No abstract

The term "microbiome" was first coined in 1988 and given the definition of a characteristic microbial community occupying a reasonably well defined habitat which has distinct physio-chemical properties. A more recent term has also emerged, taking this one step further and focusing on diseases in host organisms. The "pathobiome" breaks down the concept of "one pathogen = one disease" and highlights the role of the microbiome, more specifically certain members within the microbiome, in causing pathogenesis. The development of next generation sequencing has allowed large data sets to be amassed describing the microbial communities of many organisms and the field of coral biology is no exception. However, the choices made in the analytical process and the interpretation of these data can significantly affect the outcome and the overall conclusions drawn. In this review we explore the implications of these difficulties, as well as highlighting analytical tools developed in other research fields (such as network analysis) which hold substantial potential in helping to develop a deeper understanding of the role of the microbiome in disease in corals. We also make the case that standardization of methods will substantially improve the collective gain in knowledge across research groups.

Eukaryotic cells have evolved an intricate system to resolve DNA damage to prevent its transmission to daughter cells. This system, collectively known as the DNA damage response (DDR) network, includes a large number of proteins responsible for detection of DNA damage, promotion of repair, and coordination with cell cycle progression. Because defects in this network can lead to cancer, this network constitutes a barrier against tumorigenesis. The BRCT domain is a modular protein domain critical for relaying signals in the DDR. We performed a systematic analysis of protein-protein interactions involving tandem BRCT domains (tBRCT) in the DDR by combining literature curation, yeast two hybrid (Y2H) screens, and tandem affinity purification coupled to mass spectrometry (TAP-MS). We identified one previously unrecognized BRCT protein and generated human protein-protein interaction network for this type of modular domain. This study also reveals several novel components in DNA damage signaling such as COMMD1 and mTORC2. Additionally, integration of tBRCT domain interactions with DDR phosphoprotein studies and analysis of kinase-substrate interactions revealed signaling subnetworks that may aid in understanding the involvement of tBRCT in disease and DNA repair.

Beneficial microorganisms for corals (BMCs) ameliorate environmental stress, but whether they can prevent mortality and the underlying host response mechanisms remains elusive. Here, we conducted omics analyses on the coral Mussismilia hispida exposed to bleaching conditions in a long-term mesocosm experiment and inoculated with a selected BMC consortium or a saline solution placebo. All corals were affected by heat stress, but the observed “post-heat stress disorder” was mitigated by BMCs, signified by patterns of dimethylsulfoniopropionate degradation, lipid maintenance, and coral host transcriptional reprogramming of cellular restructuration, repair, stress protection, and immune genes, concomitant with a 40% survival rate increase and stable photosynthetic performance by the endosymbiotic algae. This study provides insights into the responses that underlie probiotic host manipulation. We demonstrate that BMCs trigger a dynamic microbiome restructuring process that instigates genetic and metabolic alterations in the coral host that eventually mitigate coral bleaching and mortality.

White Syndrome (WS) and Brown Band Disease (BrB) are important causes of reef coral mortality for which causal agents have not been definitively identified. Here we use culture-independent molecular techniques (DGGE and clone libraries) to characterize ciliate and bacterial communities in these diseases. Bacterial (16S rRNA gene) and ciliate (18S rRNA gene) communities were highly similar between the two diseases. Four bacterial and nine ciliate ribotypes were observed in both diseases, but absent in non-diseased specimens. Only one of the bacteria, Arcobacter sp. (JF831360) increased substantially in relative 16S rRNA gene abundance and was consistently represented in all diseased samples. Four of the eleven ciliate morphotypes detected contained coral algal symbionts, indicative of the ingestion of coral tissues. In both WS and BrB, there were two ciliate morphotypes consistently represented in all disease lesion samples. Morph1 (JN626268) was observed to burrow into and underneath the coral tissues at the lesion boundary. Morph2 (JN626269), previously identified in BrB, appears to play a secondary, less invasive role in pathogenesis, but has a higher population density in BrB, giving rise to the visible brown band. The strong similarity in bacterial and ciliate community composition of these diseases suggests that they are actually the same syndrome.

