title: Successive shifts in the microbial community of the surface mucus layer and tissues of the coral Acropora muricata under thermal stress.
abstract: The coral mucus may harbor commensal bacteria that inhibit growth of pathogens. Therefore, there is a need to understand the dynamics of bacterial communities between the coral mucus and tissues. Nubbins of Acropora muricata were subjected to increasing water temperatures of 26°C-33°C, to simultaneously explore the bacterial diversity in coral mucus and tissues by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Photochemical efficiency of symbiotic dinoflagellates within the corals declined above 31°C. Both the mucus and tissues of healthy A. muricata were dominated by γ-Proteobacteria, but under thermal stress there was a shift towards bacteria from the Verrucomicrobiaceae and α-Proteobacteria. Members of Cyanobacteria, Flavobacteria and Sphingobacteria also become more prominent at higher temperatures. The relative abundance of Vibrio spp. in the coral mucus increased at 29°C, but at 31°C, there was a drop in the relative abundance of Vibrio spp. in the mucus, with a reciprocal increase in the tissues. On the other hand, during bleaching, the relative abundance of Endozoicomonas spp. decreased in the tissues with a reciprocal increase in the mucus. This is the first systematic experiment that shows the potential for a bacterial community shift between the coral surface mucus and tissues in a thermally stressed coral.
authors.affiliation: School of Environment, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Sonny T M
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington. PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Simon K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Davy
authors.affiliation: Microbial Lab, Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan sltang@gate.sinica.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Sen-Lin
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Science Education Department and Industry Academia Collaboration Center, National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Checheng, Pingtung 944, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tung-Yung
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: School of Environment, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Kench
mesh_terms: D020561:Alphaproteobacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000382:microbiology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D044822:Biodiversity; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004141:Dinoflagellida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D041965:Flavobacteriaceae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020563:Gammaproteobacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006358:Hot Temperature; D059013:Microbial Consortia / Q000235:genetics; D009093:Mucus / Q000382:microbiology*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013559:Symbiosis / Q000502:physiology; D061327:Verrucomicrobia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014733:Vibrio / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: bacterial community; bleaching; coral compartments