A new Thraustochytrid, strain Fng1, isolated from the surface mucus of the hermatypic coral Fungia granulosa.
Recent evidence suggests that there is a dynamic microbial biota living on the surface and in the mucus layer of many hermatypic coral species that plays an essential role in coral well-being. Most of the studies published to date emphasize the importance of prokaryotic communities associated with the coral mucus in coral health and disease. In this study, we report the presence of a protist (Fng1) in the mucus of the hermatypic coral Fungia granulosa from the Gulf of Eilat. This protist was identified morphologically and molecularly as belonging to the family Thraustochytridae (phylum Stramenopile, order Labyrinthulida), a group of heterotrophs widely distributed in the marine environment. Morphological examination of this strain revealed a nonmotile organism c. 35 mum in diameter, which is able to thrive on carbon-deprived media, and whose growth and morphology are inoculum dependent. Its fatty acid production profile revealed an array of polyunsaturated fatty acids. A similar protist was also isolated from the mucus of the coral Favia sp. In light of these findings, its possible contribution to the coral holobiont is discussed.
Harel
Moshe
M
Department of Biotechnology Engineering and National Institute for Biotechnology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er-Sheva, Israel.
Ben-Dov
Eitan
E
Rasoulouniriana
Diana
D
Siboni
Nachshon
N
Kramarsky-Winter
Esti
E
Loya
Yossi
Y
Barak
Ze'ev
Z
Wiesman
Zeev
Z
Kushmaro
Ariel
A
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000469:parasitology*; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D008853:Microscopy; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D000596:Amino Acids; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D005227:Fatty Acids; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S