Rapid evolution of coral proteins responsible for interaction with the environment.

Background: Corals worldwide are in decline due to climate change effects (e.g., rising seawater temperatures), pollution, and exploitation.

Circadian clock gene expression in the coral Favia fragum over diel and lunar reproductive cycles.

Natural light cycles synchronize behavioral and physiological cycles over varying time periods in both plants and animals. Many scleractinian corals exhibit diel cycles of polyp expansion and contraction entrained by diel sunlight patterns, and monthly cycles of spawning or planulation that correspond to lunar moonlight cycles. The molecular mechanisms for regulating such cycles are poorly understood.

Location-specific responses to thermal stress in larvae of the reef-building coral Montastraea faveolata.

Background: The potential to adapt to a changing climate depends in part upon the standing genetic variation present in wild populations. In corals, the dispersive larval phase is particularly vulnerable to the effects of environmental stress. Larval survival and response to stress during dispersal and settlement will play a key role in the persistence of coral populations.

Development and heat stress-induced transcriptomic changes during embryogenesis of the scleractinian coral Acropora palmata.

Projected elevation of seawater temperatures poses a threat to the reproductive success of Caribbean reef-building corals that have planktonic development during the warmest months of the year. This study examined the transcriptomic changes that occurred during embryonic and larval development of the elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, at a non-stressful temperature (28°C) and further assessed the effects of two elevated temperatures (30°C and 31.5°C) on these expression patterns.

Elevated temperature affects development, survivorship, and settlement of the elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata (Lamarck 1816).

Elevated seawater temperatures during the late summer have the potential to negatively affect the development and survivorship of the larvae of reef corals that are reproductive during that time of year. Acropora palmata, a major Caribbean hermatype, reproduces annually during August and September. A.

Effects of temperature on gene expression in embryos of the coral Montastraea faveolata.

Background: Coral reefs are expected to be severely impacted by rising seawater temperatures associated with climate change. This study used cDNA microarrays to investigate transcriptional effects of thermal stress in embryos of the coral Montastraea faveolata. Embryos were exposed to 27.

The host transcriptome remains unaltered during the establishment of coral-algal symbioses.

Coral reefs are based on the symbiotic relationship between corals and photosynthetic dinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium. We followed gene expression of coral larvae of Acropora palmata and Montastraea faveolata after exposure to Symbiodinium strains that differed in their ability to establish symbioses. We show that the coral host transcriptome remains almost unchanged during infection by competent symbionts, but is massively altered by symbionts that fail to establish symbioses.

Coral life history and symbiosis: functional genomic resources for two reef building Caribbean corals, Acropora palmata and Montastraea faveolata.

Background: Scleractinian corals are the foundation of reef ecosystems in tropical marine environments. Their great success is due to interactions with endosymbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium spp.), with which they are obligately symbiotic.

THE EFFECTS OF SALINITY STRESS ON THE RATES OF AEROBIC RESPIRATION AND PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN THE HERMATYPIC CORAL SIDERASTREA SIDEREA.

Corals are reputed to have low tolerance to salinity fluctuations. Yet the scleractinian coral Siderastrea siderea commonly inhabits reef zones and nearshore areas that experience salinity fluctuations of 5 to l0%. Small colonies of this species were subjected to both long-term and sudden decreases or increases in salinity.