Identification of a protist-coral association and its possible ecological role

Kramarsky‐Winter, Esti; Harel, Moshe; Siboni, Nachshon; Ben‐Dov, Eitan; Brickner, Itzchak; Loya, Yossi; Kushmaro, Ariel

doi:10.3354/meps317067

Cited by 42 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…The white reXective granules which dominate the calice rims of some terminal branch tips appear similar in size and appearance to those shown by Kramarsky-Winter et al (2006) and thought to be stramenopile protists. However the ones shown here do not accumulate on the outer ectodermal surface, they do not Xuoresce, and they do not stain with SYBR Green DNA stain (data not shown).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 59%

Microbial landscapes on the outer tissue surfaces of the reef-building coral Porites compressa

Johnston

Rohwer

2007

Coral Reefs

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Microbial-coral interactions are increasingly recognized as important for coral health and disease. Visualizing these interactions is important for understanding where, when, and how the coral animal and microbes interact. Porites compressa, preserved using Parducz Wxative and examined by scanning electron microscopy, revealed a changing microbial landscape. The external cell layers of this coral were invariably clean of directly adhering microbes, unlike coral-associated mucus. In colonies with expanded polyps, secreted mucus rapidly dissipated, although blobs of new mucus were common; the coral epidermal cells expressed cilia, which are presumably used to clean the surface, and coral-associated microbes were present as Xocs, possibly enmeshed in mucus. In colonies with permanently contracted polyps, the coral epidermis had lost cilia and a stable, multi-lamellar mucous sheet covered the surface of the animal. This sheet became heavily colonized by both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbes, however these microbes did not penetrate the mucous sheet and the animal's epidermal cell surfaces remained sterile. These observations show that relationships between this coral animal and associated microbes are highly dynamic.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 59%

Microbial landscapes on the outer tissue surfaces of the reef-building coral Porites compressa

Johnston

Rohwer

2007

Coral Reefs

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“…This indication of an emerging disease compels further characterization of the relationship between MFPS and biotic invaders. Labyrinthulomycetes have been previously associated with apparently healthy cnidarian hosts (based on either light or electron microscopy or both) including hydroids (Raghukumar 1988) and scleractinian corals (Kramarsky-Winter et al 2006, Siboni et al 2010. Based on 18S rRNA sequences, Labyrinthulomycetes from the family Thraustochytriidae were associated with scleractinian corals: Fungia granulosa in the Gulf of Eliat (/Aqaba) (genera unknown, Harel et al 2008) and with Favia spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These results are similar to the molecular analyses of Labyrinthulomycetes present in sea fan colonies described in the present study. In sclerac tinian corals, Labyrinthulomycetes can form white patches on the host surface (Kramarsky-Winter et al 2006) and have been described in the mucus, coral surface, and coral tissues (Raghukumar & Balasubramanian 1991, Kramarsky-Winter et al 2006, Siboni et al 2010. The Labyrinthulomycetes− scleractinian relationship may be mutualistic or commensal, with the thraustochytrids providing the host with nutrition and nutrient cycling in exchange for coral mucus as a carbon source (Siboni et al 2010).…”

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confidence: 99%

Friend or foe: the association of Labyrinthulomycetes with the Caribbean sea fan Gorgonia ventalina

