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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: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [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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2
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Burgess SC, Johnston EC, Wyatt ASJ, Leichter JJ, Edmunds PJ. Response diversity in corals: hidden differences in bleaching mortality among cryptic Pocillopora species. Ecology 2021; 102:e03324. [PMID: 33690896 PMCID: PMC8244046 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Variation among functionally similar species in their response to environmental stress buffers ecosystems from changing states. Functionally similar species may often be cryptic species representing evolutionarily distinct genetic lineages that are morphologically indistinguishable. However, the extent to which cryptic species differ in their response to stress, and could therefore provide a source of response diversity, remains unclear because they are often not identified or are assumed to be ecologically equivalent. Here, we uncover differences in the bleaching response between sympatric cryptic species of the common Indo-Pacific coral, Pocillopora. In April 2019, prolonged ocean heating occurred at Moorea, French Polynesia. 72% of pocilloporid colonies bleached after 22 d of severe heating (>8o C-days) at 10 m depth on the north shore fore reef. Colony mortality ranged from 11% to 42% around the island four months after heating subsided. The majority (86%) of pocilloporids that died from bleaching belonged to a single haplotype, despite twelve haplotypes, representing at least five species, being sampled. Mitochondrial (open reading frame) sequence variation was greater between the haplotypes that experienced mortality versus haplotypes that all survived than it was between nominal species that all survived. Colonies > 30 cm in diameter were identified as the haplotype experiencing the most mortality, and in 1125 colonies that were not genetically identified, bleaching and mortality increased with colony size. Mortality did not increase with colony size within the haplotype suffering the highest mortality, suggesting that size-dependent bleaching and mortality at the genus level was caused instead by differences among cryptic species. The relative abundance of haplotypes shifted between February and August, driven by declines in the same common haplotype for which mortality was estimated directly, at sites where heat accumulation was greatest, and where larger colony sizes occurred. The identification of morphologically indistinguishable species that differ in their response to thermal stress, but share a similar ecological function in terms of maintaining a coral-dominated state, has important consequences for uncovering response diversity that drives resilience, especially in systems with low or declining functional diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott C Burgess
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, 319 Stadium Drive, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306-4296, USA
| | - Erika C Johnston
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, 319 Stadium Drive, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306-4296, USA
| | - Alex S J Wyatt
- Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - James J Leichter
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA
| | - Peter J Edmunds
- Department of Biology, California State University, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, California, 91330-8303, USA
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Sivaguru M, Todorov LG, Miller CAH, Fouke CE, Munro CMO, Fouke KW, Fouke KE, Baughman ME, Fouke BW. Corals regulate the distribution and abundance of Symbiodiniaceae and biomolecules in response to changing water depth and sea surface temperature. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2230. [PMID: 33500473 PMCID: PMC7838310 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81520-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Scleractinian corals Orbicella annularis and O. faveolata have survived by acclimatizing to environmental changes in water depth and sea surface temperature (SST). However, the complex physiological mechanisms by which this is achieved remain only partially understood, limiting the accurate prediction of coral response to future climate change. This study quantitatively tracks spatial and temporal changes in Symbiodiniaceae and biomolecule (chromatophores, calmodulin, carbonic anhydrase and mucus) abundance that are essential to the processes of acclimatization and biomineralization. Decalcified tissues from intact healthy Orbicella biopsies, collected across water depths and seasonal SST changes on Curaçao, were analyzed with novel autofluorescence and immunofluorescence histology techniques that included the use of custom antibodies. O. annularis at 5 m water depth exhibited decreased Symbiodiniaceae and increased chromatophore abundances, while O. faveolata at 12 m water depth exhibited inverse relationships. Analysis of seasonal acclimatization of the O. faveolata holobiont in this study, combined with previous reports, suggests that biomolecules are differentially modulated during transition from cooler to warmer SST. Warmer SST was also accompanied by decreased mucus production and decreased Symbiodiniaceae abundance, which is compensated by increased photosynthetic activity enhanced calcification. These interacting processes have facilitated the remarkable resiliency of the corals through geological time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayandi Sivaguru
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Carl Zeiss Labs@Location Partner, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
| | - Lauren G Todorov
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Carly A H Miller
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Courtney E Fouke
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Biology, Denison University, Granville, OH, USA
