Publications

impacts of turbidity on corals: the relative importance of light limitation and suspended sediments.	as part of an investigation of the effects of water quality from dredging/natural resuspension on reefs, the effects of suspended sediment concentrations (sscs) (0, 30, 100mgl(-1)) and light (~0, 1.1, 8.6molphotonsm(-2)d(-1)) were examined alone and in combination, on the corals acropora millepora, montipora capricornis and porites spp. over an extended (28d) period. no effects were observed at any sediment concentrations when applied alone. all corals in the lowest light treatments lost chlorop ...	2017	28162249
recovery from bleaching is mediated by threshold densities of background thermo-tolerant symbiont types in a reef-building coral.	sensitive molecular analyses show that most corals host a complement of symbiodinium genotypes that includes thermo-tolerant types in low abundance. while tolerant symbiont types are hypothesized to facilitate tolerance to temperature and recovery from bleaching, empirical data on their distribution and relative abundance in corals under ambient and stress conditions are still rare. we quantified visual bleaching and mortality of coral hosts, along with relative abundance of c- and d-type symbio ...	2016	27429786
genetic markers for antioxidant capacity in a reef-building coral.	the current lack of understanding of the genetic basis underlying environmental stress tolerance in reef-building corals impairs the development of new management approaches to confronting the global demise of coral reefs. on the great barrier reef (gbr), an approximately 51% decline in coral cover occurred over the period 1985-2012. we conducted a gene-by-environment association analysis across 12° latitude on the gbr, as well as both in situ and laboratory genotype-by-phenotype association ana ...	2016	27386515
comparative immune responses of corals to stressors associated with offshore reef-based tourist platforms.	unravelling the contributions of local anthropogenic and seasonal environmental factors in suppressing the coral immune system is important for prioritizing management actions at reefs exposed to high levels of human activities. here, we monitor health of the model coral acropora millepora adjacent to a high-use and an unused reef-based tourist platform, plus a nearby control site without a platform, over 7 months spanning a typical austral summer. comparisons of temporal patterns in a range of ...	2015	27293717
lunar phase modulates circadian gene expression cycles in the broadcast spawning coral acropora millepora.	many broadcast spawning corals in multiple reef regions release their gametes with incredible temporal precision just once per year, using the lunar cycle to set the night of spawning. moonlight, rather than tides or other lunar-regulated processes, is thought to be the proximate factor responsible for linking the night of spawning to the phase of the moon. we compared patterns of gene expression among colonies of the broadcast spawning coral acropora millepora at different phases of the lunar c ...	2016	27132135
congruent patterns of connectivity can inform management for broadcast spawning corals on the great barrier reef.	connectivity underpins the persistence and recovery of marine ecosystems. the great barrier reef (gbr) is the world's largest coral reef ecosystem and managed by an extensive network of no-take zones; however, information about connectivity was not available to optimize the network's configuration. we use multivariate analyses, bayesian clustering algorithms and assignment tests of the largest population genetic data set for any organism on the gbr to date (acropora tenuis, >2500 colonies; >50 r ...	2016	27085309
effects of high dissolved inorganic and organic carbon availability on the physiology of the hard coral acropora millepora from the great barrier reef.	coral reefs are facing major global and local threats due to climate change-induced increases in dissolved inorganic carbon (dic) and because of land-derived increases in organic and inorganic nutrients. recent research revealed that high availability of labile dissolved organic carbon (doc) negatively affects scleractinian corals. studies on the interplay of these factors, however, are lacking, but urgently needed to understand coral reef functioning under present and near future conditions. th ...	2016	26959499
a comparative view of early development in the corals favia lizardensis, ctenactis echinata, and acropora millepora - morphology, transcriptome, and developmental gene expression.	research into various aspects of coral biology has greatly increased in recent years due to anthropogenic threats to coral health including pollution, ocean warming and acidification. however, knowledge of coral early development has lagged. the present paper describes the embryonic development of two previously uncharacterized robust corals, favia lizardensis (a massive brain coral) and ctenactis echinata (a solitary coral) and compares it to that of the previously characterized complex coral, ...	2016	26924819
dimethylsulfoniopropionate, superoxide dismutase and glutathione as stress response indicators in three corals under short-term hyposalinity stress.	corals are among the most active producers of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (dmsp), a key molecule in marine sulfur cycling, yet the specific physiological role of dmsp in corals remains elusive. here, we examine the oxidative stress response of three coral species (acropora millepora, stylophora pistillata and pocillopora damicornis) and explore the antioxidant role of dmsp and its breakdown products under short-term hyposalinity stress. symbiont photosynthetic activity declined with hyposalinity ...	2016	26865302
functional conservation of the apoptotic machinery from coral to man: the diverse and complex bcl-2 and caspase repertoires of acropora millepora.	apoptotic cell death is a defining and ubiquitous characteristic of metazoans, but its evolutionary origins are unclear. although caenorhabditis and drosophila played key roles in establishing the molecular bases of apoptosis, it is now clear that cell death pathways of these animals do not reflect ancestral characteristics. conversely, recent work suggests that the apoptotic networks of cnidarians may be complex and vertebrate-like, hence characterization of the apoptotic complement of represen ...	2016	26772977
