Coral microbiome manipulation elicits metabolic and genetic restructuring to mitigate heat stress and evade mortality.

Beneficial microorganisms for corals (BMCs) ameliorate environmental stress, but whether they can prevent mortality and the underlying host response mechanisms remains elusive. Here, we conducted omics analyses on the coral exposed to bleaching conditions in a long-term mesocosm experiment and inoculated with a selected BMC consortium or a saline solution placebo. All corals were affected by heat stress, but the observed "post-heat stress disorder" was mitigated by BMCs, signified by patterns of dimethylsulfoniopropionate degradation, lipid maintenance, and coral host transcriptional reprogramming of cellular restructuration, repair, stress protection, and immune genes, concomitant with a 40% survival rate increase and stable photosynthetic performance by the endosymbiotic algae.

Multi-domain probiotic consortium as an alternative to chemical remediation of oil spills at coral reefs and adjacent sites.

Background: Beginning in the last century, coral reefs have suffered the consequences of anthropogenic activities, including oil contamination. Chemical remediation methods, such as dispersants, can cause substantial harm to corals and reduce their resilience to stressors. To evaluate the impacts of oil contamination and find potential alternative solutions to chemical dispersants, we conducted a mesocosm experiment with the fire coral Millepora alcicornis, which is sensitive to environmental changes.

Estrogen induces shift in abundances of specific groups of the coral microbiome.

Synthetic estrogens such as ethinylestradiol (EE2) are persistent micropollutants that are not effectively removed from wastewater by conventional treatments. These contaminants are released into waterbodies, where they disrupt endocrine systems of organisms and cause harmful effects such as feminization, infertility, reproduction problems and genital malformations. The consequences of this pollution for key marine ecosystems such as coral reefs and their associated microbiomes are underexplored.

Marine probiotics: increasing coral resistance to bleaching through microbiome manipulation.

Although the early coral reef-bleaching warning system (NOAA/USA) is established, there is no feasible treatment that can minimize temperature bleaching and/or disease impacts on corals in the field. Here, we present the first attempts to extrapolate the widespread and well-established use of bacterial consortia to protect or improve health in other organisms (e.g.

Copper effects on biomarkers associated with photosynthesis, oxidative status and calcification in the Brazilian coral Mussismilia harttii (Scleractinia, Mussidae).

Seawater contamination with metals, such as copper (Cu), is a notable local impact threatening coral reefs. Cu effects on biomarkers associated with photosynthesis, oxidative status and calcification were evaluated in the Brazilian coral Mussismilia harttii using a marine mesocosm facility. Polyps were kept under control conditions (1.

Cyanobacterial and microeukaryotic profiles of healthy, diseased, and dead Millepora alcicornis from the South Atlantic.

Coral reefs are at risk due to events associated with human activities, which have resulted in the increasing occurrence of coral diseases. Corals live in symbiotic relationships with different microorganisms, such as cyanobacteria, a very important group. Members of the phylum Cyanobacteria are found in great abundance in the marine environment and may play an essential role in keeping corals healthy but may also be pathogenic.

Impact of oil spills on coral reefs can be reduced by bioremediation using probiotic microbiota.

Several anthropogenic factors, including contamination by oil spills, constitute a threat to coral reef health. Current methodologies to remediate polluted marine environments are based on the use of chemical dispersants; however, these can be toxic to the coral holobiont. In this study, a probiotic bacterial consortium was produced from the coral Mussismilia harttii and was trained to degrade water-soluble oil fractions (WSFs).