| | - Cara M O Munro
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Kyle W Fouke
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Kaitlyn E Fouke
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Biology, Denison University, Granville, OH, USA
- The Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Melinda E Baughman
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Bruce W Fouke
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Carl Zeiss Labs@Location Partner, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Department of Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
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4
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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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Sproles AE, Oakley CA, Krueger T, Grossman AR, Weis VM, Meibom A, Davy SK. Sub-cellular imaging shows reduced photosynthetic carbon and increased nitrogen assimilation by the non-native endosymbiont Durusdinium trenchii in the model cnidarian Aiptasia. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:3741-3753. [PMID: 32592285 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Hosting different symbiont species can affect inter-partner nutritional fluxes within the cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis. Using nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS), we measured the spatial incorporation of photosynthetically fixed 13 C and heterotrophically derived 15 N into host and symbiont cells of the model symbiotic cnidarian Aiptasia (Exaiptasia pallida) when colonized with its native symbiont Breviolum minutum or the non-native Durusdinium trenchii. Breviolum minutum exhibited high photosynthetic carbon assimilation per cell and translocation to host tissue throughout symbiosis establishment, whereas D. trenchii assimilated significantly less carbon, but obtained more host nitrogen. These findings suggest that D. trenchii has less potential to provide photosynthetically fixed carbon to the host despite obtaining considerable amounts of heterotrophically derived nitrogen. These sub-cellular events help explain previous observations that demonstrate differential effects of D. trenchii compared to B. minutum on the host transcriptome, proteome, metabolome and host growth and asexual reproduction. Together, these differential effects suggest that the non-native host-symbiont pairing is sub-optimal with respect to the host's nutritional benefits under normal environmental conditions. This contributes to our understanding of the ways in which metabolic integration impacts the benefits of a symbiotic association, and the potential evolution of novel host-symbiont pairings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley E Sproles
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand.,The California Center for Algae Biotechnology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Clinton A Oakley
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
| | - Thomas Krueger
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Hopkins Building, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QW, UK
| | - Arthur R Grossman
- Department of Plant Biology, The Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| | - Virginia M Weis
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331, USA
| | - Anders Meibom
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland.,Center for Advanced Surface Analysis, Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
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6
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Saad OS, Lin X, Ng TY, Li L, Ang P, Lin S. Genome Size, rDNA Copy, and qPCR Assays for Symbiodiniaceae. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:847. [PMID: 32528423 PMCID: PMC7264167 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Symbiodiniaceae community structure in corals is crucial for understanding the plasticity of different holobionts under environmental stress. While this relies on molecular analyses, accuracy of molecular quantification, as influenced by DNA extraction efficiency and rDNA copy number variations in particular, has rarely been systematically investigated. Here, we report the development of a set of genus-specific qPCR assays. First, a protocol for efficient DNA isolation and accurate measurements of genome size and rDNA copy number was established. Second, seven newly designed genus-specific ITS2 primer sets were validated using computational and empirical analyses and qPCR assays were developed. We find that while the genome size ranges between 1.75 ± 0.21 and 4.5 ± 0.96 Gbp, rDNA copy number shows over 10-fold variation among Symbiodiniaceae species. Our protocol produced standard curves with high efficiencies (89.8–99.3%; R2 ≥ 0.999) and tight Cq values over different PCR conditions, illustrating high specificity and sensitivity of the qPCR assays. Tested on mock communities of mixed culture species, our qPCR results agreed well with microscopic counts and facilitated calibration of metabarcoding data. To test the applicability of our protocol for field samples, we analyzed three different Hong Kong coral samples. Six Symbiodiniaceae genera were detected in Acropora valida, Oulastrea crispata, and Platygyra acuta, with Breviolum, Effrenium, Fugacium, and Gerakladium sp. being reported for the first time. Our results suggest that aggressively disrupting cells to ensure thorough cell lysis, estimating cell loss and DNA loss, and validating qPCR assays are critical for success. The number of species examined here is limited, but the primers are potentially applicable to most species in respective genera, and the protocol and the approach to develop it provide a base and template toward a standardized procedure for quantitatively characterizing Symbiodiniaceae communities in corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osama S Saad
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Department of Biological Oceanography, Red Sea University, Port-Sudan, Sudan