host-associated coral reef microbes respond to the cumulative pressures of ocean warming and ocean acidification.	key calcifying reef taxa are currently threatened by thermal stress associated with elevated sea surface temperatures (sst) and reduced calcification linked to ocean acidification (oa). here we undertook an 8 week experimental exposure to near-future climate change conditions and explored the microbiome response of the corals acropora millepora and seriatopora hystrix, the crustose coralline algae hydrolithon onkodes, the foraminifera marginopora vertebralis and heterostegina depressa and the se ...	2016	26758800
imaging the uptake of nitrogen-fixing bacteria into larvae of the coral acropora millepora.	diazotrophic bacteria are instrumental in generating biologically usable forms of nitrogen by converting abundant dinitrogen gas (n2) into available forms, such as ammonium. although nitrogen is crucial for coral growth, direct observation of associations between diazotrophs and corals has previously been elusive. we applied fluorescence in situ hybridization (fish) and nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry to observe the uptake of (15)n-enriched diazotrophic vibrio sp. isolated from acropor ...	2016	26696324
physiological response to elevated temperature and pco2 varies across four pacific coral species: understanding the unique host+symbiont response.	the physiological response to individual and combined stressors of elevated temperature and pco2 were measured over a 24-day period in four pacific corals and their respective symbionts (acropora millepora/symbiodinium c21a, pocillopora damicornis/symbiodinium c1c-d-t, montipora monasteriata/symbiodinium c15, and turbinaria reniformis/symbiodinium trenchii). multivariate analyses indicated that elevated temperature played a greater role in altering physiological response, with the greatest degre ...	2015	26670946
red fluorescence in coral larvae is associated with a diapause-like state.	effective dispersal across environmental gradients is the key to species resilience to environmental perturbation, including climate change. coral reefs are among the most sensitive ecosystems to global warming, but factors predicting coral dispersal potential remain unknown. in a reef-building coral acropora millepora, larval fluorescence emerged as a possible indicator of dispersal potential since it correlates with responsiveness to a settlement cue. here, we show that gene expression in red ...	2016	26600127
differential responses of coral larvae to the colour of ambient light guide them to suitable settlement microhabitat.	reef-building corals produce planktonic planula larvae that must select an appropriate habitat to settle and spend the rest of their life, a behaviour that plays a critical role in survival. here, we report that larvae obtained from a deep-water population of pseudodiploria strigosa settled more readily under blue light and in the dark, which aligns well with the light field characteristics of their natal habitat. by contrast, larvae of the shallow-water coral acropora millepora settled in high ...	2015	26587247
transcriptomic changes in coral holobionts provide insights into physiological challenges of future climate and ocean change.	tropical reef-building coral stress levels will intensify with the predicted rising atmospheric co2 resulting in ocean temperature and acidification increase. most studies to date have focused on the destabilization of coral-dinoflagellate symbioses due to warming oceans, or declining calcification due to ocean acidification. in our study, ph and temperature conditions consistent with the end-of-century scenarios of the intergovernmental panel on climate change (ipcc) caused major changes in pho ...	2015	26510159
host coenzyme q redox state is an early biomarker of thermal stress in the coral acropora millepora.	bleaching episodes caused by increasing seawater temperatures may induce mass coral mortality and are regarded as one of the biggest threats to coral reef ecosystems worldwide. the current consensus is that this phenomenon results from enhanced production of harmful reactive oxygen species (ros) that disrupt the symbiosis between corals and their endosymbiotic dinoflagellates, symbiodinium. here, the responses of two important antioxidant defence components, the host coenzyme q (coq) and symbion ...	2015	26426118
distribution and evolution of the serine/aspartate racemase family in invertebrates.	free d-amino acids have been found in various invertebrate phyla, while amino acid racemase genes have been identified in few species. the purpose of this study is to elucidate the distribution, function, and evolution of amino acid racemases in invertebrate animals. we searched the genbank databases, and found 11 homologous serine racemase genes from eight species in eight different invertebrate phyla. the cloned genes were identified based on their maximum activity as acropora millepora (cnida ...	2016	26352274
differential coral bleaching-contrasting the activity and response of enzymatic antioxidants in symbiotic partners under thermal stress.	mass coral bleaching due to thermal stress represents a major threat to the integrity and functioning of coral reefs. thermal thresholds vary, however, between corals, partly as a result of the specific type of endosymbiotic dinoflagellate (symbiodinium sp.) they harbour. the production of reactive oxygen species (ros) in corals under thermal and light stress has been recognised as one mechanism that can lead to cellular damage and the loss of their symbiont population (oxidative theory of coral ...	2015	26310104
expression of calcification and metabolism-related genes in response to elevated pco2 and temperature in the reef-building coral acropora millepora.	declining health of scleractinian corals in response to deteriorating environmental conditions is widely acknowledged, however links between physiological and functional genomic responses of corals are less well understood. here we explore growth and the expression of 20 target genes with putative roles in metabolism and calcification in the branching coral, acropora millepora, in two separate experiments: 1) elevated pco2 (464, 822, 1187 and 1638 μatm) and ambient temperature (27°c), and 2) ele ...	2015	26275825
