title: Harboring oil-degrading bacteria: a potential mechanism of adaptation and survival in corals inhabiting oil-contaminated reefs.
abstract: Certain coral reef systems north of the Arabian Gulf are characterized by corals with a unique ability to thrive and flourish despite the presence of crude oil continuously seeping from natural cracks in the seabed. Harboring oil-degrading bacteria as a part of the holobiont has been investigated as a potential mechanism of adaptation and survival for corals in such systems. The use of conventional and molecular techniques verified a predominance of bacteria affiliated with Gammaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes in the mucus and tissues of Acropora clathrata and Porites compressa. These bacteria were capable of degrading a wide range of aliphatic (C9-C28) aromatic hydrocarbons (Phenanthrene, Biphenyl, Naphthalene) and crude oil. In addition, microcosms supplied with coral samples and various concentrations of crude oil shifted their bacterial population toward the more advantageous types of oil degraders as oil concentrations increased.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 5969, Safat 13060, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Lulwa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Al-Dahash
authors.forename: Huda M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Mahmoud
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000502:physiology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D044822:Biodiversity; D057894:Coral Reefs; D010578:Petroleum / Q000378:metabolism*; D059392:Petroleum Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010802:Phylogeny; D013559:Symbiosis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical