title: The functional gene composition and metabolic potential of coral-associated microbial communities.
abstract: The phylogenetic diversity of coral-associated microbes has been extensively examined, but some contention remains regarding whether coral-associated microbial communities are species-specific or site-specific. It is suggested that corals may associate with microbes in terms of function, although little is known about the differences in coral-associated microbial functional gene composition and metabolic potential among coral species. Here, 16S rRNA Illumina sequencing and functional gene array (GeoChip 5.0) were used to assess coral-associated microbial communities. Our results indicate that both host species and environmental variables significantly correlate with shifts in the microbial community structure and functional potential. Functional genes related to key biogeochemical cycles including carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorus cycling, metal homeostasis, organic remediation, antibiotic resistance and secondary metabolism were shown to significantly vary between and among the four study corals (Galaxea astreata, Porites lutea, Porites andrewsi and Pavona decussata). Genes specific for anammox were also detected for the first time in the coral holobiont and positively correlated with ammonium. This study reveals that variability in the functional potential of coral-associated microbial communities is largely driven by changes in environmental factors and further demonstrates the importance of linking environmental parameters with genomic data in complex environmental systems.
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China.|Tropical Marine Biological Research station in Hainan, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China.|Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA.
authors.forename: Yanying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China.
authors.forename: Qingsong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA.|Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524025, China.
authors.forename: Chongqing
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA.|Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Qingyun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA.
authors.forename: Joy D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Van Nostrand
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA.
authors.forename: Zhou
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, USA.
authors.forename: Jizhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China.|Tropical Marine Biological Research station in Hainan, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China.
authors.forename: Junde
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000382:microbiology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D017753:Ecosystem; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000235:genetics; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D013455:Sulfur / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D010758:Phosphorus; D013455:Sulfur; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen