The bacterial microbiome of symbiotic and menthol-bleached polyps of long-term aquarium-reared Galaxea fascicularis
Coral reefs support the livelihood of half a billion people but are at high risk of collapse due to the vulnerability of corals to climate change and local anthropogenic stressors. While understanding coral functioning is essential to guide conservation efforts, research is challenged by the complex...
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2024-06-01
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| Series: | Peer Community Journal |
| Online Access: | https://peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10.24072/pcjournal.429/ |
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| author | Puntin, Giulia Wong, Jane C. Y. Röthig, Till Baker, David M. Sweet, Michael Ziegler, Maren |
| author_facet | Puntin, Giulia Wong, Jane C. Y. Röthig, Till Baker, David M. Sweet, Michael Ziegler, Maren |
| author_sort | Puntin, Giulia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Coral reefs support the livelihood of half a billion people but are at high risk of collapse due to the vulnerability of corals to climate change and local anthropogenic stressors. While understanding coral functioning is essential to guide conservation efforts, research is challenged by the complex nature of corals. They exist as metaorganisms (holobionts), constituted by the association between the (coral) animal host, its obligate endosymbiotic algae (Symbiodiniaceae), and other microorganisms comprising bacteria, viruses, archaea, fungi and other protists. Researchers therefore increasingly turn to model organisms to unravel holobiont complexity, dynamics, and how these determine the health and fitness of corals. The coral Galaxea fascicularis is an emerging model organism for coral symbiosis research with demonstrated suitability to aquarium rearing and reproduction, and to manipulation of the host-Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis. However, little is known about the response of the G. fascicularis microbiome to menthol bleaching—the experimental removal of the Symbiodiniaceae which represents the first step in coral-algal symbiosis manipulation. For this, we characterized the bacterial microbiome of symbiotic and menthol-bleached G. fascicularis originating from the Red Sea and South China Sea (Hong Kong) that were long-term aquarium-reared in separate facilities. We found that the coral-associated microbiomes were composed of relatively few bacterial taxa (10-78 ASVs). Symbiotic polyps (clonal replicates) from the same colony had similar microbiomes, which were distinct from those of other colonies despite co-culturing in shared aquaria. A pattern of seemingly differential response of the bacterial microbiome to menthol bleaching between the two facilities emerged, warranting further investigation into the role of rearing conditions. Nevertheless, the changes in community composition overall appeared to be stochastic suggesting a dysbiotic state. Considering the importance of bleaching treatment of captive corals for symbiosis research, our results—although preliminary—contribute fundamental knowledge for the development of the Galaxea model for coral symbiosis research. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-88ca5c059fbf41358d7442c7391999ee |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2804-3871 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-06-01 |
| publisher | Peer Community In |
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| series | Peer Community Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-88ca5c059fbf41358d7442c7391999ee2025-02-07T10:17:18ZengPeer Community InPeer Community Journal2804-38712024-06-01410.24072/pcjournal.42910.24072/pcjournal.429The bacterial microbiome of symbiotic and menthol-bleached polyps of long-term aquarium-reared Galaxea fascicularis Puntin, Giulia0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9099-1730Wong, Jane C. Y.1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9871-1606Röthig, Till2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6359-8589Baker, David M.3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0308-4954Sweet, Michael4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4983-8333Ziegler, Maren5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2237-9261Marine Holobiomics Lab, Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32 IFZ, 35392 Giessen, GermanyThe Swire Institute of Marine Science, University of Hong Kong, Cape d’Aguilar Road, Shek O, Hong Kong SAR, China; School of Biological Sciences, Kadoorie Biological Science Building, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam Road, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaBranch of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany; Aquatic Research Facility, Nature-based Solutions Research Centre, University of Derby, UKThe Swire Institute of Marine Science, University of Hong Kong, Cape d’Aguilar Road, Shek O, Hong Kong SAR, China; School of Biological Sciences, Kadoorie Biological Science Building, University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam Road, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaAquatic Research Facility, Nature-based Solutions Research Centre, University of Derby, UKMarine Holobiomics Lab, Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32 IFZ, 35392 Giessen, GermanyCoral reefs support the livelihood of half a billion people but are at high risk of collapse due to the vulnerability of corals to climate change and local anthropogenic stressors. While understanding coral functioning is essential to guide conservation efforts, research is challenged by the complex nature of corals. They exist as metaorganisms (holobionts), constituted by the association between the (coral) animal host, its obligate endosymbiotic algae (Symbiodiniaceae), and other microorganisms comprising bacteria, viruses, archaea, fungi and other protists. Researchers therefore increasingly turn to model organisms to unravel holobiont complexity, dynamics, and how these determine the health and fitness of corals. The coral Galaxea fascicularis is an emerging model organism for coral symbiosis research with demonstrated suitability to aquarium rearing and reproduction, and to manipulation of the host-Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis. However, little is known about the response of the G. fascicularis microbiome to menthol bleaching—the experimental removal of the Symbiodiniaceae which represents the first step in coral-algal symbiosis manipulation. For this, we characterized the bacterial microbiome of symbiotic and menthol-bleached G. fascicularis originating from the Red Sea and South China Sea (Hong Kong) that were long-term aquarium-reared in separate facilities. We found that the coral-associated microbiomes were composed of relatively few bacterial taxa (10-78 ASVs). Symbiotic polyps (clonal replicates) from the same colony had similar microbiomes, which were distinct from those of other colonies despite co-culturing in shared aquaria. A pattern of seemingly differential response of the bacterial microbiome to menthol bleaching between the two facilities emerged, warranting further investigation into the role of rearing conditions. Nevertheless, the changes in community composition overall appeared to be stochastic suggesting a dysbiotic state. Considering the importance of bleaching treatment of captive corals for symbiosis research, our results—although preliminary—contribute fundamental knowledge for the development of the Galaxea model for coral symbiosis research.https://peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10.24072/pcjournal.429/ |
| spellingShingle | Puntin, Giulia Wong, Jane C. Y. Röthig, Till Baker, David M. Sweet, Michael Ziegler, Maren The bacterial microbiome of symbiotic and menthol-bleached polyps of long-term aquarium-reared Galaxea fascicularis Peer Community Journal |
| title | The bacterial microbiome of symbiotic and menthol-bleached polyps of long-term aquarium-reared Galaxea fascicularis
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| title_full | The bacterial microbiome of symbiotic and menthol-bleached polyps of long-term aquarium-reared Galaxea fascicularis
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| title_fullStr | The bacterial microbiome of symbiotic and menthol-bleached polyps of long-term aquarium-reared Galaxea fascicularis
|
| title_full_unstemmed | The bacterial microbiome of symbiotic and menthol-bleached polyps of long-term aquarium-reared Galaxea fascicularis
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| title_short | The bacterial microbiome of symbiotic and menthol-bleached polyps of long-term aquarium-reared Galaxea fascicularis
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| title_sort | bacterial microbiome of symbiotic and menthol bleached polyps of long term aquarium reared galaxea fascicularis |
| url | https://peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10.24072/pcjournal.429/ |
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