Burge¹,

Douglas²,

Conti-Jerpe³

et al. 2012

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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A new syndrome in sea fans Gorgonia ventalina consisting of multifocal purple spots (MFPS) has been observed in the Caribbean Sea. Surveys of MFPS on sea fans were conducted from 2006 to 2010 at a shallow and deep site in La Parguera, Puerto Rico (PR). At the shallow site, MFPS increased between 2006 and 2010 (site average ranged from 8 to 23%), with differences found at depths over time using an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA, p < 0.0001). As a potential causative agent we examined a Labyrinthulomycota-like ovoid parasite that was observed to be abundant in MFPS lesions in light micrographs. Labyrinhylomycetes were successfully isolated, cultured and characterized in sea fans from Florida and PR. Sequence information obtained from the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene indicated that Labyrinthulomycetes in most sea fans (healthy and MFPS sea fans from Florida; MFPS from PR) and the cultured microorganism are in the genus Aplanochytrium, although some healthy sea fans from PR contained members of the genus Thraustochytrium. Both genera fall within the family Thraustochytriidae. Histology confirmed ob servations of thraustochytrids within apparently healthy and MFPS sea fans from PR, and specific staining indicated a host melanization response only in colonies containing Labyrinthulomycetes or fungal infections. Growth trials indicate that the temperature-growth optima for the cultured microorganism is ~30°C. In inoculation experiments, the cultured Aplanochytrium did not induce purple spots, and histology revealed that many of the apparently healthy recipients contained Labyrinthulomycetes prior to inoculation. Taken together, these results indicate that the Labyrinthulomycetes associated with sea fans is likely an opportunistic pathogen. Further studies are needed to understand the pathogenesis of this microorganism in sea fans and its relationship with MFPS.KEY WORDS: Labyrinthulomycota · Caribbean sea fan · Gorgonia ventalina · Multi-focal purple spots · MFPS Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherDis Aquat Org 101: [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] 2012 increase in the number of purple sclerites and is a generalized response to invading pathogens or other biotic agents (Petes et al. 2003, Alker et al. 2004, Smith & Weil 2004. Necrotic lesions, surrounded by purple halos in G. ventalina, have been described as aspergillosis (Smith et al. 1996, Nagelkerken et al. 1997, Kim & Harvell 2001. The terrestrial fungus Aspergillus sy dowii was isolated from fans with these signs and Koch's postulates fulfilled in controlled laboratory experiments (Smith et al. 1996, Geiser et al. 1998). More recently, culture-dependent sampling showed that fungal species other than A. sydowii can be associated with lesions (ToledoHernández et al. 2008). During field surveys in Mexico, Florida, and Puerto Rico, a new type of lesion was identified (Weil & Hooten 2009, Weil & Rogers 2011 our Fig. 1) that is characterized by small (1 to 3 mm in diameter), circular to oblong multi-focal...

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“…The origin of such differences among white colonies with opaque tissue (hereafter referred to as 'white') in TSB is still unknown. Diseases (Rosenberg et al 2007;Sheridan et al 2013) and sedimentation (Fisher et al 2008;Weber et al 2012) may cause white colour patterns in the coral surface, as well as the presence of mutualistic protists (Borneman 2003;Kramarsky-Winter et al 2006). Such mutualistic protists, in particular thraustochytrids, form white patches or coatings covering the coral surface, are geographically widespread and have been reported in scleractinian corals such as Acanthastrea, Favia and Favites (Siboni et al 2010).…”

mentioning

confidence: 96%

White but not bleached: photophysiological evidence from white Montastraea cavernosa reveals potential overestimation of coral bleaching

et al. 2015

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colour types (dark brown, light brown, bleached and white) were sampled for photobiological evaluation. Here, we show that, while the conventional spectral reflectance techniques failed to discriminate white from bleached colonies, chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthetic pigment profile and Symbiodinium density enabled a clear distinction between these shades. Subsequently, video transects from reef monitoring surveys at Todos os Santos Bay (Brazil) revealed that the proportion of bleached and white colonies is similar, thus suggesting that current coral reef surveys may be overestimating the bleaching of M. cavernosa by nearly twofold.

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Identification of a protist-coral association and its possible ecological role

Cited by 42 publications

References 30 publications

Microbial landscapes on the outer tissue surfaces of the reef-building coral Porites compressa

Microbial landscapes on the outer tissue surfaces of the reef-building coral Porites compressa

Friend or foe: the association of Labyrinthulomycetes with the Caribbean sea fan Gorgonia ventalina

White but not bleached: photophysiological evidence from white Montastraea cavernosa reveals potential overestimation of coral bleaching

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