood. This study aims to quantify the toxicity thresholds of aromatic hydrocarbons to reef-building corals. The results show that Acropora millepora is more sensitive to aromatic hydrocarbons compared to other corals and aquatic taxa.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jia-Ho Shiu, Che-Hung Lin, Aziz Jabir Mulla, Viet Do Hung Dang, Chia-Ling Fong, Yoko Nozawa
Summary: The study found that both ex situ and in situ environments have significant impacts on the bacterial communities of coral offspring, while the bacterial composition in maternal colonies is less influenced by environmental changes. Dominant bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) varied between in situ and ex situ environments in the eggs of Dipsastraea speciosa. For Heliopora coerulea samples, the composition of bacterial communities among larvae was more diverse in in situ environments.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jane Xu, Oliver Mead, Aurelie Moya, Cuneyt Caglar, David J. J. Miller, Marcin Adamski, Maja Adamska
Summary: Branching scleractinian corals are niche-constructing organisms with the ability to regenerate quickly. This study identified genes involved in the regeneration process and found similarity to genes involved in wound healing and regeneration in other species. Comparing results from different experimental conditions demonstrated the feasibility of using corals as experimental models in fundamental biology research.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Florita Flores, Joseane A. Marques, Sven Uthicke, Rebecca Fisher, Frances Patel, Sarit Kaserzon, Andrew P. Negri
Summary: This study found that the Great Barrier Reef is negatively impacted by the combined effects of the contaminant diuron and climate change, particularly affecting the physiological responses of corals, with photosynthesis being significantly affected. It suggests that water quality guideline values may need to be adjusted as climate conditions change.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
K. Petrou, B. L. Nunn, M. P. Padula, D. J. Miller, D. A. Nielsen
Summary: Coral reefs are threatened by warming oceans, with severe coral bleaching events recorded. Research on the proteome of coral host and symbiont under elevated temperature revealed significant changes in proteins related to oxidative stress, photosynthesis, and nutrient exchange, highlighting key differences between the two entities.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Astrid M. Perez, Jacob A. Wolfe, Janse T. Schermerhorn, Yiwen Qian, Bekim A. Cela, Cody R. Kalinowski, Garrett E. Largoza, Peter A. Fields, Gabriel S. Brandt
Summary: This study found that the thermal stability of a critical metabolic enzyme in the stony coral Acropora millepora significantly increases in the presence of its cofactor NAD(+). The determination of the complex structure revealed variable NAD(+) occupancy across the tetrameric enzyme, with regions of difference identified that may account for the increased thermal stability.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Brett M. Lewis, David S. Suggett, Peter J. Prentis, Luke D. Nothdurft
Summary: This study establishes an attachment model for Acropora millepora coral and provides insights into the key steps of asexual propagation. The model allows for evaluating attachment effectiveness, optimizing species-substrate compatibility, and achieving successful coral outplanting.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michael Sweet, Mark Bulling, Dorsa Varshavi, Gavin R. Lloyd, Andris Jankevics, Lukas Najdekr, Ralf J. M. Weber, Mark R. Viant, Jamie Craggs
Summary: Coral reefs are facing unprecedented declines in health globally, prompting suggestions for human-assisted evolution or gene flow to restore reefs effectively. Research on coral metabolomes, especially on Scleractinian corals, is limited, highlighting the need for further exploration of metabolic responses to climate change.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Masaya Morita, Seiya Kitanobo, Shun Ohki, Kogiku Shiba, Kazuo Inaba