a population genetic assessment of coral recovery on highly disturbed reefs of the keppel island archipelago in the southern great barrier reef.	coral reefs surrounding the islands lying close to the coast are unique to the great barrier reef (gbr) in that they are frequently exposed to disturbance events including floods caused by cyclonic rainfall, strong winds and occasional periods of prolonged above-average temperatures during summer. in one such group of islands in the southern gbr, the keppel island archipelago, climate-driven disturbances frequently result in major coral mortality. whilst these island reefs have clearly survived ...	2015	26244109
transcriptomic differences between day and night in acropora millepora provide new insights into metabolite exchange and light-enhanced calcification in corals.	the evolutionary success of reef-building corals is often attributed to their symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic dinoflagellates of the genus symbiodinium, but metabolic interactions between the partners and the molecular bases of light-enhanced calcification (lec) are not well understood. here, the metabolic bases of the interaction between the coral acropora millepora and its dinoflagellate symbiont were investigated by comparing gene expression levels under light and dark conditions a ...	2015	26198296
profiling molecular and behavioral circadian rhythms in the non-symbiotic sea anemone nematostella vectensis.	endogenous circadian clocks are poorly understood within early-diverging animal lineages. we have characterized circadian behavioral patterns and identified potential components of the circadian clock in the starlet sea anemone, nematostella vectensis: a model cnidarian which lacks algal symbionts. using automatic video tracking we showed that nematostella exhibits rhythmic circadian locomotor activity, which is persistent in constant dark, shifted or disrupted by external dark/light cues and ma ...	2015	26081482
quantitative high resolution melting: two methods to determine snp allele frequencies from pooled samples.	the advent of next-generation sequencing has brought about an explosion of single nucleotide polymorphism (snp) data in non-model organisms; however, profiling these snps across multiple natural populations still requires substantial time and resources.	2015	26070466
physiological and ecological performance differs in four coral taxa at a volcanic carbon dioxide seep.	around volcanic carbon dioxide (co2) seeps in papua new guinea, partial pressures of co2 (pco2) approximate those as predicted for the end of this century, and coral communities have low diversity and low structural complexity. to assess the mechanisms for such community shifts in response to ocean acidification, we examined the physiological performance of two hard corals that occur with increased or unaltered abundance at a seep site (mean phtotal=7.8, pco2=862 μatm) compared to a control site ...	2015	25727938
larval settlement: the role of surface topography for sessile coral reef invertebrates.	for sessile marine invertebrates with complex life cycles, habitat choice is directed by the larval phase. defining which habitat-linked cues are implicated in sessile invertebrate larval settlement has largely concentrated on chemical cues which are thought to signal optimal habitat. there has been less effort establishing physical settlement cues, including the role of surface microtopography. this laboratory based study tested whether surface microtopography alone (without chemical cues) play ...	2015	25671562
the organizer in evolution-gastrulation and organizer gene expression highlight the importance of brachyury during development of the coral, acropora millepora.	organizer activity, once thought to be restricted to vertebrates, has ancient origins. however, among non-bilaterians, it has only been subjected to detailed investigation during embryonic development of the sea anemone, nematostella vectensis. as a step toward establishing the extent to which findings in nematostella can be generalized across the large and diverse phylum cnidaria, we examined the expression of some key organizer and gastrulation genes during the embryonic development of the cor ...	2015	25601451
symbiodinium identity alters the temperature-dependent settlement behaviour of acropora millepora coral larvae before the onset of symbiosis.	the global distribution of marine species, many of which disperse during the larval stages, is influenced by ocean temperature regimes. here, we test how temperature and the coral symbionts (symbiodinium) affect survival, symbiont uptake, settlement success and habitat choice of acropora millepora larvae. experiments were conducted at heron island (australia), where larvae were exposed to 22.5, 24.5, 26.5 and 28.5°c. within each temperature treatment, larvae were offered symbionts with distinct ...	2015	25589607
integrins of the starlet sea anemone nematostella vectensis.	integrins are extracellular matrix receptors composed of α and β subunits. here we describe two α subunits and four β subunits from the starlet sea anemone nematostella vectensis. phylogenetic analysis suggests that the α subunits are most closely related to rgd- and ldv-dependent α subunits of chordates. the β subunits cluster with the previously described β integrins of the hard coral acropora millepora. the expression of one of the α subunits and three of the β subunits was confirmed by rever ...	2014	25572209
bimodal signatures of germline methylation are linked with gene expression plasticity in the coral acropora millepora.	in invertebrates, genes belonging to dynamically regulated functional categories appear to be less methylated than "housekeeping" genes, suggesting that dna methylation may modulate gene expression plasticity. to date, however, experimental evidence to support this hypothesis across different natural habitats has been lacking.	2014	25511458
gene expression of corals in response to macroalgal competitors.	as corals decline and macroalgae proliferate on coral reefs, coral-macroalgal competition becomes more frequent and ecologically important. whether corals are damaged by these interactions depends on susceptibility of the coral and traits of macroalgal competitors. investigating changes in gene expression of corals and their intracellular symbiotic algae, symbiodinium, in response to contact with different macroalgae provides insight into the biological processes and cellular pathways affected b ...	2014	25500576
