title: The interaction between the proliferating macroalga Asparagopsis taxiformis and the coral Astroides calycularis induces changes in microbiome and metabolomic fingerprints.
abstract: Mediterranean Sea ecosystems are considered as hotspots of biological introductions, exposed to possible negative effects of non-indigenous species. In such temperate marine ecosystems, macroalgae may be dominant, with a great percentage of their diversity represented by introduced species. Their interaction with temperate indigenous benthic organisms have been poorly investigated. To provide new insights, we performed an experimental study on the interaction between the introduced proliferative red alga Asparagopsis taxiformis and the indigenous Mediterranean coral Astroides calycularis. The biological response measurements included meta-barcoding of the associated microbial communities and metabolomic fingerprinting of both species. Significant changes were detected among both associated microbial communities, the interspecific differences decreasing with stronger host interaction. No short term effects of the macroalga on the coral health, neither on its polyp activity or its metabolism, were detected. In contrast, the contact interaction with the coral induced a change in the macroalgal metabolomic fingerprint with a significant increase of its bioactivity against the marine bacteria Aliivibrio fischeri. This induction was related to the expression of bioactive metabolites located on the macroalgal surface, a phenomenon which might represent an immediate defensive response of the macroalga or an allelopathic offense against coral.
authors.affiliation: Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie marine et continentale, IMBE UMR 7263 CNRS/IRD/Aix Marseille Université/Avignon Université. Station Marine d'Endoume, rue de la Batterie des Lions, 13007 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Greff
authors.affiliation: CCMAR-CIMAR Centre for Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Tânia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aires
authors.affiliation: CCMAR-CIMAR Centre for Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ester A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Serrão
authors.affiliation: CCMAR-CIMAR Centre for Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Aschwin H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Engelen
authors.affiliation: Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie marine et continentale, IMBE UMR 7263 CNRS/IRD/Aix Marseille Université/Avignon Université. Station Marine d'Endoume, rue de la Batterie des Lions, 13007 Marseille, France.|GEOAZUR, UMR 7329 CNRS/Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Faculté des Sciences, Parc Valrose 06108, Nice, France.|Marine Biodiscovery, School of Chemistry, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Olivier P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie marine et continentale, IMBE UMR 7263 CNRS/IRD/Aix Marseille Université/Avignon Université. Station Marine d'Endoume, rue de la Batterie des Lions, 13007 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pérez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology*; D055442:Metabolome; D055432:Metabolomics / Q000379:methods; D056265:Microbial Interactions; D064307:Microbiota; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D012624:Seaweed / Q000502:physiology*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D013696:Temperature