Coral Microbiomes

?? The relationship between #corals and their microbiomes is symbiotic and essential for coral health and survival. Since the 1950s, about half of the coral reef cover has been lost, and according to recent estimates 70–90% of global coral reefs may disappear even under the most optimistic 1.5 °C warming scenario. Since corals provide a habitat for about 30% of all marine species and perform essential ecosystem services it’s paramount to learn as much as possible about the dynamics between corals and their microbiomes which include bacteria, archaea, viruses, and other microorganisms.

??Although corals are often considered structurally simple animals, they harbour nearly 40 different cell types. Such diversity means that the coral skeleton has diverse microenvironments that differ in pH, light, dissolved oxygen and chemical profiles. Therefore, single cell and spatially resolved #metagenomic techniques are pivotal to draw the landscape of microbial abundance across the entire coral holobiont. This structural relationship can be so close that bacteria reside intracellularly and can form compact-tissue associated aggregates. When coral fragments are analyzed, whole or homogenized, using bulk approaches, this spatial information becomes obscure and limits our ability to understand these complicated interactions on a granular level.

We now know that coral microorganisms have a number of roles to play in symbiosis with the host organism:

?? Nutrient Cycling

The bacterial microbiome plays a crucial role in nutrient cycling, helping to process and recycle nutrients that are vital for coral growth and health.

?? Stress Resilience

A healthy microbiome enhances the coral’s ability to withstand environmental stressors, such as temperature changes and pollution. This resilience is critical for the coral’s survival in changing conditions.

?? Disease Prevention

The microbiome helps protect corals from diseases by outcompeting harmful pathogens and producing antimicrobial compounds.

?? Impact of Environmental Changes

Factors like pollution, overfishing, and climate change can disrupt the balance of the coral #microbiome, leading to negative outcomes such as disease and bleaching.

?? Potential Interventions

Understanding the coral-microbiome relationship opens up possibilities for microbiome-based interventions to support coral health and reef resilience.

?? To dive deeper into the groundbreaking single-cell and metagenomic technologies that can unlock these insights, visit Single–Cell Metagenomics page. Discover how these advanced techniques are revolutionizing our understanding and preservation of coral ecosystems.

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