fluorescent protein-mediated colour polymorphism in reef corals: multicopy genes extend the adaptation/acclimatization potential to variable light environments.	the genomic framework that enables corals to adjust to unfavourable conditions is crucial for coral reef survival in a rapidly changing climate. we have explored the striking intraspecific variability in the expression of coral pigments from the green fluorescent protein (gfp) family to elucidate the genomic basis for the plasticity of stress responses among reef corals. we show that multicopy genes can greatly increase the dynamic range over which corals can modulate transcript levels in respon ...	2015	25496144
rapid acclimation of juvenile corals to co2 -mediated acidification by upregulation of heat shock protein and bcl-2 genes.	corals play a key role in ocean ecosystems and carbonate balance, but their molecular response to ocean acidification remains unclear. the only previous whole-transcriptome study (moya et al. molecular ecology, 2012; 21, 2440) documented extensive disruption of gene expression, particularly of genes encoding skeletal organic matrix proteins, in juvenile corals (acropora millepora) after short-term (3 d) exposure to elevated pco2 . in this study, whole-transcriptome analysis was used to compare t ...	2015	25444080
natural volcanic co2 seeps reveal future trajectories for host-microbial associations in corals and sponges.	atmospheric carbon dioxide (co2) levels are rapidly rising causing an increase in the partial pressure of co2 (pco2) in the ocean and a reduction in ph known as ocean acidification (oa). natural volcanic seeps in papua new guinea expel 99% pure co2 and thereby offer a unique opportunity to explore the effects of oa in situ. the corals acropora millepora and porites cylindrica were less abundant and hosted significantly different microbial communities at the co2 seep than at nearby control sites ...	2014	25325380
detection of polyketide synthase and nonribosomal peptide synthetase biosynthetic genes from antimicrobial coral-associated actinomycetes.	the diversity and properties of actinobacteria, predominant residents in coral holobionts, have been rarely documented. in this study, we aimed to explore the species diversity, antimicrobial activities and biosynthetic potential of culturable actinomycetes within the tissues of the scleractinian corals porites lutea, galaxea fascicularis and acropora millepora from the south china sea. a total of 70 strains representing 13 families and 15 genera of actinobacteria were isolated. the antimicrobia ...	2014	25190333
onset and establishment of diazotrophs and other bacterial associates in the early life history stages of the coral acropora millepora.	early establishment of coral-microbial symbioses is fundamental to the fitness of corals, but comparatively little is known about the onset and succession of bacterial communities in their early life history stages. in this study, bacterial associates of the coral acropora millepora were characterized throughout the first year of life, from larvae and 1-week-old juveniles reared in laboratory conditions in the absence of the dinoflagellate endosymbiont symbiodinium to field-outplanted juveniles ...	2014	25156176
the skeleton of the staghorn coral acropora millepora: molecular and structural characterization.	the scleractinian coral acropora millepora is one of the most studied species from the great barrier reef. this species has been used to understand evolutionary, immune and developmental processes in cnidarians. it has also been subject of several ecological studies in order to elucidate reef responses to environmental changes such as temperature rise and ocean acidification (oa). in these contexts, several nucleic acid resources were made available. when combined to a recent proteomic analysis ...	2014	24893046
coral calcification under daily oxygen saturation and ph dynamics reveals the important role of oxygen.	coral reefs are essential to many nations, and are currently in global decline. although climate models predict decreases in seawater ph (∼0.3 units) and oxygen saturation (∼5 percentage points), these are exceeded by the current daily ph and oxygen fluctuations on many reefs (ph 7.8-8.7 and 27-241% o2 saturation). we investigated the effect of oxygen and ph fluctuations on coral calcification in the laboratory using the model species acropora millepora. light calcification rates were greatly en ...	2014	24857847
discovery of a strongly-interrelated gene network in corals under constant darkness by correlation analysis after wavelet transform on complex network model.	coral reefs occupy a relatively small portion of sea area, yet serve as a crucial source of biodiversity by establishing harmonious ecosystems with marine plants and animals. previous researches mainly focused on screening several key genes induced by stress. here we proposed a novel method--correlation analysis after wavelet transform of complex network model, to explore the effect of light on gene expression in the coral acropora millepora based on microarray data. in this method, wavelet tran ...	2014	24651851
gene expression patterns during the early stages of chemically induced larval metamorphosis and settlement of the coral acropora millepora.	the morphogenetic transition of motile coral larvae into sessile primary polyps is triggered and genetically programmed upon exposure to environmental biomaterials, such as crustose coralline algae (cca) and bacterial biofilms. although the specific chemical cues that trigger coral larval morphogenesis are poorly understood there is much more information available on the genes that play a role in this early life phase. putative chemical cues from natural biomaterials yielded defined chemical sam ...	2014	24632854
corals like it waxed: paraffin-based antifouling technology enhances coral spat survival.	the early post-settlement stage is the most sensitive during the life history of reef building corals. however, few studies have examined the factors that influence coral mortality during this period. here, the impact of fouling on the survival of newly settled coral spat of acropora millepora was investigated by manipulating the extent of fouling cover on settlement tiles using non-toxic, wax antifouling coatings. survival of spat on coated tiles was double that on control tiles. moreover, ther ...	2014	24489936