Summary: The study identified genes that play important roles in fertilization in reef-building corals. These genes have undergone rapid molecular evolution and contribute to species boundaries in corals.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Thomas W. Davies, Oren Levy, Svenja Tidau, Laura Fernandes de Barros Marangoni, Joerg Wiedenmann, Cecilia D'Angelo, Tim Smyth
Summary: Coral broadcast spawning events are crucial for coral reef maintenance and recovery, but artificial light at night disrupts the natural light:dark cycles that synchronize spawning. Analysis of a global dataset shows that light-polluted corals spawn closer to the full moon by 1-3 days compared to those in unlit reefs. This alters the timing of mass spawning, potentially reducing fertilization and survival rates, and hindering reef ecosystem resilience.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Gerard Ricardo, Hugo Kiff, Florita Flores
Summary: High post-settlement mortality is a major limiting factor for coral reef population recovery, but newly settled corals have been observed to exhibit robust regeneration following physical damage. Despite potential damage from physical interactions during recruitment, coral recruits show resilience to damage and can survive in dynamic habitats.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dana E. Williams, Allan J. Bright, Olivia M. Williamson, Amelia Moura, Mark C. Ladd
Summary: This article provides the first reports of spawning activity by outplanted Acropora palmata colonies on reefs in Florida, USA. The observation of light spawning from A. palmata colonies in 2021 and 2022 indicates that restoration efforts for A. palmata may be close to achieving self-sustaining populations that can produce viable larvae. The gametes collected from the outplanted colonies yielded high fertilization rates and viable larvae, suggesting the potential for an increase in the population's genotypic diversity upon successful recruitment to the reef.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
B. Mason, I Cooke, A. Moya, R. Augustin, M-F Lin, N. Satoh, T. C. G. Bosch, D. G. Bourne, D. C. Hayward, N. Andrade, S. Foret, H. Ying, E. E. Ball, D. J. Miller
Summary: A candidate antimicrobial peptide, AmAMP1, was identified in coral Acropora millepora, showing activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. This peptide belongs to a family of AMPs found in corals and their close relatives, with a conserved arrangement of six cysteine residues in the C-terminal mature peptide. AmAMP1 is expressed in ectodermal cells during late stages of coral development, sharing a Cys motif with sea anemone Shk neuropeptides.
DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Rein Brys, David Halfmaerten, Sabrina Neyrinck, Quentin Mauvisseau, Johan Auwerx, Michael Sweet, Joachim Mergeay
Summary: The European weather loach faces dramatic population declines and regional extinction, prompting the development of new eDNA methods for accurate monitoring. The study identified 12 sites with relatively dense populations and 31 sites with weaker positive signals. By combining DNA quantity estimates and field sampling, it was concluded that weak positive sites likely still harbor the species.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Erika P. Santoro, Ricardo M. Borges, Josh L. Espinoza, Marcelo Freire, Camila S. M. A. Messias, Helena D. M. Villela, Leandro M. Pereira, Caren L. S. Vilela, Joao G. Rosado, Pedro M. Cardoso, Phillipe M. Rosado, Juliana M. Assis, Gustavo A. S. Duarte, Gabriela Perna, Alexandre S. Rosado, Andrew Macrae, Christopher L. Dupont, Karen E. Nelson, Michael J. Sweet, Christian R. Voolstra, Raquel S. Peixoto
Summary: The study demonstrates that Beneficial microorganisms for corals (BMCs) can protect corals from environmental stress, reduce mortality rates, and mitigate coral bleaching and mortality by inducing genetic and metabolic rearrangements in the coral host.