The use of Beneficial Microorganisms for Corals (BMCs) has been proposed recently as a tool for the improvement of coral health, with knowledge in this research topic advancing rapidly. BMCs are defined as consortia of microorganisms that contribute to coral health through mechanisms that include ( a) promoting coral nutrition and growth, ( b) mitigating stress and impacts of toxic compounds, ( c) deterring pathogens, and ( d) benefiting early life-stage development. Here, we review the current proposed BMC approach and outline the studies that have proven its potential to increase coral resilience to stress. We revisit and expand the list of putative beneficial microorganisms associated with corals and their proposed mechanisms that facilitate improved host performance. Further, we discuss the caveats and bottlenecks affecting the efficacy of BMCs and close by focusing on the next steps to facilitate application at larger scales that can improve outcomes for corals and reefs globally. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Animal Biosciences, Volume 9 is February 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Tropical coral reefs cover only 0.1% of the seafloor yet provide habitat for >30% of all marine multicellular species 1 . Ecosystem services delivered through healthy tropical reefs are economically valued at around US $9,900,000 million per year 2 and sustain almost a billion people [3][4][5] . Despite their importance, catastrophic global loss of coral reefs owing to anthropogenic activity is fast becoming a reality 6 . For example, the 2015-2018 global coral bleaching event affected 74% of reefs worldwide, with >30% of coral cover lost on the Great Barrier Reef alone 7 . Additionally, coral cover in the Florida Reef Tract has declined by upwards of 90% over the last 50 years [8][9][10][11] .A global contributing factor to reef degradation is coral bleaching 12,13 . Without their microalgal symbionts (Fig. 1), corals lose their primary source of nutrition, leading to starvation, reduced fecundity, and reduced growth, often resulting in widespread coral mortality 14,15 . Trajectories for coral reefs under present CO 2 emission scenarios are dire, with 60% of all remaining coral reefs critically threatened, and 98% exposed to environmental conditions above the current thresholds considered necessary to maintain ecosystem function as soon as 2030 (reF. 16 ). The impact of ocean warming is exacerbated by the effects of ocean acidification 17 , deoxygenation 18 , and salinity changes 19 . Combined with local factors such as overfishing, coastal development, disturbance of the nutrient environment (water quality), and disease or predator outbreaks, the interrelated cumulative impacts all contribute to reduction in coral cover and declining reef ecosystem health [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27] .Given the rate and extent at which climate change unfolds 28 , a widespread and shared concern is that the rate of environmental change could outpace the ability of coral holobionts to adapt to the changing environment 29 , concomitant with the increasing loss of coral reef cover 30 . Global mitigation of CO 2 emissions is unquestionably needed to stem the rate of declining reef health [30][31][32] . However, biological, ecological and socio-economic adaptations are critical partners to preserve reefs and delay the loss of coral populations until carbon mitigation is effectively implemented 30 . Reef protection through Marine Protected Areas and management practices reduces how local stressors compound global climate change impacts 27,31 . Nevertheless, the current state of reefs and their predicted further decline have sparked initiatives to prioritize reefs or corals that are less vulnerable to climate change and best positioned for regenerating other degraded reefs in the future [33][34][35] . Coral bleachingDiscolouration of coral tissue due to the loss of microalgal symbionts triggered by climate change-induced ocean warming and thermal stress anomalies.

The European weather loach (Misgurnus fossilis) is a cryptic and poorly known fish species of high conservation concern. The species is experiencing dramatic population collapses across its native range to the point of regional extinction. Although environmental DNA (eDNA)‐based approaches offer clear advantages over conventional field methods for monitoring rare and endangered species, accurate detection and quantification remain difficult and quality assessment is often poorly incorporated. In this study, we developed and validated a novel digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) eDNA‐based method for reliable detection and quantification, which allows accurate monitoring of M. fossilis across a number of habitat types. A dilution experiment under laboratory conditions allowed the definition of the limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ), which were set at concentrations of 0.07 and 0.14 copies μl–1, respectively. A series of aquarium experiments revealed a significant and positive relationship between the number of individuals and the eDNA concentration measured. During a 3 year survey (2017–2019), we assessed 96 locations for the presence of M. fossilis in Flanders (Belgium). eDNA analyses on these samples highlighted 45% positive detections of the species. On the basis of the eDNA concentration per litre of water, only 12 sites appeared to harbour relatively dense populations. The other 31 sites gave a relatively weak positive signal that was typically situated below the LOQ. Combining sample‐specific estimates of effective DNA quantity (Qe) and conventional field sampling, we concluded that each of these weak positive sites still likely harboured the species and therefore they do not represent false positives. Further, only seven of the classified negative samples warrant additional sampling as our analyses identified a substantial risk of false‐negative detections (i.e., type II errors) at these locations. Finally, we illustrated that ddPCR outcompetes conventional qPCR analyses, especially when target DNA concentrations are critically low, which could be attributed to a reduced sensitivity of ddPCR to inhibition effects, higher sample concentrations being accommodated and higher sensitivity obtained.