amplicon pyrosequencing reveals spatial and temporal consistency in diazotroph assemblages of the acropora millepora microbiome.	diazotrophic bacteria potentially play an important functional role in supplying fixed nitrogen to the coral holobiont, but the value of such a partnership depends on the stability of the association. here we evaluate the composition of diazotroph assemblages associated with the coral acropora millepora throughout four seasons and at two reefs, an inshore and an offshore (mid-shelf) reef on the great barrier reef, australia. amplicon pyrosequencing of the nifh gene revealed that diazotrophs are ...	2014	24373029
coral energy reserves and calcification in a high-co2 world at two temperatures.	rising atmospheric co2 concentrations threaten coral reefs globally by causing ocean acidification (oa) and warming. yet, the combined effects of elevated pco2 and temperature on coral physiology and resilience remain poorly understood. while coral calcification and energy reserves are important health indicators, no studies to date have measured energy reserve pools (i.e., lipid, protein, and carbohydrate) together with calcification under oa conditions under different temperature scenarios. fo ...	2013	24146747
reduced salinity decreases the fertilization success and larval survival of two scleractinian coral species.	successful reproduction by scleractinian corals is essential for the maintenance of populations that form the foundation of coral reef ecosystems. laboratory experiments were done to determine the effects of reduced salinity on the fertilization success and larval survival of two coral species, platygyra daedalea and acropora millepora, from the great barrier reef, australia. fertilization rates of p. daedalea and a. millepora were significantly reduced at 25.8 psu and 33.1 psu, respectively, an ...	2013	24008005
gene expression patterns of the coral acropora millepora in response to contact with macroalgae.	contact with macroalgae often causes coral mortality, but the roles of abrasion versus shading versus allelopathy in these interactions are rarely clear and effects on gene expression are unknown. identification of gene expression changes within corals in response to contact with macroalgae can provide insight into the mode of action of allelochemicals, as well as reveal transcriptional strategies of the coral that mitigate damage from this competitive interaction, enabling the coral to survive. ...	2012	23997654
highly heterogeneous bacterial communities associated with the south china sea reef corals porites lutea, galaxea fascicularis and acropora millepora.	coral harbor diverse and specific bacteria play significant roles in coral holobiont function. bacteria associated with three of the common and phylogenetically divergent reef-building corals in the south china sea, porites lutea, galaxea fascicularis and acropora millepora, were investigated using 454 barcoded-pyrosequencing. three colonies of each species were sampled, and 16s rrna gene libraries were constructed individually. analysis of pyrosequencing libraries showed that bacterial communit ...	2013	23940737
transcriptional activation of c3 and hsp70 as part of the immune response of acropora millepora to bacterial challenges.	the impact of disease outbreaks on coral physiology represents an increasing concern for the fitness and resilience of reef ecosystems. predicting the tolerance of corals to disease relies on an understanding of the coral immune response to pathogenic interactions. this study explored the transcriptional response of two putative immune genes (c3 and c-type lectin) and one stress response gene (hsp70) in the reef building coral, acropora millepora challenged for 48 hours with bacterial strains, v ...	2013	23861754
historical thermal regimes define limits to coral acclimatization.	knowledge of the degree to which corals undergo physiological acclimatization or genetic adaptation in response to changes in their thermal environment is crucial to the success of coral reef conservation strategies. the potential of corals to acclimatize to temperatures exceeding historical thermal regimes was investigated by reciprocal transplantation of acropora millepora colonies between the warm central and cool southern regions of the great barrier reef (gbr) for a duration of 14 months. c ...	2013	23858648
the acute transcriptional response of the coral acropora millepora to immune challenge: expression of gimap/ian genes links the innate immune responses of corals with those of mammals and plants.	as a step towards understanding coral immunity we present the first whole transcriptome analysis of the acute responses of acropora millepora to challenge with the bacterial cell wall derivative mdp and the viral mimic poly i:c, defined immunogens provoking distinct but well characterised responses in higher animals.	2013	23768317
the skeletal proteome of the coral acropora millepora: the evolution of calcification by co-option and domain shuffling.	in corals, biocalcification is a major function that may be drastically affected by ocean acidification (oa). scleractinian corals grow by building up aragonitic exoskeletons that provide support and protection for soft tissues. although this process has been extensively studied, the molecular basis of biocalcification is poorly understood. notably lacking is a comprehensive catalog of the skeleton-occluded proteins-the skeletal organic matrix proteins (somps) that are thought to regulate the mi ...	2013	23765379
metagenomic analysis of the coral holobiont during a natural bleaching event on the great barrier reef.	understanding the effects of elevated seawater temperatures on each member of the coral holobiont (the complex comprised of coral polyps and associated symbiotic microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, archaea and endolithic algae) is becoming increasingly important as evidence accumulates that microbial members contribute to overall coral health, particularly during thermal stress. here we use a metagenomic approach to identify metabolic and taxonomic shifts in microbial communities ...	2011	23761353
