The contribution of microbial biotechnology to mitigating coral reef degradation

Damjanovic, Katarina; Blackall, Linda L.; Webster, Nicole S.; Oppen, Madeleine J. H. van

doi:10.1111/1751-7915.12769

Cited by 94 publications

(74 citation statements)

References 89 publications

(98 reference statements)

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“…Corals can harbor complex microbial ecosystems, which frequently result in the development of both specific and variable host‐associated microbial communities (reviewed in Webster & Reusch, ), which can benefit host fitness (Peixoto, Rosado, Leite, Rosado, & Bourne, ; Webster & Reusch, ). Despite the close relationship between corals and their associated microbiomes, which can include organisms that have effects that vary from beneficial (Damjanovic, Blackall, Webster, & van Oppen, ; Krediet, Ritchie, Paul, & Teplitski, ; Peixoto et al., ; Webster & Reusch, ) to pathogenic (Meistertzheim, Nugues, Quéré, & Galand, ; Sweet & Bulling, ; Wright et al., ), knowledge of these intrinsic symbiotic, or dysbiotic, that is, disrupted symbiotic relationships (Bosch & Miller, ; Egan & Gardiner, ; Petersen & Round, ), interactions, and associated mechanisms is sparse.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This microbiome‐mediated transgenerational acclimatization (MMTA) (proposed by Webster & Reusch, ) could lead to the rapid adaptation (and evolution) of corals to adverse environmental conditions. This natural acclimatization could be boosted in the face of environmental stresses (Damjanovic et al., ; Peixoto et al., ), for example, through the manipulation of specific key members of the microbiome, which have recently been termed “beneficial microorganisms for corals” (BMCs) (Peixoto et al., ). However, several questions remain, namely who are these key beneficial players, is there a taxonomic selection of the dominant microbes, and how do they interact within the holobiont?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Specific plasmid patterns and high rates of bacterial co‐occurrence within the coral holobiont

Leite

Salles

Calderón

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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Despite the importance of coral microbiomes for holobiont persistence, the interactions among these are not well understood. In particular, knowledge of the co‐occurrence and taxonomic importance of specific members of the microbial core, as well as patterns of specific mobile genetic elements (MGEs), is lacking. We used seawater and mucus samples collected from Mussismilia hispida colonies on two reefs located in Bahia, Brazil, to disentangle their associated bacterial communities, intertaxa correlations, and plasmid patterns. Proxies for two broad‐host‐range (BHR) plasmid groups, IncP‐1β and PromA, were screened. Both groups were significantly (up to 252 and 100%, respectively) more abundant in coral mucus than in seawater. Notably, the PromA plasmid group was detected only in coral mucus samples. The core bacteriome of M. hispida mucus was composed primarily of members of the Proteobacteria, followed by those of Firmicutes. Significant host specificity and co‐occurrences among different groups of the dominant phyla (e.g., Bacillaceae and Pseudoalteromonadaceae and the genera Pseudomonas, Bacillus, and Vibrio) were detected. These relationships were observed for both the most abundant phyla and the bacteriome core, in which most of the operational taxonomic units showed intertaxa correlations. The observed evidence of host‐specific bacteriome and co‐occurrence (and potential symbioses or niche space co‐dominance) among the most dominant members indicates a taxonomic selection of members of the stable bacterial community. In parallel, host‐specific plasmid patterns could also be, independently, related to the assembly of members of the coral microbiome.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Specific plasmid patterns and high rates of bacterial co‐occurrence within the coral holobiont

Leite

Salles

Calderón

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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“…) or communities of bacteria from “donor” heat‐resistant corals (Damjanovic et al . ), with the goal of increasing coral resilience to thermal stress. Although both of those studies reported successful inoculation, the extent to which the manipulations conferred thermal tolerance to the coral host and the long‐term stability of the introduced symbiosis remain uncertain.…”

Section: Current Applications Of Mementioning

confidence: 99%

“…, ; Damjanovic et al . ). Industries such as agriculture and human medicine now use ME approaches regularly to improve crop yields and human health, respectively.…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

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Microbiome engineering: enhancing climate resilience in corals

Epstein

Smith

Torda

et al. 2019

Frontiers in Ecol & Environ

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The world's coral reefs are under unparalleled pressure due to climate change, stimulating research focused on preventing further damage and loss in these ecosystems. The coral microbiome has been widely acknowledged as crucial to coral health and function, playing multiple roles in key biological processes. Recent empirical studies suggest that microbes may contribute to coral host tolerance of thermal stress, and harnessing these benefits through microbiome engineering (ME) may provide a mechanism for enhancing climate resilience in corals. Although coral ME is in its infancy, similar and successful ME approaches that are already underway in other fields – including agriculture, medicine, and wastewater treatment – may serve to guide and improve ME techniques in corals. We discuss current applications of ME, identify three key research priorities that will help elucidate the viability of ME for corals, and consider the implications of using these approaches for reef restoration.

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Adapting with Microbial Help: Microbiome Flexibility Facilitates Rapid Responses to Environmental Change

2020

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Animals and plants are metaorganisms and associate with microbes that affect their physiology, stress tolerance, and fitness. Here the hypothesis that alteration of the microbiome may constitute a fast‐response mechanism to environmental change is examined. This is supported by recent reciprocal transplant experiments with reef corals, which have shown that their microbiome adapts to thermally variable habitats and changes over time when transplanted into different environments. Further, inoculation of corals with beneficial bacteria increases their stress tolerance. But corals differ in their ability to flexibly associate with different bacteria. How scales of microbiome flexibility may reflect different metaorganism adaptation mechanisms is discussed and future directions for research are pinpointed. It is posited that microbiome flexibility is a broad phenomenon that contributes to the ability of organisms to respond to environmental change. Importantly, adapting with microbial help may provide an alternate route to organismal adaptation that facilitates rapid responses.

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The contribution of microbial biotechnology to mitigating coral reef degradation

Cited by 94 publications

References 89 publications

Specific plasmid patterns and high rates of bacterial co‐occurrence within the coral holobiont

Specific plasmid patterns and high rates of bacterial co‐occurrence within the coral holobiont

Microbiome engineering: enhancing climate resilience in corals

Adapting with Microbial Help: Microbiome Flexibility Facilitates Rapid Responses to Environmental Change

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