| | - Xin Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Tsz Yan Ng
- Marine Science Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ling Li
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Put Ang
- Marine Science Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Institute of Space and Earth Information Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Senjie Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.,Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, Groton, CT, United States
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7
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Quek RZB, Jain SS, Neo ML, Rouse GW, Huang D. Transcriptome-based target-enrichment baits for stony corals (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Scleractinia). Mol Ecol Resour 2020; 20:807-818. [PMID: 32077619 PMCID: PMC7468246 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Despite the ecological and economic significance of stony corals (Scleractinia), a robust understanding of their phylogeny remains elusive due to patchy taxonomic and genetic sampling, as well as the limited availability of informative markers. To increase the number of genetic loci available for phylogenomic analyses in Scleractinia, we designed 15,919 DNA enrichment baits targeting 605 orthogroups (mean 565 ± SD 366 bp) over 1,139 exon regions. A further 236 and 62 barcoding baits were designed for COI and histone H3 genes respectively for quality and contamination checks. Hybrid capture using these baits was performed on 18 coral species spanning the presently understood scleractinian phylogeny, with two corallimorpharians as outgroup. On average, 74% of all loci targeted were successfully captured for each species. Barcoding baits were matched unambiguously to their respective samples and revealed low levels of cross-contamination in accordance with expectation. We put the data through a series of stringent filtering steps to ensure only scleractinian and phylogenetically informative loci were retained, and the final probe set comprised 13,479 baits, targeting 452 loci (mean 531 ± SD 307 bp) across 865 exon regions. Maximum likelihood, Bayesian and species tree analyses recovered maximally supported, topologically congruent trees consistent with previous phylogenomic reconstructions. The phylogenomic method presented here allows for consistent capture of orthologous loci among divergent coral taxa, facilitating the pooling of data from different studies and increasing the phylogenetic sampling of scleractinians in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randolph Z. B. Quek
- Department of Biological SciencesNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Sudhanshi S. Jain
- Department of Biological SciencesNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Mei Lin Neo
- Department of Biological SciencesNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Tropical Marine Science InstituteNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Greg W. Rouse
- Scripps Institution of OceanographyUniversity of California San DiegoSan DiegoCAUSA
| | - Danwei Huang
- Department of Biological SciencesNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- Tropical Marine Science InstituteNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
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8
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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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9
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Iguchi A, Yoshioka Y, Forsman ZH, Knapp ISS, Toonen RJ, Hongo Y, Nagai S, Yasuda N. RADseq population genomics confirms divergence across closely related species in blue coral (Heliopora coerulea). BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:187. [PMID: 31615417 PMCID: PMC6794731 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1522-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Heliopora coerulea, the blue coral, is the octocoral characterized by its blue skeleton. Recently, two Heliopora species were delimited by DNA markers: HC-A and HC-B. To clarify the genomic divergence of these Heliopora species (HC-A and HC-B) from sympatric and allopatric populations in Okinawa, Japan, we used a high throughput reduced representation genomic DNA sequencing approach (ezRAD). Results We found 6742 biallelic SNPs shared among all target populations, which successfully distinguished the HC-A and HC-B species in both the sympatric and allopatric populations, with no evidence of hybridization between the two. In addition, we detected 410 fixed SNPs linking functional gene differences, including heat resilience and reproductive timing, between HC-A and HC-B. Conclusions We confirmed clear genomic divergence between Heliopora species and found possible genes related to stress-responses and reproduction, which may shed light on the speciation process and ecological divergence of coral species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira Iguchi
- Department of Bioresources Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Okinawa College, 905 Henoko, Nago-City, Okinawa, 905-2192, Japan. .,Present address: Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, AIST Tsukuba Central 7, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8567, Japan.
| | - Yuki Yoshioka
- Department of Bioresources Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Okinawa College, 905 Henoko, Nago-City, Okinawa, 905-2192, Japan
| | - Zac H Forsman
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, Kaneohe, HI, USA
| | | | | | - Yuki Hongo
- Research Center for Aquatic Genomics, National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, 2-12-4 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-8648, Japan
| | - Satoshi Nagai
- Research Center for Aquatic Genomics, National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, 2-12-4 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-8648, Japan
| | - Nina Yasuda
- Department of Marine Biology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Gakuen- kibanadai-nishi-1-1, Miyazaki, 889-2192, Japan.
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10
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Bernasconi R, Stat M, Koenders A, Huggett MJ. Global Networks of Symbiodinium-Bacteria Within the Coral Holobiont. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2019; 77:794-807. [PMID: 30218130 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-018-1255-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Scleractinian corals form the framework of coral reefs and host abundant and diverse microbial communities that are fundamental to their success. A very limited number of studies have examined the co-occurrence of multiple partners within the coral 'holobiont' and their pattern of specificity over different geographical scales. In this study, we explored two molecular sequence datasets representing associations between corals and dinoflagellates in the genus Symbiodinium and between corals and bacteria, across the globe. Through a network theory approach, we characterised patterns of co-occurrences between bacteria and Symbiodinium with 13 coral genera across six water basins. The majority of the bacteria-Symbiodinium co-occurrences were specific to either a coral genus or water basin, emphasising both coral host and environment as important factors driving the diversity of coral assemblages. Yet, results also identified bacteria and Symbiodinium that were shared by multiple coral genera across several water basins. The analyses indicate that shared co-occurrences are independent of the phylogenetic and biogeographic relationship of coral hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachele Bernasconi
- Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Dr, Joondalup, Western Australia, 6027, Australia.
| | - Michael Stat
- Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, Department of Environment and Agriculture Curtin University, Bentley, 6102, Western Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, Australia
| | - Annette Koenders
- Centre for Ecosystem Management, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Dr, Joondalup, Western Australia, 6027, Australia
| | - Megan J Huggett
- Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Dr, Joondalup, Western Australia, 6027, Australia
- Centre for Ecosystem Management, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Dr, Joondalup, Western Australia, 6027, Australia
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Newcastle, PO Box 127, Ourimbah, New South Wales, 2258, Australia
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11
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Vicente J, Ríos JA, Zea S, Toonen RJ. Molecular and morphological congruence of three new cryptic Neopetrosia spp. in the Caribbean. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6371. [PMID: 30746308 PMCID: PMC6368163 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neopetrosia proxima (Porifera: Demospongiae: Haplosclerida) is described as a morphologically variable sponge common on shallow reefs of the Caribbean. However, the range of morphological and reproductive variation within putative N. proxima led us to hypothesize that such variability may be indicative of cryptic species rather than plasticity. Using DNA sequences and morphological characters we confirmed the presence of three previously undescribed species of Neopetrosia. Morphological differences of each new congener were best resolved by partial gene sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 over nuclear ones (18S rRNA and 28S rRNA). Several new characters for Neopetrosia were revealed by each new species. For example, N. dendrocrevacea sp. nov. and N. cristata sp. nov. showed the presence of grooves on the surface of the sponge body that converge at the oscula, and a more disorganized skeleton than previously defined for the genus. N. sigmafera sp. nov. adds the (1) presence of sigma microscleres, (2) significantly wider/longer oxeas (>200 μm), and (3) the presence of parenchymella larvae. Sampling of conspecifics throughout several locations in the Caribbean revealed larger spicules in habitats closer to the continental shelf than those in remote island locations. Our study highlights the importance of integrating molecular and morphological systematics for the discrimination of new Neopetrosia spp. despite belonging to one of several polyphyletic groups (families, genera) within the current definition of the order Haplosclerida.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Vicente
- University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, Kāne‘ohe, HI, USA
| | - Jaime Andrés Ríos
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Sede Bogotá—Departamento de Biología, Ciudad Universitaria, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Sven Zea
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Sede Caribe—Instituto de Estudios en Ciencias del Mar–CECIMAR, c/o INVEMAR, Rodadero Sur, Playa Salguero, Santa Marta, Colombia
| | - Robert J. Toonen
- University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, Kāne‘ohe, HI, USA
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12
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McFadden CS, Haverkort-Yeh R, Reynolds AM, Halàsz A, Quattrini AM, Forsman ZH, Benayahu Y, Toonen RJ. Species boundaries in the absence of morphological, ecological or geographical differentiation in the Red Sea octocoral genus Ovabunda (Alcyonacea: Xeniidae). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2017; 112:174-184. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Revised: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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13
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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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14
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Coral hybridization or phenotypic variation? Genomic data reveal gene flow between Porites lobata and P. Compressa. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2017; 111:132-148. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2016] [Revised: 03/26/2017] [Accepted: 03/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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15
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Diversity, Distribution and Stability of Symbiodinium in Reef Corals of the Eastern Tropical Pacific. CORAL REEFS OF THE EASTERN TROPICAL PACIFIC 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-7499-4_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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16