spatial and temporal genetic structure of symbiodinium populations within a common reef-building coral on the great barrier reef.	the dinoflagellate photosymbiont symbiodinium plays a fundamental role in defining the physiological tolerances of coral holobionts, but little is known about the dynamics of these endosymbiotic populations on coral reefs. sparse data indicate that symbiodinium populations show limited spatial connectivity; however, no studies have investigated temporal dynamics for in hospite symbiodinium populations following significant mortality and recruitment events in coral populations. we investigated th ...	2013	23730715
gene expression signatures of energetic acclimatisation in the reef building coral acropora millepora.	understanding the mechanisms by which natural populations cope with environmental stress is paramount to predict their persistence in the face of escalating anthropogenic impacts. reef-building corals are increasingly exposed to local and global stressors that alter nutritional status causing reduced fitness and mortality, however, these responses can vary considerably across species and populations.	2013	23671571
high natural gene expression variation in the reef-building coral acropora millepora: potential for acclimative and adaptive plasticity.	ecosystems worldwide are suffering the consequences of anthropogenic impact. the diverse ecosystem of coral reefs, for example, are globally threatened by increases in sea surface temperatures due to global warming. studies to date have focused on determining genetic diversity, the sequence variability of genes in a species, as a proxy to estimate and predict the potential adaptive response of coral populations to environmental changes linked to climate changes. however, the examination of natur ...	2013	23565725
genotype - environment correlations in corals from the great barrier reef.	knowledge of genetic markers that are correlated to stress tolerance may improve spatial mapping of reef vulnerability and can inform restoration efforts, including the choice of genotypes for breeding and reseeding. in this manuscript we present two methods for screening transcriptome data for candidate genetic markers in two reef building corals, acropora millepora and pocillopora damicornis (types α and β). in a. millepora, single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) were pre-selected by targeting ...	2013	23433436
the n-terminal intrinsically disordered domain of mgm101p is localized to the mitochondrial nucleoid.	the mitochondrial genome maintenance gene, mgm101, is essential for yeasts that depend on mitochondrial dna replication. previously, in saccharomyces cerevisiae, it has been found that the carboxy-terminal two-thirds of mgm101p has a functional core. furthermore, there is a high level of amino acid sequence conservation in this region from widely diverse species. by contrast, the amino-terminal region, that is also essential for function, does not have recognizable conservation. using a bioinfor ...	2013	23418572
does trophic status enhance or reduce the thermal tolerance of scleractinian corals? a review, experiment and conceptual framework.	global warming, and nutrient and sediment runoff from coastal development, both exert increasing pressures on coastal coral reefs. the objective of this study was to resolve the question of whether coastal eutrophication may protect corals from thermal stress by improving their nutritional status, or rather diminish their thermal tolerance through the synergy of dual stressors. a review of previous studies on the topic of combined trophic status and heat exposure on the thermal tolerance of cora ...	2013	23349876
the neuronal calcium sensor protein acrocalcin: a potential target of calmodulin regulation during development in the coral acropora millepora.	to understand the calcium-mediated signalling pathways underlying settlement and metamorphosis in the scleractinian coral acropora millepora, a predicted protein set derived from larval cdnas was scanned for the presence of ef-hand domains (pfam id: pf00036). this approach led to the identification of a canonical calmodulin (amcam) protein and an uncharacterised member of the neuronal calcium sensor (ncs) family of proteins known here as acrocalcin (amac). while amcam transcripts were present th ...	2012	23284743
photoreception and signal transduction in corals: proteomic and behavioral evidence for cytoplasmic calcium as a mediator of light responsivity.	little is known about how corals sense and respond to light. in this report the proteome of coral is explored using 2d protein electrophoresis in two species, montastraea cavernosa and acropora millepora. multiple protein species have major shifts in abundance in both species when sampled in daylight compared to corals sampled late in the night. these changes were observed both in larvae lacking zooxanthellae and in adult tissue containing zooxanthellae, including both pacific and caribbean cora ...	2012	23264475
coral thermal tolerance: tuning gene expression to resist thermal stress.	the acclimatization capacity of corals is a critical consideration in the persistence of coral reefs under stresses imposed by global climate change. the stress history of corals plays a role in subsequent response to heat stress, but the transcriptomic changes associated with these plastic changes have not been previously explored. in order to identify host transcriptomic changes associated with acquired thermal tolerance in the scleractinian coral acropora millepora, corals preconditioned to a ...	2012	23226355
interactions among chronic and acute impacts on coral recruits: the importance of size-escape thresholds.	newly settled recruits typically suffer high mortality from disturbances, but rapid growth reduces their mortality once size-escape thresholds are attained. ocean acidification (oa) reduces the growth of recruiting benthic invertebrates, yet no direct effects on survivorship have been demonstrated. we tested whether the reduced growth of coral recruits caused by oa would increase their mortality by prolonging their vulnerability to an acute disturbance: fish herbivory on surrounding algal turf. ...	2012	23185875
