History of Coral Disease Research

Bruckner, Andrew W.

doi:10.1002/9781118828502.ch5

Cited by 24 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 179 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Coral diseases contribute to coral mortality and to the decline of reefs worldwide ( Frias-Lopez et al , 2003 ; Sutherland, Porter & Torres , 2004 ; Willis, Page & Dinsdale , 2004 ; Page & Willis , 2006 ; Aeby et al , 2015 ; Bruckner , 2015 ). Of the over 20 prevalent coral diseases that are known ( Sheridan et al , 2013 ), black band disease (BBD) was one of the first to be described ( Antonius , 1973 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic, morphological and growth characterisation of a newRoseofilumstrain (Oscillatoriales, Cyanobacteria) associated with coral black band disease

Buerger

Alvarez‐Roa

Weynberg

et al. 2016

PeerJ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Black band disease (BBD) is a common disease of reef-building corals with a worldwide distribution that causes tissue loss at a rate of up to 3 cm/day. Critical for a mechanistic understanding of the disease’s aetiology is the cultivation of its proposed pathogen, filamentous cyanobacteria (genus Roseofilum). Here, we optimise existing protocols for the isolation and cultivation of Roseofilum cyanobacteria using a new strain from the central Great Barrier Reef. We demonstrate that the isolation of this bacterium via inoculation onto agar plates was highly effective with a low percentage agar of 0.6% and that growth monitoring was most sensitive with fluorescence measurements of chlorophyll-a (440/685 nm). Cell growth curves in liquid and solid media were generated for the first time for this cyanobacterium and showed best growth rates for the previously untested L1-medium (growth rate k = 0.214 biomass/day; doubling time tgen = 4.67 days). Our results suggest that the trace metals contained in L1-medium maximise biomass increase over time for this cyanobacterium. Since the newly isolated Roseofilum strain is genetically closest to Pseudoscillatoria coralii, but in terms of pigmentation and cell size closer to Roseofilum reptotaenium, we formally merge the two species into a single taxon by providing an emended species description, Roseofilum reptotaenium (Rasoulouniriana) Casamatta emend. Following this optimized protocol is recommended for fast isolation and cultivation of Roseofilum cyanobacteria, for growth curve generation in strain comparisons and for maximisation of biomass in genetic studies.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic, morphological and growth characterisation of a newRoseofilumstrain (Oscillatoriales, Cyanobacteria) associated with coral black band disease

Buerger

Alvarez‐Roa

Weynberg

et al. 2016

PeerJ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…D), which was reported as a coral polyp affliction in the literature prior to the BBD descriptions (Squires, ). GAs include hyperplasia, coral tumours, gigantism or neoplasia (Bruckner, ), and were long assumed to be caused by continuous mechanical damages such as wave actions (Loya et al ., ). However, Kaczmarsky and Richardson () demonstrated experimental transmission of GA on Porites spp., and suggested that GA also has a microbial, potentially viral rather than bacterial, causative agent.…”

Section: Historical Perspectives Of Microbial Driven Coral Diseasesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Early studies identified and characterized potential microbial pathogens through microscopic observations of the lesions (Richardson, ). Culture‐based approaches aimed at satisfying Koch's postulates have been extensively applied to certain diseases such as white pox disease, white plague type II, aspergillosis and bacterial bleaching (Bruckner, ). However, these traditional approaches have been argued to be challenging especially when applied to corals (for review see Richardson, ) and not suitable for polymicrobial diseases or microbial agents that cannot be cultured (Sato et al ., ).…”

Section: Approaches To Understanding the Role Of Microorganisms In Comentioning

confidence: 99%

“…) can then allow for erection of more specific names once these standardized criteria are met (Bourne et al ., ). Such clarity will subsequently help to facilitate field‐based research which focuses on disease distribution, frequency and impact on the reef ecosystem (Bruckner, ) (see Fig. ).…”

Section: Challenges and Future Direction To Tease Apart Coral Diseasementioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Disentangling causation: complex roles of coral‐associated microorganisms in disease

Mera

Bourne

2017

Environmental Microbiology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Summary Rapidly changing climate regimes combined with other anthropogenic pressures are implicated in increased disease epizootics among reef building corals, resulting in changing habitat structure. These accumulated stressors directly contribute to disease outbreaks by compromising the coral host immune system, modulating virulence of microbial pathogens and/or disrupting the balance within the microbiome of the holobiont. Disentangling coral disease causation has been challenging, and while progress has been made for certain diseases in terms of the roles the associated microorganisms play, it is evident that like in other marine or terrestrial systems, compromised host health cannot always be attributed to a single causative agent. Here, we summarize the current state in knowledge of microbial induced coral diseases, and discuss challenges and strategies to further disentangle disease causation. With the major environmental pressures coral reefs face over the next century, understanding interactions between host, environmental and microbial causative agent(s) that lead to disease, is still a priority to enable development of effective strategies for building resilience into coral populations.

show abstract

“…The decrease in coral reefs has been attributed to rising sea temperature, water pollution, sedimentation, over-fishing, feeding damage and disease (Dustan 1999;Porter et al 2001;Harvell et al 2007;Wilkinson 2008;Maynard et al 2015). Since over 40 different coral diseases have been described since the first documented case of a coral disease in 1965 (Bruckner 2015), coral diseases have emerged as a significant cause of coral reef decline ). In fact, the number of published surveys investigating the occurrence of coral diseases has shown a two-fold increase during the current decade (Work and Meteyer 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%