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Krueger T. Concerning the cohabitation of animals and algae – an English translation of K. Brandt’s 1881 presentation “Ueber das Zusammenleben von Thieren und Algen”. Symbiosis 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s13199-016-0439-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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17
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Howells EJ, Willis BL, Bay LK, van Oppen MJH. Microsatellite allele sizes alone are insufficient to delineate species boundaries inSymbiodinium. Mol Ecol 2016; 25:2719-23. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Revised: 02/10/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E. J. Howells
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology; New York University Abu Dhabi; Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates
| | - B. L. Willis
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and College of Marine and Environmental Sciences; James Cook University; Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
| | - L. K. Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine Science; PMB 3 MC Townsville Qld 4810 Australia
| | - M. J. H. van Oppen
- Australian Institute of Marine Science; PMB 3 MC Townsville Qld 4810 Australia
- School of Biosciences; The University of Melbourne; Parkville Vic. 3052 Australia
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18
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Animal–Symbiodinium Symbioses: Foundations of Coral Reef Ecosystems. ADVANCES IN ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-28068-4_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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19
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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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20
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Parkinson JE, Coffroth MA, LaJeunesse TC. New species of Clade B Symbiodinium (Dinophyceae) from the greater Caribbean belong to different functional guilds: S. aenigmaticum sp. nov., S. antillogorgium sp. nov., S. endomadracis sp. nov., and S. pseudominutum sp. nov. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2015; 51:850-858. [PMID: 26986882 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.12340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/24/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Molecular approaches have begun to supersede traditional morphometrics in the species delineation of micro-eukaryotes. In addition to fixed differences in DNA sequences, recent genetics-based descriptions within the dinoflagellate genus Symbiodinium have incorporated confirmatory morphological, physiological, and ecological evidence when possible. However, morphological and physiological data are difficult to collect from species that have not been cultured, while the natural ecologies of many cultured species remain unknown. Here, we rely on genetic evidence-the only data consistently available among all taxa investigated-to describe four new Clade B Symbiodinium species. The 'host-specialized' species (S. antillogorgium sp. nov. and S. endomadracis sp. nov.) engage in mutualisms with specific cnidarian hosts, but exhibit differences in our ability to culture them in vitro. The ecologically 'cryptic' species (S. aenigmaticum sp. nov. and S. pseudominutum sp. nov.) thrive in culture, but their roles or functions in the ecosystem (i.e., niches) are yet to be documented. These new species call further attention to the spectrum of ecological guilds among Symbiodinium.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Everett Parkinson
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802, USA
| | - Mary Alice Coffroth
- Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology and Behavior and Department of Geological Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, 14260, USA
| | - Todd C LaJeunesse
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802, USA
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21
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Wilkinson SP, Fisher PL, van Oppen MJH, Davy SK. Intra-genomic variation in symbiotic dinoflagellates: recent divergence or recombination between lineages? BMC Evol Biol 2015; 15:46. [PMID: 25887753 PMCID: PMC4381663 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0325-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2014] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The symbiosis between corals and the dinoflagellate alga Symbiodinium is essential for the development and survival of coral reefs. Yet this fragile association is highly vulnerable to environmental disturbance. A coral’s ability to tolerate temperature stress depends on the fitness of its resident symbionts, whose thermal optima vary extensively between lineages. However, the in hospite population genetic structure of Symbiodinium is poorly understood and mostly based on analysis of bulk DNA extracted from thousands to millions of cells. Using quantitative single-cell PCR, we enumerated DNA polymorphisms in the symbionts of the reef-building coral Pocillopora damicornis, and applied a model selection approach to explore the potential for recombination between coexisting Symbiodinium populations. Results Two distinct Symbiodinium ITS2 sequences (denoted C100 and C109) were retrieved from all P. damicornis colonies analysed. However, the symbiont assemblage consisted of three distinct Symbiodinium populations: cells featuring pure arrays of ITS2 type C109, near-homogeneous cells of type C100 (with trace ITS2 copies of type C109), and those with co-dominant C100 and C109 ITS2 repeats. The symbiont consortia of some colonies consisted almost entirely of these putative C100 × C109 recombinants. Conclusions Our results are consistent with the occurrence of sexual recombination between Symbiodinium types C100 and C109. While the multiple-copy nature of the ITS2 dictates that the observed pattern of intra-genomic co-dominance may be a result of incomplete concerted evolution of intra-genomic polymorphisms, this is a less likely explanation given the occurrence of homogeneous cells of the C109 type. Conclusive evidence for inter-lineage recombination and introgression in this genus will require either direct observational evidence or a single-cell genotyping approach targeting multiple, single-copy loci. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-015-0325-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaun P Wilkinson
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Kelburn Parade, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand.
| | - Paul L Fisher
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Kelburn Parade, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand.
| | | | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Kelburn Parade, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand.
