Telomere Shortening in the Colonial CoralAcropora digitiferaDuring Development

Abstract

To test whether telomere length can be used in estimating the age of colonial corals, we used terminal restriction fragment (TRF) length analysis to compare the telomere lengths of the coral Acropora digitifera at three developmental stages: sperm, planula larvae, and polyps of adult colonies. We also compared the mean TRF lengths between branches at the center and periphery of tabular colonies of A. digitifera. A significant difference was observed in the mean TRF lengths in sperm, planulae, and polyps. The mean TRF length was longest in sperm and shortest in polyps from adult colonies. These results suggest that telomere length decreases during coral development and may be useful for estimating coral age. However, the mean TRF length of branches at the center of a table-form colony tended to be longer than that of peripheral branches, although this difference was not statistically significant. This suggests that both the chronological age of polyps and cell proliferation rate influence telomere length in polyps, and that estimating coral age based on telomere length is not a simple endeavor.

Telomere dysfunction is associated with dark‐induced bleaching in the reef coral Stylophora pistillata

“…To measure the telomere DNA length of the coral host and its symbiont simultaneously, we adapted the Southern blotting procedure to coral tissue samples and performed sequential hybridizations, first with a probe recognizing the symbiont telomere sequence (TTTAGGG)n and then with a probe recognizing the animal host telomere sequence (TTAGGG)n. Consistent with previous publications on other coral species (Sinclair et al, 2007; Tsuta & Hidaka, 2013; Tsuta et al, 2014; Zielke & Bodnar, 2010), colonies of S . pistillata revealed terminal DNA fragments hybridizing with a host telomere DNA probe of a mean length varying from 3.3 to 5.7 kb and with the symbionts’ telomere DNA probe of a mean length varying from 3 to 6.2 kb (Figure 2a).…”

Telomere dysfunction is associated to dark-induced coral bleaching in the reef coral Stylophora pistillata

“…Southern blotting is considered the gold standard technique for telomere DNA length measurement (Aubert, Hills and Lansdorp, 2012). To measure the telomere DNA length of the coral host and its symbiont simultaneously, we adapted the Southern blotting procedure to coral tissue samples and performed sequential hybridizations, first with a probe recognizing the symbiont telomere sequence (TTTAGGG)n and then with a probe recognizing the animal host telomere sequence (TTAGGG)n. Consistent with previous publications on other coral species (Sinclair et al, 2007;Tsuta et al 2014;Tsuta and Hidaka 2013;Zielke and Bodnar, 2010), colonies of S. pistillata revealed terminal DNA fragments hybridizing with a host telomere DNA probe of a mean varying from 3.3 kb to 5.7 kb and with the symbionts telomere DNA probe of a mean varying from 3kb to 6.2 kb (Figure 2A).…”

Do reef corals age?

“…For the short-lived branching coral Acropora digitifera telomere length was significantly longer in sperm than in the planulae which was in turn longer than in adult polyps (Tsuta et al, 2014). However, in another species, Galaxea fascicularis, no significant differences were found (Tsuta & Hidaka, 2013).…”

“…However, in another species, Galaxea fascicularis, no significant differences were found (Tsuta & Hidaka, 2013). Tsuta et al (2014) proposed that this may be explained by G. fascicularis having a longer lifespan, perhaps associated with a low rate of telomere change due to the high levels of telomerase activity noted in adults (Nakamichi et al, 2012).…”