Coral microbiome in estuary coral community of Pearl River Estuary: insights into variation in coral holobiont adaptability to low-salinity conditions
Abstract Background Low salinity is a crucial environmental stressor that affects estuarine coral ecosystems considerably. However, few studies have focused on the effects of low-salinity conditions on coral-associated microorganisms and the adaptability of coral holobionts. Methods We explored the...
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2025-05-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-025-04013-4 |
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| author | Mengling Lan Kaixiang Gao Zhenjun Qin Zhanhong Li Ru Meng Lifei Wei Biao Chen Xiaopeng Yu Lijia Xu Yongzhi Wang Kefu Yu |
| author_facet | Mengling Lan Kaixiang Gao Zhenjun Qin Zhanhong Li Ru Meng Lifei Wei Biao Chen Xiaopeng Yu Lijia Xu Yongzhi Wang Kefu Yu |
| author_sort | Mengling Lan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Low salinity is a crucial environmental stressor that affects estuarine coral ecosystems considerably. However, few studies have focused on the effects of low-salinity conditions on coral-associated microorganisms and the adaptability of coral holobionts. Methods We explored the community structure of coral symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae and associated bacteria in low-salinity conditions using samples of six coral species from the Pearl River Estuary and analyzed the adaptability of coral holobionts in estuaries. Results The symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae of all six studied coral species were dominated by Cladocopium, but, the Symbiodiniaceae subclades differed among these coral species. Some coral species (e.g., Acropora solitaryensis) had a high diversity of symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae but low Symbiodiniaceae density, with different adaptability to low-salinity stress in the Pearl River Estuary. Other coral species (e.g., Plesiastrea versipora) potentially increased their resistance by associating with specific Symbiodiniaceae subclades and with high Symbiodiniaceae density under low-salinity stress. The microbiome associated with the coral species were dominated by Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Bacteroidetes; however, its diversity and composition varied among coral species. Some coral species (e.g., Acropora solitaryensis) had a high diversity of associated bacteria, with different adaptability owing to low-salinity stress. Other coral species (e.g., Plesiastrea versipora) potentially increased their resistance by having minority bacterial dominance under low-salinity stress. Conclusions High Symbiodiniaceae density and high bacterial diversity may be conducive to increase the tolerance of coral holobiont to low-salinity environments. Different coral species have distinct ways of adapting to low-salinity stress, and this difference is mainly through the dynamic regulation of the coral microbiome by corals. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4d349df591f44f258011ded60fec6682 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2180 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-4d349df591f44f258011ded60fec66822025-08-20T03:53:11ZengBMCBMC Microbiology1471-21802025-05-0125111710.1186/s12866-025-04013-4Coral microbiome in estuary coral community of Pearl River Estuary: insights into variation in coral holobiont adaptability to low-salinity conditionsMengling Lan0Kaixiang Gao1Zhenjun Qin2Zhanhong Li3Ru Meng4Lifei Wei5Biao Chen6Xiaopeng Yu7Lijia Xu8Yongzhi Wang9Kefu Yu10Guangxi Laboratory On the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China SeaCoral Reef Research Center of ChinaSchool of Marine Sciences, Guangxi UniversityGuangxi Laboratory On the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China SeaCoral Reef Research Center of ChinaSchool of Marine Sciences, Guangxi UniversityGuangxi Laboratory On the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China SeaCoral Reef Research Center of ChinaSchool of Marine Sciences, Guangxi UniversityGuangxi Laboratory On the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China SeaCoral Reef Research Center of ChinaSchool of Marine Sciences, Guangxi UniversityGuangxi Laboratory On the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China SeaCoral Reef Research Center of ChinaSchool of Marine Sciences, Guangxi UniversityGuangxi Laboratory On the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China SeaCoral Reef Research Center of ChinaSchool of Marine Sciences, Guangxi UniversityGuangxi Laboratory On the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China SeaCoral Reef Research Center of ChinaSchool of Marine Sciences, Guangxi UniversityGuangxi Laboratory On the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China SeaCoral Reef Research Center of ChinaSchool of Marine Sciences, Guangxi UniversitySouth China Institute of Environmental Sciences, MEESouth China Institute of Environmental Sciences, MEEGuangxi Laboratory On the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China SeaCoral Reef Research Center of ChinaSchool of Marine Sciences, Guangxi UniversityAbstract Background Low salinity is a crucial environmental stressor that affects estuarine coral ecosystems considerably. However, few studies have focused on the effects of low-salinity conditions on coral-associated microorganisms and the adaptability of coral holobionts. Methods We explored the community structure of coral symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae and associated bacteria in low-salinity conditions using samples of six coral species from the Pearl River Estuary and analyzed the adaptability of coral holobionts in estuaries. Results The symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae of all six studied coral species were dominated by Cladocopium, but, the Symbiodiniaceae subclades differed among these coral species. Some coral species (e.g., Acropora solitaryensis) had a high diversity of symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae but low Symbiodiniaceae density, with different adaptability to low-salinity stress in the Pearl River Estuary. Other coral species (e.g., Plesiastrea versipora) potentially increased their resistance by associating with specific Symbiodiniaceae subclades and with high Symbiodiniaceae density under low-salinity stress. The microbiome associated with the coral species were dominated by Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Bacteroidetes; however, its diversity and composition varied among coral species. Some coral species (e.g., Acropora solitaryensis) had a high diversity of associated bacteria, with different adaptability owing to low-salinity stress. Other coral species (e.g., Plesiastrea versipora) potentially increased their resistance by having minority bacterial dominance under low-salinity stress. Conclusions High Symbiodiniaceae density and high bacterial diversity may be conducive to increase the tolerance of coral holobiont to low-salinity environments. Different coral species have distinct ways of adapting to low-salinity stress, and this difference is mainly through the dynamic regulation of the coral microbiome by corals.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-025-04013-4Coral holobiontsAssociated bacteriaSymbiotic SymbiodiniaceaeLow-salinity stressMicrobial community variation |
| spellingShingle | Mengling Lan Kaixiang Gao Zhenjun Qin Zhanhong Li Ru Meng Lifei Wei Biao Chen Xiaopeng Yu Lijia Xu Yongzhi Wang Kefu Yu Coral microbiome in estuary coral community of Pearl River Estuary: insights into variation in coral holobiont adaptability to low-salinity conditions BMC Microbiology Coral holobionts Associated bacteria Symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae Low-salinity stress Microbial community variation |
| title | Coral microbiome in estuary coral community of Pearl River Estuary: insights into variation in coral holobiont adaptability to low-salinity conditions |
| title_full | Coral microbiome in estuary coral community of Pearl River Estuary: insights into variation in coral holobiont adaptability to low-salinity conditions |
| title_fullStr | Coral microbiome in estuary coral community of Pearl River Estuary: insights into variation in coral holobiont adaptability to low-salinity conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Coral microbiome in estuary coral community of Pearl River Estuary: insights into variation in coral holobiont adaptability to low-salinity conditions |
| title_short | Coral microbiome in estuary coral community of Pearl River Estuary: insights into variation in coral holobiont adaptability to low-salinity conditions |
| title_sort | coral microbiome in estuary coral community of pearl river estuary insights into variation in coral holobiont adaptability to low salinity conditions |
| topic | Coral holobionts Associated bacteria Symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae Low-salinity stress Microbial community variation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-025-04013-4 |
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