Bacteria on the surface of crustose coralline algae induce metamorphosis of the crown-of-thorns starfish Acanthaster planci

Johnson, Craig R.; Sutton, D. C.

doi:10.1007/bf00349692

Cited by 124 publications

(95 citation statements)

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“…The reduction in inductive capacity at 32 1C may be due to a number of factors including: (1) the loss of a critical microbial species on the surface of CCA that is directly responsible for the induction of metamorphosis (Johnson and Sutton, 1994), (2) the loss of a microbial species required to enable the CCA to produce an inducer for larval metamorphosis (disruption of a shared metabolic pathway), (3) the inhibition of a biochemical process within the CCA alone to produce an indicator for larval metamorphosis, (4) the inhibition of larval metamorphosis by specific microbes (Dobretsov and Qian, 2004), or (5) an interaction (for example, pathogenicity) between the microbial community and the CCA (for instance Deltaproteobacteria and Desulfovibrio in CCA exposed to 32 1C have been identified in association with diseased corals and sponges).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Bacterial biofilms occur on the surface of CCA (Galbary and Veltkamp, 1980;Garland et al, 1985;Lewis et al, 1985;Johnson et al, 1991) and also have a role in inducing larval metamorphosis for some invertebrates. A strain of Pseudoalteromonas, isolated from CCA, is able to induce significant levels of metamorphosis of coral larvae (Acropora willisea and A. millepora) (Negri et al, 2001); numerous bacterial strains from CCA induce settlement of the sea urchin Heliocidaris erythrogramma (Huggett et al, 2006) and metamorphosis of crownof-thorns starfish larvae (Acanthaster planci) is also triggered by microorganisms associated with CCA (Johnson and Sutton, 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Elevated seawater temperature causes a microbial shift on crustose coralline algae with implications for the recruitment of coral larvae

et al. 2010

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Crustose coralline algae (CCA) are key reef-building primary producers that are known to induce the metamorphosis and recruitment of many species of coral larvae. Reef biofilms (particularly microorganisms associated with CCA) are also important as settlement cues for a variety of marine invertebrates, including corals. If rising sea surface temperatures (SSTs) affect CCA and/or their associated biofilms, this may in turn affect recruitment on coral reefs. Herein, we report that the CCA Neogoniolithon fosliei, and its associated microbial communities do not tolerate SSTs of 32 1C, only 2-4 1C above the mean maximum annual SST. After 7 days at 32 1C, the CCA exhibited clear signs of stress, including bleaching, a reduction in maximum quantum yield (F v /F m ) and a large shift in microbial community structure. This shift at 32 1C involved an increase in Bacteroidetes and a reduction in Alphaproteobacteria, including the loss of the primary strain (with high-sequence similarity to a described coral symbiont). A recovery in F v /F m was observed in CCA exposed to 31 1C following 7 days of recovery (at 27 1C); however, CCA exposed to 32 1C did not recover during this time as evidenced by the rapid growth of endolithic green algae. A 50% reduction in the ability of N. fosliei to induce coral larval metamorphosis at 32 1C accompanied the changes in microbiology, pigmentation and photophysiology of the CCA. This is the first experimental evidence to demonstrate how thermal stress influences microbial associations on CCA with subsequent downstream impacts on coral recruitment, which is critical for reef regeneration and recovery from climate-related mortality events.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Elevated seawater temperature causes a microbial shift on crustose coralline algae with implications for the recruitment of coral larvae

et al. 2010

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“…Selective settlement on biofilms has been shown for larvae of many marine invertebrates, including the scleractinian corals Acropora willisae and A. millepora (Negri et al 2001), the scyphomedusae Cassiopia spp. (Hofmann et al 1996), the polychaetes Janua brasiliensis (Kirchman et al 1982) and Pomatoceros lamarkii (Hamer et al 2001), the bryozoan Bugula neritina (Maki et al 1989), the oyster Crassostrea gigas (Fitt et al 1990), the sea scallop Placopecten magellanicus (Parsons et al 1993), the mussel Mytilus edulis (Satuito et al 1995), the barnacles Balanus amphitrite (Wieczorek et al 1995), Elminius modestus and Balanus perforatus (Neal & Yule 1994), the starfish Acanthaster planci (Johnson & Sutton 1994) and the ascidian Ciona intestinalis (Szewzyk et al 1991).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Composition and density of bacterial biofilms determine larval settlement of the polychaete Hydroides elegans

Huang¹,

Hadfield²

2003

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

164

130

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Larvae of the polychaete worm Hydroides elegans settle and metamorphose in response to marine biofilms. Phylogenetic relationships among 4 marine-biofilm bacterial species identified by 16S rDNA sequences were not predictive of their inductive capacity. Two bacterial species separated by a genetic distance of 30% shared the greatest capacity for inducing metamorphosis in H. elegans. Two bacterial strains with only a 3% divergence in 16S rRNA gene sequences were very different; one strain induced metamorphosis strongly while the other one did not. The percent of larvae that metamorphosed correlated positively with bacterial density in either natural biofilms or biofilms composed of a single bacterial species. When results of tests across 4 bacterial species were compared, the most inductive bacterial species was effective in much lower biofilm densities than weakly or non-inductive bacteria. Evidence presented here indicates that the cue that triggers settlement and metamorphosis in larvae of H. elegans is not unique to a single bacterial taxon and is likely to be an insoluble, surface-bound material. KEY WORDS: Biofilm bacteria · Larval settlement · Metamorphosis · Hydroides elegansResale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher

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“…Antibiotic treatment of highly inductive shards of CCA significantly reduced settlement to low levels, indicating that settlement may be mediated by chemical cues produced by epiphytic bacteria (Johnson et al 1991). Settlement was inhibited in the absence of bacteria and larvae always settled on sections of CCA thalli that had high densities of bacteria, but not where epiphytic bacteria were sparse (Johnson et al 1991;Johnson and Sutton 1994). However, surface bacteria were not inductive when isolated from soluble algal compounds, suggesting that bacteria require the algal substrate to produce inductive compounds or that compounds from both the bacteria and CCA are required to induce settlement (Johnson and Sutton 1994).…”

Section: Question 12 (Larvae and Juveniles) -Do Larvae Tend To Settlementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Settlement was inhibited in the absence of bacteria and larvae always settled on sections of CCA thalli that had high densities of bacteria, but not where epiphytic bacteria were sparse (Johnson et al 1991;Johnson and Sutton 1994). However, surface bacteria were not inductive when isolated from soluble algal compounds, suggesting that bacteria require the algal substrate to produce inductive compounds or that compounds from both the bacteria and CCA are required to induce settlement (Johnson and Sutton 1994). It appears that both tactile and chemical stimuli may play a role in determining settlement preferencs, though further field sampling is required to establish the extent to which these preferences determine settlment patterns in the wild (e.g., Ormond and Campbell 1974).…”

Section: Question 12 (Larvae and Juveniles) -Do Larvae Tend To Settlementioning

confidence: 99%

30 Years of Research on Crown-of-thorns Starfish (1986-2016): Scientific Advances and Emerging Opportunities

Pratchett¹,

Caballes²,

Wilmes³

et al. 2017

Preprint

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Abstract:Research on the coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS) has waxed and waned over the last few decades, mostly in accordance with the occurrence of population outbreaks at key locations, such as Australia's Great Barrier Reef. This review considers advances in our understanding of the biology and ecology of CoTS based on the latest resurgence of research interest, which culminated in this current special issue on the Biology, Ecology and Management of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish. More specifically, this review considers progress against 41 specific research questions posed in the seminal review by P. Moran 30 years ago, as well as exploring new directions for CoTS research. Despite the plethora of research on CoTS (> 1,200 research articles), there are persistent knowledge gaps that constrain effective management of outbreaks. Although directly addressing some of these questions will be extremely difficult, there have been considerable advances in understanding the biology of CoTS, if not the proximal and ultimate cause(s) of outbreaks. Moving forward, researchers need to embrace new technologies and opportunities to advance understanding of CoTS biology and behaviour, with focus given to key questions that will improve effectiveness of management to reduce the frequency and likelihood of future outbreaks, if not preventing them altogether.Keywords: Acanthaster; coral reefs, disturbance; management; population outbreaks; research priorities Peer-reviewed version available at Diversity 2017, 9, 41; doi:10.3390/d90400412 of 50 BackgroundCrown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS; Acanthaster spp., excluding A. brevispinus) are renowned for their capacity to devastate coral reef ecosystems . This is primarily because local densities of CoTS can increase from normally very low densities (<1 starfish.ha -1 ) to extremely high densities (>1,000 starfish.ha -1 ) during periodic population outbreaks (e.g. Chesher 1969). Moreover, CoTS are one of the largest and most efficient predators on scleractinian corals (Birkeland 1989). Whereas most other individual coral-feeding organisms (e.g., Chaetodon butterflyfishes, and Drupella snails) cause only localised injuries or tissue-loss (Cole et al. 2008;Rotjan and Lewis 2008), adult CoTS can kill entire corals, including relatively large colonies. High densities of CoTS will therefore, cause rapid and extensive coral depletion. In French Polynesia, for example, high densities of CoTS caused systematic coral loss around the entire circumference of the island of Moorea, killing >96% of coral between 2005(Kayal et al. 2012). More broadly, outbreaks of Acanthaster spp. are a major contributor to sustained declines in coral cover and degradation of coral reefs at many locations throughout the Indo west-Pacific (Osborne et al. 2011;Trapon et al. 2011;De'ath et al. 2012).While there has been considerable research, and a larger number of scientific articles (>940) focused on Acanthaster spp., extending back to the 1960s (Goreau 1964;Pearson and Endean 1969), research interest (and fundin...

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Bacteria on the surface of crustose coralline algae induce metamorphosis of the crown-of-thorns starfish Acanthaster planci

Cited by 124 publications

References 19 publications

Elevated seawater temperature causes a microbial shift on crustose coralline algae with implications for the recruitment of coral larvae

Elevated seawater temperature causes a microbial shift on crustose coralline algae with implications for the recruitment of coral larvae

Composition and density of bacterial biofilms determine larval settlement of the polychaete Hydroides elegans

30 Years of Research on Crown-of-thorns Starfish (1986-2016): Scientific Advances and Emerging Opportunities

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