Association of coral algal symbionts with a diverse viral community responsive to heat shock
Abstract Background Stony corals provide the structural foundation of coral reef ecosystems and are termed holobionts given they engage in symbioses, in particular with photosynthetic dinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium. Besides Symbiodinium, corals also engage with bacteria affecting metaboli...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2017-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Microbiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12866-017-1084-5 |
| _version_ | 1819106684656680960 |
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| author | Jan D. Brüwer Shobhit Agrawal Yi Jin Liew Manuel Aranda Christian R. Voolstra |
| author_facet | Jan D. Brüwer Shobhit Agrawal Yi Jin Liew Manuel Aranda Christian R. Voolstra |
| author_sort | Jan D. Brüwer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Stony corals provide the structural foundation of coral reef ecosystems and are termed holobionts given they engage in symbioses, in particular with photosynthetic dinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium. Besides Symbiodinium, corals also engage with bacteria affecting metabolism, immunity, and resilience of the coral holobiont, but the role of associated viruses is largely unknown. In this regard, the increase of studies using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) to assess gene expression provides an opportunity to elucidate viral signatures encompassed within the data via careful delineation of sequence reads and their source of origin. Results Here, we re-analyzed an RNA-Seq dataset from a cultured coral symbiont (Symbiodinium microadriaticum, Clade A1) across four experimental treatments (control, cold shock, heat shock, dark shock) to characterize associated viral diversity, abundance, and gene expression. Our approach comprised the filtering and removal of host sequence reads, subsequent phylogenetic assignment of sequence reads of putative viral origin, and the assembly and analysis of differentially expressed viral genes. About 15.46% (123 million) of all sequence reads were non-host-related, of which <1% could be classified as archaea, bacteria, or virus. Of these, 18.78% were annotated as virus and comprised a diverse community consistent across experimental treatments. Further, non-host related sequence reads assembled into 56,064 contigs, including 4856 contigs of putative viral origin that featured 43 differentially expressed genes during heat shock. The differentially expressed genes included viral kinases, ubiquitin, and ankyrin repeat proteins (amongst others), which are suggested to help the virus proliferate and inhibit the algal host’s antiviral response. Conclusion Our results suggest that a diverse viral community is associated with coral algal endosymbionts of the genus Symbiodinium, which prompts further research on their ecological role in coral health and resilience. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T02:42:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3da6aa571c1b43e2a64c99de36cff692 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2180 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T02:42:03Z |
| publishDate | 2017-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-3da6aa571c1b43e2a64c99de36cff6922022-12-21T18:41:36ZengBMCBMC Microbiology1471-21802017-08-0117111110.1186/s12866-017-1084-5Association of coral algal symbionts with a diverse viral community responsive to heat shockJan D. Brüwer0Shobhit Agrawal1Yi Jin Liew2Manuel Aranda3Christian R. Voolstra4Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)Abstract Background Stony corals provide the structural foundation of coral reef ecosystems and are termed holobionts given they engage in symbioses, in particular with photosynthetic dinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium. Besides Symbiodinium, corals also engage with bacteria affecting metabolism, immunity, and resilience of the coral holobiont, but the role of associated viruses is largely unknown. In this regard, the increase of studies using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) to assess gene expression provides an opportunity to elucidate viral signatures encompassed within the data via careful delineation of sequence reads and their source of origin. Results Here, we re-analyzed an RNA-Seq dataset from a cultured coral symbiont (Symbiodinium microadriaticum, Clade A1) across four experimental treatments (control, cold shock, heat shock, dark shock) to characterize associated viral diversity, abundance, and gene expression. Our approach comprised the filtering and removal of host sequence reads, subsequent phylogenetic assignment of sequence reads of putative viral origin, and the assembly and analysis of differentially expressed viral genes. About 15.46% (123 million) of all sequence reads were non-host-related, of which <1% could be classified as archaea, bacteria, or virus. Of these, 18.78% were annotated as virus and comprised a diverse community consistent across experimental treatments. Further, non-host related sequence reads assembled into 56,064 contigs, including 4856 contigs of putative viral origin that featured 43 differentially expressed genes during heat shock. The differentially expressed genes included viral kinases, ubiquitin, and ankyrin repeat proteins (amongst others), which are suggested to help the virus proliferate and inhibit the algal host’s antiviral response. Conclusion Our results suggest that a diverse viral community is associated with coral algal endosymbionts of the genus Symbiodinium, which prompts further research on their ecological role in coral health and resilience.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12866-017-1084-5RNA-SeqTranscriptomicsVirusSymbiodiniumCoral reefHeat shock |
| spellingShingle | Jan D. Brüwer Shobhit Agrawal Yi Jin Liew Manuel Aranda Christian R. Voolstra Association of coral algal symbionts with a diverse viral community responsive to heat shock BMC Microbiology RNA-Seq Transcriptomics Virus Symbiodinium Coral reef Heat shock |
| title | Association of coral algal symbionts with a diverse viral community responsive to heat shock |
| title_full | Association of coral algal symbionts with a diverse viral community responsive to heat shock |
| title_fullStr | Association of coral algal symbionts with a diverse viral community responsive to heat shock |
| title_full_unstemmed | Association of coral algal symbionts with a diverse viral community responsive to heat shock |
| title_short | Association of coral algal symbionts with a diverse viral community responsive to heat shock |
| title_sort | association of coral algal symbionts with a diverse viral community responsive to heat shock |
| topic | RNA-Seq Transcriptomics Virus Symbiodinium Coral reef Heat shock |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12866-017-1084-5 |
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