a lipidomic approach to understanding free fatty acid lipogenesis derived from dissolved inorganic carbon within cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis.	the cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis is arguably one of the most important within the marine environment in that it is integral to the formation of coral reefs. however, the regulatory processes that perpetuate this symbiosis remain unresolved. it is essential to understand these processes, if we are to elucidate the mechanisms that support growth and resource accumulation by coral host, and conversely, recently observed reduction and/or mortality of corals in response to rapid environmental c ...	2012	23115631
expression of putative immune response genes during early ontogeny in the coral acropora millepora.	corals, like many other marine invertebrates, lack a mature allorecognition system in early life history stages. indeed, in early ontogeny, when corals acquire and establish associations with various surface microbiota and dinoflagellate endosymbionts, they do not efficiently distinguish between closely and distantly related individuals from the same population. however, very little is known about the molecular components that underpin allorecognition and immunity responses or how they change th ...	2012	22792163
chronic exposure of corals to fine sediments: lethal and sub-lethal impacts.	understanding the sedimentation and turbidity thresholds for corals is critical in assessing the potential impacts of dredging projects in tropical marine systems. in this study, we exposed two species of coral sampled from offshore locations to six levels of total suspended solids (tss) for 16 weeks in the laboratory, including a 4 week recovery period. dose-response relationships were developed to quantify the lethal and sub-lethal thresholds of sedimentation and turbidity for the corals. the ...	2012	22662225
first frozen repository for the great barrier reef coral created.	to build new tools for the continued protection and propagation of coral from the great barrier reef (gbr), an international group of coral and cryopreservation scientists known as the reef recovery initiative joined forces during the november 2011 mass-spawning event. the outcome was the creation of the first frozen bank for australian coral from two important gbr reef-building species, acropora tenuis and acropora millepora. approximately 190 frozen samples each with billions of cells were pla ...	2012	22659104
using bacterial extract along with differential gene expression in acropora millepora larvae to decouple the processes of attachment and metamorphosis.	biofilms of the bacterium pseudoalteromonas induce metamorphosis of acroporid coral larvae. the bacterial metabolite tetrabromopyrrole (tbp), isolated from an extract of pseudoalteromonas sp. associated with the crustose coralline alga (cca) neogoniolithon fosliei, induced coral larval metamorphosis (100%) with little or no attachment (0-2%). to better understand the molecular events and mechanisms underpinning the induction of acropora millepora larval metamorphosis, including cell proliferatio ...	2012	22655067
major cellular and physiological impacts of ocean acidification on a reef building coral.	as atmospheric levels of co(2) increase, reef-building corals are under greater stress from both increased sea surface temperatures and declining sea water ph. to date, most studies have focused on either coral bleaching due to warming oceans or declining calcification due to decreasing oceanic carbonate ion concentrations. here, through the use of physiology measurements and cdna microarrays, we show that changes in ph and ocean chemistry consistent with two scenarios put forward by the intergo ...	2012	22509341
a "neural" enzyme in nonbilaterian animals and algae: preneural origins for peptidylglycine α-amidating monooxygenase.	secreted peptides, produced by enzymatic processing of larger precursor molecules, are found throughout the animal kingdom and play important regulatory roles as neurotransmitters and hormones. many require a carboxy-terminal modification, involving the conversion of a glycine residue into an α-amide, for their biological activity. two sequential enzymatic activities catalyze this conversion: a monooxygenase (peptidylglycine α-hydroxylating monooxygenase or phm) and an amidating lyase (peptidyl- ...	2012	22496439
whole transcriptome analysis of the coral acropora millepora reveals complex responses to co₂-driven acidification during the initiation of calcification.	the impact of ocean acidification (oa) on coral calcification, a subject of intense current interest, is poorly understood in part because of the presence of symbionts in adult corals. early life history stages of acropora spp. provide an opportunity to study the effects of elevated co(2) on coral calcification without the complication of symbiont metabolism. therefore, we used the illumina rnaseq approach to study the effects of acute exposure to elevated co(2) on gene expression in primary pol ...	2012	22490231
corals form characteristic associations with symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria.	the complex symbiotic relationship between corals and their dinoflagellate partner symbiodinium is believed to be sustained through close associations with mutualistic bacterial communities, though little is known about coral associations with bacterial groups able to fix nitrogen (diazotrophs). in this study, we investigated the diversity of diazotrophic bacterial communities associated with three common coral species (acropora millepora, acropora muricata, and pocillopora damicormis) from thre ...	2012	22344646
ocean acidification reduces coral recruitment by disrupting intimate larval-algal settlement interactions.	ecology letters (2012) 15: 338-346 abstract: successful recruitment in shallow reef ecosystems often involves specific cues that connect planktonic invertebrate larvae with particular crustose coralline algae (cca) during settlement. while ocean acidification (oa) can reduce larval settlement and the abundance of cca, the impact of oa on the interactions between planktonic larvae and their preferred settlement substrate are unknown. here, we demonstrate that co2 concentrations (800 and 1300 μatm ...	2012	22321314
differential gene expression at coral settlement and metamorphosis--a subtractive hybridization study.	a successful metamorphosis from a planktonic larva to a settled polyp, which under favorable conditions will establish a future colony, is critical for the survival of corals. however, in contrast to the situation in other animals, e.g., frogs and insects, little is known about the molecular basis of coral metamorphosis. we have begun to redress this situation with previous microarray studies, but there is still a great deal to learn. in the present paper we have utilized a different technology, ...	2011	22065994