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22
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Forsman Z, Wellington GM, Fox GE, Toonen RJ. Clues to unraveling the coral species problem: distinguishing species from geographic variation in Porites across the Pacific with molecular markers and microskeletal traits. PeerJ 2015; 3:e751. [PMID: 25674364 PMCID: PMC4319317 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 01/15/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Morphological variation in the geographically widespread coral Porites lobata can make it difficult to distinguish from other massive congeneric species. This morphological variation could be attributed to geographic variability, phenotypic plasticity, or a combination of such factors. We examined genetic and microscopic morphological variability in P. lobata samples from the Galápagos, Easter Island, Tahiti, Fiji, Rarotonga, and Australia. Panamanian P. evermanni specimens were used as a previously established distinct outgroup against which to test genetic and morphological methods of discrimination. We employed a molecular analysis of variance (AMOVA) based on ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) sequence, principal component analysis (PCA) of skeletal landmarks, and Mantel tests to compare genetic and morphological variation. Both genetic and morphometric methods clearly distinguished P. lobata and P. evermanni, while significant genetic and morphological variance was attributed to differences among geographic regions for P. lobata. Mantel tests indicate a correlation between genetic and morphological variation for P. lobata across the Pacific. Here we highlight landmark morphometric measures that correlate well with genetic differences, showing promise for resolving species of Porites, one of the most ubiquitous yet challenging to identify architects of coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zac Forsman
- Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, Kāne‘ohe, HI, USA
| | | | - George E. Fox
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
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23
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Pochon X, Forsman ZH, Spalding HL, Padilla-Gamiño JL, Smith CM, Gates RD. Depth specialization in mesophotic corals (Leptoseris spp.) and associated algal symbionts in Hawai'i. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2015; 2:140351. [PMID: 26064599 PMCID: PMC4448807 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.140351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2014] [Accepted: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Corals at the lower limits of mesophotic habitats are likely to have unique photosynthetic adaptations that allow them to persist and dominate in these extreme low light ecosystems. We examined the host-symbiont relationships from the dominant coral genus Leptoseris in mesophotic environments from Hawai'i collected by submersibles across a depth gradient of 65-125 m. Coral and Symbiodinium genotypes were compared with three distinct molecular markers including coral (COX1-1-rRNA intron) and Symbiodinium (COI) mitochondrial markers and nuclear ITS2. The phylogenetic reconstruction clearly resolved five Leptoseris species, including one species (Leptoseris hawaiiensis) exclusively found in deeper habitats (115-125 m). The Symbiodinium mitochondrial marker resolved three unambiguous haplotypes in clade C, which were found at significantly different frequencies between host species and depths, with one haplotype exclusively found at the lower mesophotic extremes (95-125 m). These patterns of host-symbiont depth specialization indicate that there are limits to connectivity between upper and lower mesophotic zones, suggesting that niche specialization plays a critical role in host-symbiont evolution at mesophotic extremes.
