Biofilm-forming bacteria associated with corals secrete melanin with UV-absorption properties.

Corals are colonized by a plethora of microorganisms, and their diversity plays a significant role in the health and resilience of corals when they face oxidative stress leading to bleaching. In the current study, we examined 238 bacteria isolated from five different coral species (Acropora hyacinthus, Pocillopora damicornis, Podabacea crustacea, Porites lobata, and Pavona venosa) collected from the coral reef ecosystems of Kavaratti, Lakshadweep Islands, India. We found that bacteria such as Psychrobacter sp.

Genetic evidence for a single founding population of the Lakshadweep Islands.

Lakshadweep is an archipelago of 36 islands located in the Southeastern Arabian Sea. In the absence of a detailed archaeological record, the human settlement timing of this island is vague. Previous genetic studies on haploid DNA makers suggested sex-biased ancestry linked to North and South Indian populations.

The maternal ancestry of the Kavaratti islanders and the last glacial maximum aftermath.

The prehistoric human settlement of the Lakshadweep islands remains a mystery for various reasons. Uncertainty about the existence of indigenous tribes in these islands and the lack of folklore records present major obstacles to the reconstruction of Lakshadweep ancestry. However, with extant population data, we seek to understand the maternal ancestry of the Kavaratti islanders.