Article
Microbiology
Michael Sweet, Helena Villela, Tina Keller-Costa, Rodrigo Costa, Stefano Romano, David G. Bourne, Anny Cardenas, Megan J. Huggett, Allison H. Kerwin, Felicity Kuek, Monica Medina, Julie L. Meyer, Moritz Muller, F. Joseph Pollock, Michael S. Rappe, Mathieu Sere, Koty H. Sharp, Christian R. Voolstra, Nathan Zaccardi, Maren Ziegler, Raquel Peixoto
Summary: Our study provides a comprehensive overview of the diversity and function of culturable bacteria isolated from corals across various habitats. Comparative genomic analysis uncovered potential signatures of beneficial bacterium-coral symbioses, with over 400 biosynthetic gene clusters identified. Novel genomic features potentially involved in host interactions were also discovered, suggesting new targets for coral probiotics.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Christian R. Voolstra, Kate M. Quigley, Sarah W. Davies, John Everett Parkinson, Raquel S. Peixoto, Manuel Aranda, Andrew C. Baker, Adam R. Barno, Daniel J. Barshis, Francesca Benzoni, Victor Bonito, David G. Bourne, Carol Buitrago-Lopez, Tom C. L. Bridge, Cheong Xin Chan, David J. Combosch, Jamie Craggs, Joerg C. Frommlet, Santiago Herrera, Andrea M. Quattrini, Till Roethig, James D. Reimer, Esther Rubio-Portillo, David J. Suggett, Helena Villela, Maren Ziegler, Michael Sweet
Summary: Coral research is transitioning to the genomic era, where effective pairing of high-quality genomes with taxonomic characterizations and ecological relevance is needed. Lack of a formal framework calls for consensus guidelines to reconcile different types of data, especially for the metaorganism nature of the coral holobiont. While exhaustive taxonomic characterization of all coral holobiont member species is currently not feasible, guidelines on minimal, recommended, and ideal-case descriptions will aid in future referencing and comparative studies.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Alfred Burian, Daisy Pinn, Ignacio Peralta-Maraver, Michael Sweet, Quentin Mauvisseau, Ozge Eyice, Mark Bulling, Till Roethig, Pavel Kratina
Summary: Experimental manipulation of protozoan predation pressure in activated sludge communities had strong and positive effects on bacterial diversity components, with responses leveling off at higher predation pressure levels. While predator intensity positively impacted taxa richness, predator diversity had mixed effects on bacterial diversity. Reduction in top-down control by predators negatively affected taxa associated with treatment efficiency, particularly nitrogen removal. The study highlights distinct mechanisms linking protozoan predation with bacterial diversity and community composition in activated sludge communities.
Article
Ecology
Robin Elahi, Peter J. Edmunds, Ruth D. Gates, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Brian B. Barnes, Iliana Chollett, Travis A. Courtney, James R. Guest, Elizabeth A. Lenz, Lauren T. Toth, T. Shay Viehman, Ivor D. Williams
Summary: Identifying intact areas within ecosystems and understanding the factors influencing their existence is crucial for effective management. This study analyzed a large dataset from the United States and U.S. Territories to identify factors associated with coral oases. The results showed that light attenuation was a key factor for oasis occurrence, while the impact of other environmental predictors varied with the scale of observation. Human population density and sea-surface temperature variability also influenced oasis occurrence. The model developed in this study can help prioritize reef areas for conservation and inform management strategies.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Liam Lachs, Fiona Chong, Maria Beger, Holly K. East, James R. Guest, Brigitte Sommer
Summary: Size is a biological characteristic that affects ecological processes and interactions. Methods to measure size from images vary from manual to automated approaches. This study presents SizeExtractR, an open-source workflow that enables fast extraction of size metrics from images using semi-automated protocols.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Raquel S. Peixoto, Christian R. Voolstra, Michael Sweet, Carlos M. Duarte, Susana Carvalhol, Helena Villela, Jeantine E. Lunshof, Lone Gram, Douglas C. Woodhams, Jens Walter, Anna Roik, Ute Hentschel, Rebecca Vega Thurber, Brendan Daisley, Blake Ushijima, Daniele Daffonchio, Rodrigo Costa, Tina Keller-Costa, Jeff S. Bowman, Alexandre S. Rosado, Gregor Reid, Christopher E. Mason, Jenifer B. Walker, Torsten Thomas, Gabriele Berg
Summary: Global biodiversity loss and mass extinction of species have become crucial environmental issues, leading to disruptions in various ecosystems and human health. Microbiome-targeted interventions, such as probiotics and microbiome transplants, are emerging as potential options to reverse biodiversity deterioration and enhance wildlife and ecosystem resilience. However, implementation of these interventions is urgently needed. This article summarizes concepts, challenges, and ethical aspects of microbiome stewardship, which involves managing ecosystem resources responsibly to restore organisms and ecosystem functions. A framework guiding the application of environmental and wildlife probiotics is proposed, with consideration of risks versus the consequences of inaction. Careful and responsible microbiome management is critical to counteract biodiversity loss, but practical and regulatory obstacles must be addressed to maximize its effectiveness.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Jie Li, Yiyang Zou, Jian Yang, Qiqi Li, David G. Bourne, Michael Sweet, Cong Liu, Anjie Guo, Si Zhang
Summary: Improving the availability of representative isolates from the coral microbiome is essential for investigating symbiotic mechanisms and applying beneficial microorganisms to improve coral health. In this study, a total of 395 bacterial strains were isolated from the coral Pocillopora damicornis, with most of them representing potential novel species or genera. Genomic information derived from the isolates identified putative metabolic functions and various genes associated with establishing association with the coral host. This work expands on the existing culture collection of coral-associated bacteria and provides important information on the metabolic potential of these isolates.