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Affiliation(s)
- X. Pochon
- Environmental Technologies, Coastal and Freshwater Group, Cawthron Institute, Nelson, New Zealand
- Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Author for correspondence: X. Pochon e-mail:
| | - Z. H. Forsman
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Kaneohe, HI, USA
| | - H. L. Spalding
- Department of Botany, University of Hawai'i at Mnoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - J. L. Padilla-Gamiño
- Department of Biology, California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA, USA
| | - C. M. Smith
- Department of Botany, University of Hawai'i at Mnoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - R. D. Gates
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Kaneohe, HI, USA
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Morphological variation and different branch modularity across contrasting flow conditions in dominant Pocillopora reef-building corals. Oecologia 2015; 178:207-18. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-014-3199-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2014] [Accepted: 12/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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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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Roth MS. The engine of the reef: photobiology of the coral-algal symbiosis. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:422. [PMID: 25202301 PMCID: PMC4141621 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reef ecosystems thrive in tropical oligotrophic oceans because of the relationship between corals and endosymbiotic dinoflagellate algae called Symbiodinium. Symbiodinium convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into organic carbon and oxygen to fuel coral growth and calcification, creating habitat for these diverse and productive ecosystems. Light is thus a key regulating factor shaping the productivity, physiology, and ecology of the coral holobiont. Similar to all oxygenic photoautotrophs, Symbiodinium must safely harvest sunlight for photosynthesis and dissipate excess energy to prevent oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is caused by environmental stressors such as those associated with global climate change, and ultimately leads to breakdown of the coral-algal symbiosis known as coral bleaching. Recently, large-scale coral bleaching events have become pervasive and frequent threatening and endangering coral reefs. Because the coral-algal symbiosis is the biological engine producing the reef, the future of coral reef ecosystems depends on the ecophysiology of the symbiosis. This review examines the photobiology of the coral-algal symbiosis with particular focus on the photophysiological responses and timescales of corals and Symbiodinium. Additionally, this review summarizes the light environment and its dynamics, the vulnerability of the symbiosis to oxidative stress, the abiotic and biotic factors influencing photosynthesis, the diversity of the coral-algal symbiosis, and recent advances in the field. Studies integrating physiology with the developing "omics" fields will provide new insights into the coral-algal symbiosis. Greater physiological and ecological understanding of the coral-algal symbiosis is needed for protection and conservation of coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa S. Roth
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California BerkeleyBerkeley, CA, USA
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Thomas L, Kendrick GA, Kennington WJ, Richards ZT, Stat M. ExploringSymbiodiniumdiversity and host specificity inAcroporacorals from geographical extremes of Western Australia with 454 amplicon pyrosequencing. Mol Ecol 2014; 23:3113-26. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2014] [Revised: 05/12/2014] [Accepted: 05/16/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- L. Thomas
- The Oceans Institute (M470); The University of Western Australia; Crawley Perth WA 6009 Australia
- School of Plant Biology (M084); The University of Western Australia; Crawley Perth WA 6009 Australia
| | - G. A. Kendrick
- The Oceans Institute (M470); The University of Western Australia; Crawley Perth WA 6009 Australia
- School of Plant Biology (M084); The University of Western Australia; Crawley Perth WA 6009 Australia
| | - W. J. Kennington
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology (M092); School of Animal Biology; The University of Western Australia; Crawley Perth WA 6009 Australia
| | - Z. T. Richards
- Department of Aquatic Biology; Western Australian Museum; Welshpool Perth WA 6106 Australia
| | - M. Stat
- The Oceans Institute (M470); The University of Western Australia; Crawley Perth WA 6009 Australia
- Centre for Microscopy; Characterisation and Analysis (M010); The University of Western Australia; Crawley Perth WA 6009 Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science; Crawley Perth WA 6009 Australia
- CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research; Mount Claremont Perth WA 6010 Australia
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Bourne DG, Dennis PG, Uthicke S, Soo RM, Tyson GW, Webster N. Coral reef invertebrate microbiomes correlate with the presence of photosymbionts. ISME JOURNAL 2013; 7:1452-8. [PMID: 23303372 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2012.172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Coral reefs provide habitat for an array of marine invertebrates that host symbiotic microbiomes. Photosynthetic symbionts including Symbiodinium dinoflagellates and diatoms potentially influence the diversity of their host-associated microbiomes by releasing carbon-containing photosynthates and other organic compounds that fuel microbial metabolism. Here we used 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene amplicon pyrosequencing to characterise the microbiomes of 11 common Great Barrier Reef marine invertebrate species that host photosynthetic symbionts and five taxa in which they are absent. The presence of photosynthetic symbionts influenced the composition but not the species richness, evenness and phylogenetic diversity of invertebrate-associated microbiomes. Invertebrates without photosynthetic symbionts were dominated by Alphaproteobacteria, whereas those hosting photosynthetic symbionts were dominated by Gammaproteobacteria. Interestingly, many microbial species from photosymbiont-bearing invertebrates, including Oceanospirillales spp., Alteromonas spp., Pseudomonas spp., Halomonas spp., are implicated in the metabolism of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP). DMSP is produced in high concentrations by photosynthetic dinoflagellates and is involved in climate regulation by facilitating cloud formation. Microbiomes correlated with host taxa and replicate individuals from most sampled species grouped in distance-based redundancy analysis of retrieved 16S rRNA gene sequences. This study highlights the complex nature of invertebrate holobionts and confirms the importance of photosynthetic symbionts in structuring marine invertebrate bacterial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Bourne
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville MC, Queensland, Australia
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