Bacterial communities associated with the mucopolysaccharide layers of three coral species affected and unaffected with dark spots disease

Gil-Agudelo, Diego L.; Fonseca, Diana P. FonsecaD.P.; Weil, Ernesto; Garzón-Ferreira, Jaime; Smith, Garriet W.

doi:10.1139/w07-002

Cited by 26 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Other coral diseases in the Caribbean, such as White Band Disease type II, Yellow Blotch/Band and Dark Spots Disease, were found to be associated with elevated Vibrio spp . prevalence [ 4 ], [54]–[ 56 ], suggesting the involvement of Vibrio strains in numerous coral diseases including coral bleaching [ 5 ], [57]–[ 59 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coral Pathogens Identified for White Syndrome (WS) Epizootics in the Indo-Pacific

et al. 2008

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BackgroundWhite Syndrome (WS), a general term for scleractinian coral diseases with acute signs of advancing tissue lesions often resulting in total colony mortality, has been reported from numerous locations throughout the Indo-Pacific, constituting a growing threat to coral reef ecosystems.Methodology/Principal FindingsBacterial isolates were obtained from corals displaying disease signs at three WS outbreak sites: Nikko Bay in the Republic of Palau, Nelly Bay in the central Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and Majuro Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and used in laboratory-based infection trials to satisfy Henle-Koch's postulates, Evan's rules and Hill's criteria for establishing causality. Infected colonies produced similar signs to those observed in the field following exposure to bacterial concentrations of 1×106 cells ml−1. Phylogenetic 16S rRNA gene analysis demonstrated that all six pathogens identified in this study were members of the γ-Proteobacteria family Vibrionacae, each with greater than 98% sequence identity with the previously characterized coral bleaching pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus. Screening for proteolytic activity of more than 150 coral derived bacterial isolates by a biochemical assay and specific primers for a Vibrio family zinc-metalloprotease demonstrated a significant association between the presence of isolates capable of proteolytic activity and observed disease signs.Conclusion/SignificanceThis is the first study to provide evidence for the involvement of a unique taxonomic group of bacterial pathogens in the aetiology of Indo-Pacific coral diseases affecting multiple coral species at multiple locations. Results from this study strongly suggest the need for further investigation of bacterial proteolytic enzymes as possible virulence factors involved in Vibrio associated acute coral infections.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coral Pathogens Identified for White Syndrome (WS) Epizootics in the Indo-Pacific

et al. 2008

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“…This difference in the composition of bacterial communities may suggest that disease agents impair the structure of natural bacterial communities. It is likely that compromised or dead tissues represent a “micro-niche” that can be colonised by more competitive and opportunistic bacteria in the surrounding water and sediments or transmitted by other marine organisms [14], [15], [17], [18], [37].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bacterial Communities Associated with Porites White Patch Syndrome (PWPS) on Three Western Indian Ocean (WIO) Coral Reefs

et al. 2013

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The scleractinian coral Porites lutea, an important reef-building coral on western Indian Ocean reefs (WIO), is affected by a newly-reported white syndrome (WS) the Porites white patch syndrome (PWPS). Histopathology and culture-independent molecular techniques were used to characterise the microbial communities associated with this emerging disease. Microscopy showed extensive tissue fragmentation generally associated with ovoid basophilic bodies resembling bacterial aggregates. Results of 16S rRNA sequence analysis revealed a high variability between bacterial communities associated with PWPS-infected and healthy tissues in P. lutea, a pattern previously reported in other coral diseases such as black band disease (BBD), white band disease (WBD) and white plague diseases (WPD). Furthermore, substantial variations in bacterial communities were observed at the different sampling locations, suggesting that there is no strong bacterial association in Porites lutea on WIO reefs. Several sequences affiliated with potential pathogens belonging to the Vibrionaceae and Rhodobacteraceae were identified, mainly in PWPS-infected coral tissues. Among them, only two ribotypes affiliated to Shimia marina (NR043300.1) and Vibrio hepatarius (NR025575.1) were consistently found in diseased tissues from the three geographically distant sampling localities. The role of these bacterial species in PWPS needs to be tested experimentally.