Review
Microbiology
Giulia Puntin, Michael Sweet, Sebastian Fraune, Monica Medina, Koty Sharp, Virginia M. Weis, Maren Ziegler
Summary: Stony corals form the foundation of coral reefs, which are significant ecosystems in both ecological and economic aspects. However, climate change and other human-induced stressors pose threats to the existence of these ecosystems, leading to coral bleaching, disease, and ultimately coral mortality. Despite extensive research, the underlying mechanisms and potential solutions to these destructive phenomena are still not fully understood.
MICROBIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Adriana Humanes, Liam Lachs, Elizabeth A. Beauchamp, John C. Bythell, Alasdair J. Edwards, Yimnang Golbuu, Helios M. Martinez, Pawel Palmowski, Achim Treumann, Eveline van der Steeg, Ruben van Hooidonk, James R. Guest
Summary: Coral reefs are facing unprecedented mass bleaching and mortality events due to marine heatwaves and climate change. Individual variation in heat tolerance suggests potential for coral adaptation. By exposing corals to experimental heatwaves, researchers found that the most-tolerant corals required double the heat stress dosage compared to the least-tolerant corals to induce bleaching. Under an ambitious emissions scenario, these differences in coral heat tolerance thresholds may delay the onset of annual bleaching and mortality conditions by up to 17 years. However, this delay is limited to only 10 years under a high emissions scenario. The results highlight the substantial variability in coral heat tolerance and the need for coral adaptation and ambitious emissions reductions.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Giulia Puntin, Jamie Craggs, Roisin Hayden, Kara E. E. Engelhardt, Shelby McIlroy, Michael Sweet, David M. M. Baker, Maren Ziegler
Summary: Reef-building corals rely on symbiosis with unicellular algae for their evolutionary success, but frequent heat waves cause coral mass-bleaching events, posing a serious threat to reef ecosystems. Understanding the functioning, breakdown, and prevention of coral-algal symbiosis remains incomplete due to difficulties in experimental handling and manipulating the association. The study identifies the stony coral species Galaxea fascicularis as a novel candidate coral model system, which allows for genotype studies and experimental investigation of the symbiosis.
Review
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Anthony M. M. Bonacolta, Bradley A. A. Weiler, Teresa Porta-Fito, Michael Sweet, Patrick Keeling, Javier del Campo
Summary: Many corals have a symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic dinoflagellates, but the role of microeukaryotes like protists and fungi in the coral holobiont and reef ecosystems is not well understood. Recent advances in metabarcoding have highlighted the importance of microeukaryotes in corals, and it is necessary to present the current knowledge before further studies are conducted.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
K. G. Bonilla, J. R. Guest, M. V. Baria-Rodriguez
Summary: Reproduction traits such as fecundity and colony size at reproductive onset can vary predictably among different life history strategies of corals. This study aimed to determine the colony size and fecundity at reproductive maturity of two coral species with different life history strategies. The findings showed that larger colonies make a disproportionately greater contribution to the population reproductive output.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
James Guest, Maria Vanessa Baria-Rodriguez, Tai Chong Toh, Dexter dela Cruz, Kareen Vicentuan, Edgardo Gomez, Ronald Villanueva, Peter Steinberg, Alasdair Edwards
Summary: Efforts to restore coral reefs usually involve asexual and sexual propagation methods. This study demonstrates the successful sexual propagation and transplantation of slow-growing corals, showing the feasibility of restoring sexually mature coral populations in under a decade.
