Deciphering the nature of the coral-Chromera association

Amin R. Mohamed*, Vivian R. Cumbo, Saki Harii, Chuya Shinzato, Cheong Xin Chan, Mark A. Ragan, Nori Satoh, Eldon E. Ball, David J. Miller

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    31 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Since the discovery of Chromera velia as a novel coral-associated microalga, this organism has attracted interest because of its unique evolutionary position between the photosynthetic dinoflagellates and the parasitic apicomplexans. The nature of the relationship between Chromera and its coral host is controversial. Is it a mutualism, from which both participants benefit, a parasitic relationship, or a chance association? To better understand the interaction, larvae of the common Indo-Pacific reef-building coral Acropora digitifera were experimentally infected with Chromera, and the impact on the host transcriptome was assessed at 4, 12, and 48 h post-infection using Illumina RNA-Seq technology. The transcriptomic response of the coral to Chromera was complex and implies that host immunity is strongly suppressed, and both phagosome maturation and the apoptotic machinery is modified. These responses differ markedly from those described for infection with a competent strain of the coral mutualist Symbiodinium, instead resembling those of vertebrate hosts to parasites and/or pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Consistent with ecological studies suggesting that the association may be accidental, the transcriptional response of A. digitifera larvae leads us to conclude that Chromera could be a coral parasite, commensal, or accidental bystander, but certainly not a beneficial mutualist.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)776-790
    Number of pages15
    JournalISME Journal
    Volume12
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2018

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Deciphering the nature of the coral-Chromera association'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this