title: Abundance, diversity and antibiotics resistance pattern of Vibrio spp. in coral ecosystem of Kurusadai island.
abstract: The abundance and species diversity of Vibrio associated with coral reef ecosystem of Kurusadai island, Tamil Nadu, India were evaluated. A total of twelve sampling locations including different live and dead coral surfaces, surrounding water and rock surface (negative control) were selected for the present study. Total viable and TCBS counts were found to be higher in dead coral as compared to that of live coral. Out of total 21 species of Vibrio isolated, 13 were identified up to species level based on biochemical tests and 16S rRNA gene sequence homology, while remaining 8 isolates did not show homology up to species level with any of the sequences available in the NCBI database. Moreover, these unidentified Vibrio spp. exhibited intra-species variation. This study indicated association of hitherto unknown Vibrio species with coral reef ecosystem of Kurusadai island. Assuming that only resistant bacteria can grow in the coral environment, susceptibility against a total of 20 antibiotics was evaluated. All the isolates exhibited resistance towards more than 6 antibiotics. Interestingly, none of the identified bacteria were previously reported to be of coral pathogen reflecting the healthy nature of the ecosystem. However, a continuous monitoring of the region will be prerequisite to envisage the role of these bacteria on the health status of the coral ecosystem.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Marine Biotechnology and Ecology, Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Bhavnagar 364002, Gujarat, India. shaldar@csmcri.org
authors.forename: Soumya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haldar
authors.forename: Kalpana H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Mody
authors.forename: Bhavanath
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000382:microbiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D017753:Ecosystem; D014644:Genetic Variation; D007194:India; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D014733:Vibrio / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S