title: Vibrio zinc-metalloprotease causes photoinactivation of coral endosymbionts and coral tissue lesions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Coral diseases are emerging as a serious threat to coral reefs worldwide. Of nine coral infectious diseases, whose pathogens have been characterized, six are caused by agents from the family Vibrionacae, raising questions as to their origin and role in coral disease aetiology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Here we report on a Vibrio zinc-metalloprotease causing rapid photoinactivation of susceptible Symbiodinium endosymbionts followed by lesions in coral tissue. Symbiodinium photosystem II inactivation was diagnosed by an imaging pulse amplitude modulation fluorometer in two bioassays, performed by exposing Symbiodinium cells and coral juveniles to non-inhibited and EDTA-inhibited supernatants derived from coral white syndrome pathogens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings demonstrate a common virulence factor from four phylogenetically related coral pathogens, suggesting that zinc-metalloproteases may play an important role in Vibrio pathogenicity in scleractinian corals.
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, and School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia. dsmb007@jcu.edu.au
authors.forename: Meir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sussman
authors.forename: Jos C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Mieog
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Victor
authors.forename: Bette L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Willis
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Bourne
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000382:microbiology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000201:enzymology; D045726:Metalloproteases / Q000502:physiology*; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D014733:Vibrio / Q000201:enzymology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D015032:Zinc
chemical_list: D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex; D045726:Metalloproteases; D015032:Zinc