Interspecific transmission and recovery of TCBS-induced disease between Acanthaster planci and Linckia guildingi

Caballes, Ciemon F.; Schupp, Peter J.; Pratchett, Morgan S.; Rivera-Posada, Jairo

doi:10.3354/dao02480

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Additionally, a 2011 study focusing on population control methods of the Crown of thorns Sea Star, Acanthaster planci, used a thiosulfate-citrate-bile-sucrose agar (TCBS) to selectively stimulate the growth of Vibrionaceae species (Rivera-Posada et al, 2011a;Rivera-Posada et al, 2011b). Not only did the TCBS stimulation of Vibrionaceae species elicit SSW-like signs and mortality, but a follow up study in 2012 demonstrated an interspecies transmissibility of the TCBS-induced disease between different species of asteroids (Caballes et al, 2012). Taken together, these results suggest an important role for Vibrio in SSW, though future work in which the abundance of Vibrio is manipulated would be needed to test this hypothesis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial dysbiosis precedes signs of sea star wasting disease in wild populations of Pycnopodia helianthoides

et al. 2023

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Sea star wasting (SSW) disease, a massive and ongoing epidemic with unknown cause(s), has led to the rapid death and decimation of sea star populations with cascading ecological consequences. Changes in microbial community structure have been previously associated with SSW, however, it remains unknown if SSW-associated dysbiosis is a mechanism or artifact of disease progression, particularly in wild populations. Here, we compare the microbiomes of the sunflower sea star, Pycnopodia helianthoides, before (Naïve) and during (Exposed and Wasting) the initial outbreak in Southeast Alaska to identify changes and interactions in the microbial communities associated with sea star health and disease exposure. We found an increase in microbial diversity (both alpha and beta diversity) preceding signs of disease and an increase in abundance of facultative and obligate anaerobes (most notably Vibrio) in both Exposed (apparently healthy) and Wasting animals. Complementing these changes in microbial composition was the initial gain of metabolic functions upon disease exposure, and loss of function with signs of wasting. Using Bayesian network clustering, we found evidence of dysbiosis in the form of co-colonization of taxa appearing in large numbers among Exposed and Wasting individuals, in addition to the loss of communities associated with Naïve sea stars. These changes in community structure suggest a shared set of colonizing microbes that may be important in the initial stages of SSW. Together, these results provide several complementary perspectives in support of an early dysbiotic event preceding visible signs of SSW.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial dysbiosis precedes signs of sea star wasting disease in wild populations of Pycnopodia helianthoides

et al. 2023

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“…Even if the predation is not immediately fatal, sublethal attacks may still have an important influence on population dynamics. In the short term, open injuries and exposed internal organs may increase the likelihood of pathogenic infections and disease transmission among individuals [90][91][92] and can also increase susceptibility to further attacks [39]. Even if starfish effectively repair injuries caused by partial predation, effective declines in the size of individuals caused by sub-lethal predation will reduce food intake [88,93,94].…”

Section: Sub-lethal Injuriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Known Predators of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster spp.) and Their Role in Mitigating, If Not Preventing, Population Outbreaks

et al. 2017

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Predatory release has long been considered a potential contributor to population outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS; Acanthaster spp.). This has initiated extensive searches for potentially important predators that can consume large numbers of CoTS at high rates, which are also vulnerable to over-fishing or reef degradation. Herein, we review reported predators of CoTS and assess the potential for these organisms to exert significant mortality, and thereby prevent and/or moderate CoTS outbreaks. In all, 80 species of coral reef organisms (including fishes, and motile and sessile invertebrates) are reported to predate on CoTS gametes (three species), larvae (17 species), juveniles (15 species), adults (18 species) and/or opportunistically feed on injured (10 species) or moribund (42 species) individuals within reef habitats. It is clear however, that predation on early life-history stages has been understudied, and there are likely to be many more species of reef fishes and/or sessile invertebrates that readily consume CoTS gametes and/or larvae. Given the number and diversity of coral reef species that consume Acanthaster spp., most of which (e.g., Arothron pufferfishes) are not explicitly targeted by reef-based fisheries, links between overfishing and CoTS outbreaks remain equivocal. There is also no single species that appears to have a disproportionate role in regulating CoTS populations. Rather, the collective consumption of CoTS by multiple different species and at different life-history stages is likely to suppress the local abundance of CoTS, and thereby mediate the severity of outbreaks. It is possible therefore, that general degradation of reef ecosystems and corresponding declines in biodiversity and productivity, may contribute to increasing incidence or severity of outbreaks of Acanthaster spp. However, it seems unlikely that predatory release in and of itself could account for initial onset of CoTS outbreaks. In conclusion, reducing anthropogenic stressors that reduce the abundance and/or diversity of potential predatory species represents a "no regrets" management strategy, but will need to be used in conjunction with other management strategies to prevent, or reduce the occurrence, of CoTS outbreaks.

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“…in the crown of thorns sea star, Acanthaster planci [ 77 ]. In addition, media-induced disease can be transmitted by contact between crown-of-thorns and another sea star species, Linckia guildingi [ 78 ]. A pattern is emerging across echinoderm diseases: factors that promote the proliferation of one or several microbes could lead to dysbiosis, loss of neurological control of the echinoderm catch collagen system, followed by lesions and loss of tissue integrity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sea stars resist wasting through active immune and collagen systems

Pespeni

Lloyd

2023

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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Epidemics are becoming more common and severe, however, pinpointing the causes can be challenging, particularly in marine environments. The cause of sea star wasting (SSW) disease, the ongoing, largest known panzootic of marine wildlife, is unresolved. Here, we measured gene expression longitudinally of 24 adult Pisaster ochraceus sea stars, collected from a recovered site, as they remained asymptomatic (8 individuals) or naturally progressed through SSW (16 individuals) in individual aquaria. Immune, tissue integrity and pro-collagen genes were more highly expressed in asymptomatic relative to wasting individuals, while hypoxia-inducible factor 1-α and RNA processing genes were more highly expressed in wasting relative to asymptomatic individuals. Integrating microbiome data from the same tissue samples, we identified genes and microbes whose abundance/growth was associated with disease status. Importantly, sea stars that remained visibly healthy showed that laboratory conditions had little effect on microbiome composition. Lastly, considering genotypes at 98 145 single-nucleotide polymorphism, we found no variants associated with final health status. These findings suggest that animals exposed to the cause(s) of SSW remain asymptomatic with an active immune response and sustained control of their collagen system while animals that succumb to wasting show evidence of responding to hypoxia and dysregulation of RNA processing systems.

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Interspecific transmission and recovery of TCBS-induced disease between Acanthaster planci and Linckia guildingi

Cited by 6 publications

References 22 publications

Microbial dysbiosis precedes signs of sea star wasting disease in wild populations of Pycnopodia helianthoides

Microbial dysbiosis precedes signs of sea star wasting disease in wild populations of Pycnopodia helianthoides

Known Predators of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster spp.) and Their Role in Mitigating, If Not Preventing, Population Outbreaks

Sea stars resist wasting through active immune and collagen systems

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