Analysis of the coral associated bacterial community structures in healthy and diseased corals from off-shore of southern Taiwan.
The methods of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and DNA sequencing were used to analyze the ribotypes of microbial communities associated with corals. Both healthy and diseased coral of different species were collected at three locations off the southern coast of Taiwan. Ribotyping results suggested that the microbial communities were diverse. The microbial community profiles, even among the same species of corals from different geographical locations, differ significantly. The coral-associated bacterial communities contain many bacteria common to the habitants of various invertebrates. However, some bacteria were unexpected. The presence of some unusual species, such as Staphylococcus, Clostridium and Legionella, associated with corals that were likely the results of human activities. Human activities, such as thermal pollution from the nearby nuclear plant, active fishing and tourism industries in the region might have all contributed to the change in bacterial communities and the death of coral colonies around the region.
Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan.
Shu-Fen
SF
Chiou
Jimmy
J
Kuo
Tit-Yee
TY
Wong
Tung-Yung
TY
Fan
Kwee Siong
KS
Tew
Jong-Kang
JK
Liu
D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000145:classification / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D044822:Biodiversity; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005843:Geography; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D021521:Ribotyping; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013624:Taiwan; D014871:Water Microbiology
D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S