Characterization of the Microbiome of Corals with Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease along Florida’s Coral Reef
Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is an emergent and often lethal coral disease that was first reported near Miami, FL (USA) in 2014. Our objective was to determine if coral colonies showing signs of SCTLD possess a specific microbial signature across five susceptible species sampled in Florid...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/11/2181 |
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| author | Abigail S. Clark Sara D. Williams Kerry Maxwell Stephanie M. Rosales Lindsay K. Huebner Jan H. Landsberg John H. Hunt Erinn M. Muller |
| author_facet | Abigail S. Clark Sara D. Williams Kerry Maxwell Stephanie M. Rosales Lindsay K. Huebner Jan H. Landsberg John H. Hunt Erinn M. Muller |
| author_sort | Abigail S. Clark |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is an emergent and often lethal coral disease that was first reported near Miami, FL (USA) in 2014. Our objective was to determine if coral colonies showing signs of SCTLD possess a specific microbial signature across five susceptible species sampled in Florida’s Coral Reef. Three sample types were collected: lesion tissue and apparently unaffected tissue of diseased colonies, and tissue of apparently healthy colonies. Using 16S rRNA high-throughput gene sequencing, our results show that, for every species, the microbial community composition of lesion tissue was significantly different from healthy colony tissue and from the unaffected tissue of diseased colonies. The lesion tissue of all but one species (<i>Siderastrea siderea</i>) had higher relative abundances of the order Rhodobacterales compared with other types of tissue samples, which may partly explain why <i>S. siderea</i> lesions often differed in appearance compared to other species. The order Clostridiales was also present at relatively high abundances in the lesion tissue of three species compared to healthy and unaffected tissues. Stress often leads to the dysbiosis of coral microbiomes and increases the abundance of opportunistic pathogens. The present study suggests that Rhodobacterales and Clostridiales likely play an important role in SCTLD. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:15:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7b28a53b22d0496283b5e2902c6c1041 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:15:53Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-7b28a53b22d0496283b5e2902c6c10412023-11-23T00:27:32ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072021-10-01911218110.3390/microorganisms9112181Characterization of the Microbiome of Corals with Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease along Florida’s Coral ReefAbigail S. Clark0Sara D. Williams1Kerry Maxwell2Stephanie M. Rosales3Lindsay K. Huebner4Jan H. Landsberg5John H. Hunt6Erinn M. Muller7Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration, Mote Marine Laboratory, Summerland Key, FL 33042, USAMote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL 34236, USASouth Florida Regional Laboratory, Fish & Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Marathon, FL 33050, USACooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33149, USAFish & Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701, USAFish & Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701, USASouth Florida Regional Laboratory, Fish & Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Marathon, FL 33050, USAElizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration, Mote Marine Laboratory, Summerland Key, FL 33042, USAStony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is an emergent and often lethal coral disease that was first reported near Miami, FL (USA) in 2014. Our objective was to determine if coral colonies showing signs of SCTLD possess a specific microbial signature across five susceptible species sampled in Florida’s Coral Reef. Three sample types were collected: lesion tissue and apparently unaffected tissue of diseased colonies, and tissue of apparently healthy colonies. Using 16S rRNA high-throughput gene sequencing, our results show that, for every species, the microbial community composition of lesion tissue was significantly different from healthy colony tissue and from the unaffected tissue of diseased colonies. The lesion tissue of all but one species (<i>Siderastrea siderea</i>) had higher relative abundances of the order Rhodobacterales compared with other types of tissue samples, which may partly explain why <i>S. siderea</i> lesions often differed in appearance compared to other species. The order Clostridiales was also present at relatively high abundances in the lesion tissue of three species compared to healthy and unaffected tissues. Stress often leads to the dysbiosis of coral microbiomes and increases the abundance of opportunistic pathogens. The present study suggests that Rhodobacterales and Clostridiales likely play an important role in SCTLD.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/11/2181stony coral tissue loss diseaseSCTLDcoral diseasebacteriamicrobiomeRhodobacterales |
| spellingShingle | Abigail S. Clark Sara D. Williams Kerry Maxwell Stephanie M. Rosales Lindsay K. Huebner Jan H. Landsberg John H. Hunt Erinn M. Muller Characterization of the Microbiome of Corals with Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease along Florida’s Coral Reef Microorganisms stony coral tissue loss disease SCTLD coral disease bacteria microbiome Rhodobacterales |
| title | Characterization of the Microbiome of Corals with Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease along Florida’s Coral Reef |
| title_full | Characterization of the Microbiome of Corals with Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease along Florida’s Coral Reef |
| title_fullStr | Characterization of the Microbiome of Corals with Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease along Florida’s Coral Reef |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterization of the Microbiome of Corals with Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease along Florida’s Coral Reef |
| title_short | Characterization of the Microbiome of Corals with Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease along Florida’s Coral Reef |
| title_sort | characterization of the microbiome of corals with stony coral tissue loss disease along florida s coral reef |
| topic | stony coral tissue loss disease SCTLD coral disease bacteria microbiome Rhodobacterales |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/11/2181 |
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