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“…Furthermore, [7] suggested that the disease may in fact affect many other species of coral further highlighting the importance of this syndrome in coral ecology and population biology. Interestingly, [5] highlighted significant differences in the morphology of the circular spots associated with these different coral species, and suggested that DSS might actually encompass more than one disease showing similar signs [1], [8], [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The exposed skeleton subsequently gets colonised by algae and/or boring sponges [12]. Although the visual signs of DSS can be seen on most Caribbean reefs, the aetiology of DSS, like many other coral diseases, still remains unknown and only a few studies have attempted to identify a specific pathogen; nonetheless both fungi [13] and bacteria [9] have been implied as potential causal agents to date. Characteristically, the Symbiodinium found in DSS lesions are swollen and darker in pigment in comparison to their natural healthy state with changes observed in their mitotic indices [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the same study, they highlighted cellular degradation and skeletal irregularities with the disease lesion, as well as a low abundance of Symbiodinium , many of which were abnormal with disruption of organelles [13]. In contrast to these studies, a bacterium similar to Vibrio carchariae, a pathogen previously linked to White Band Disease [16], has also be found to be unique to diseased samples and suggested as a potential bacterial causal agent of this coral syndrome, however [9] only utilised culture dependant techniques to analyse the bacterial communities associated with this syndrome, a technique which has been shown to largely underestimate the true microbial assemblages [17], [18]. To date there has been no culture independent studies on the microbial communities associated with Dark Spot and a simultaneous comparison with healthy samples of the same coral species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Characterisation of the Bacterial and Fungal Communities Associated with Different Lesion Sizes of Dark Spot Syndrome Occurring in the Coral Stephanocoenia intersepta

et al. 2013

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The number and prevalence of coral diseases/syndromes are increasing worldwide. Dark Spot Syndrome (DSS) afflicts numerous coral species and is widespread throughout the Caribbean, yet there are no known causal agents. In this study we aimed to characterise the microbial communities (bacteria and fungi) associated with DSS lesions affecting the coral Stephanocoenia intersepta using nonculture molecular techniques. Bacterial diversity of healthy tissues (H), those in advance of the lesion interface (apparently healthy AH), and three sizes of disease lesions (small, medium, and large) varied significantly (ANOSIM R = 0.052 p<0.001), apart from the medium and large lesions, which were similar in their community profile. Four bacteria fitted into the pattern expected from potential pathogens; namely absent from H, increasing in abundance within AH, and dominant in the lesions themselves. These included ribotypes related to Corynebacterium (KC190237), Acinetobacter (KC190251), Parvularculaceae (KC19027), and Oscillatoria (KC190271). Furthermore, two Vibrio species, a genus including many proposed coral pathogens, dominated the disease lesion and were absent from H and AH tissues, making them candidates as potential pathogens for DSS. In contrast, other members of bacteria from the same genus, such as V. harveyii were present throughout all sample types, supporting previous studies where potential coral pathogens exist in healthy tissues. Fungal diversity varied significantly as well, however the main difference between diseased and healthy tissues was the dominance of one ribotype, closely related to the plant pathogen, Rhytisma acerinum, a known causal agent of tar spot on tree leaves. As the corals’ symbiotic algae have been shown to turn to a darker pigmented state in DSS (giving rise to the syndromes name), the two most likely pathogens are R. acerinum and the bacterium Oscillatoria, which has been identified as the causal agent of the colouration in Black Band Disease, another widespread coral disease.

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Bacterial communities associated with the mucopolysaccharide layers of three coral species affected and unaffected with dark spots disease

Cited by 26 publications

References 19 publications

Coral Pathogens Identified for White Syndrome (WS) Epizootics in the Indo-Pacific

Coral Pathogens Identified for White Syndrome (WS) Epizootics in the Indo-Pacific

Bacterial Communities Associated with Porites White Patch Syndrome (PWPS) on Three Western Indian Ocean (WIO) Coral Reefs

Characterisation of the Bacterial and Fungal Communities Associated with Different Lesion Sizes of Dark Spot Syndrome Occurring in the Coral Stephanocoenia intersepta

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