environmental factors controlling the distribution of symbiodinium harboured by the coral acropora millepora on the great barrier reef.	the symbiodinium community associated with scleractinian corals is widely considered to be shaped by seawater temperature, as the coral's upper temperature tolerance is largely contingent on the symbiodinium types harboured. few studies have challenged this paradigm as knowledge of other environmental drivers on the distribution of symbiodinium is limited. here, we examine the influence of a range of environmental variables on the distribution of symbiodinium associated with acropora millepora c ...	2011	22065989
effects of herbivory, nutrients, and reef protection on algal proliferation and coral growth on a tropical reef.	maintaining coral reef resilience against increasing anthropogenic disturbance is critical for effective reef management. resilience is partially determined by how processes, such as herbivory and nutrient supply, affect coral recovery versus macroalgal proliferation following disturbances. however, the relative effects of herbivory versus nutrient enrichment on algal proliferation remain debated. here, we manipulated herbivory and nutrients on a coral-dominated reef protected from fishing, and ...	2011	22038059
historical and contemporary factors shape the population genetic structure of the broadcast spawning coral, acropora millepora, on the great barrier reef.	effective management of reef corals requires knowledge of the extent to which populations are open or closed and the scales over which genetic exchange occurs, information which is commonly derived from population genetic data. such data are sparse for great barrier reef (gbr) corals and other organisms, with the studies that are available being mostly based on a small number of sampling locations spanning only part of the gbr. using 11 microsatellite loci, we genotyped 947 colonies of the reef- ...	2011	22026459
Regulation of Bacterial Communities Through Antimicrobial Activity by the Coral Holobiont.	Interactions between corals and associated bacteria and amongst these bacterial groups are likely to play a key role in coral health. However, the complexity of these interactions is poorly understood. We investigated the functional role of specific coral-associated bacteria in maintaining microbial communities on the coral Acropora millepora (Ehrenberg 1834) and the ability of coral mucus to support or inhibit bacterial growth. Culture-independent techniques were used to assess bacterial commun ...	2011	21984347
resistance to thermal stress in corals without changes in symbiont composition.	discovering how corals can adjust their thermal sensitivity in the context of global climate change is important in understanding the long-term persistence of coral reefs. in this study, we showed that short-term preconditioning to higher temperatures, 3°c below the experimentally determined bleaching threshold, for a period of 10 days provides thermal tolerance for the symbiosis stability between the scleractinian coral, acropora millepora and symbiodinium. based on genotypic analysis, our resu ...	2012	21976690
circadian cycles of gene expression in the coral, acropora millepora.	circadian rhythms regulate many physiological, behavioral and reproductive processes. these rhythms are often controlled by light, and daily cycles of solar illumination entrain many clock regulated processes. in scleractinian corals a number of different processes and behaviors are associated with specific periods of solar illumination or non-illumination--for example, skeletal deposition, feeding and both brooding and broadcast spawning.	2011	21949855
profiling gene expression responses of coral larvae (acropora millepora) to elevated temperature and settlement inducers using a novel rna-seq procedure.	elevated temperatures resulting from climate change pose a clear threat to reef-building corals; however, the traits that might influence corals' survival and dispersal during climate change remain poorly understood. global gene expression profiling is a powerful hypothesis-forming tool that can help elucidate these traits. here, we applied a novel rna-seq protocol to study molecular responses to heat and settlement inducers in aposymbiotic larvae of the reef-building coral acropora millepora. t ...	2011	21801258
transcriptomic variation in a coral reveals pathways of clonal organisation.	a microarray study was undertaken to examine the potential for clonal gene expression variation in a branching reef building coral, acropora millepora. the role of small-scale gradients in light and water flow was examined by comparing gene expression levels between branch elevation (tip and base) and position (centre and edge) of replicate coral colonies (n=3). analyses of variance revealed that almost 60% of variation in gene expression was present between colonies and 34 genes were considered ...	2009	21798180
high potential for formation and persistence of chimeras following aggregated larval settlement in the broadcast spawning coral, acropora millepora.	in sessile modular marine invertebrates, chimeras can originate from fusions of closely settling larvae or of colonies that come into contact through growth or movement. while it has been shown that juveniles of brooding corals fuse under experimental conditions, chimera formation in broadcast spawning corals, the most abundant group of reef corals, has not been examined. this study explores the capacity of the broadcast spawning coral acropora millepora to form chimeras under experimental condi ...	2012	21752820
rapid evolution of coral proteins responsible for interaction with the environment.	corals worldwide are in decline due to climate change effects (e.g., rising seawater temperatures), pollution, and exploitation. the ability of corals to cope with these stressors in the long run depends on the evolvability of the underlying genetic networks and proteins, which remain largely unknown. a genome-wide scan for positively selected genes between related coral species can help to narrow down the search space considerably.	2011	21633702
microsatellite loci isolated from the scleractinian coral, acropora nobilis.	we report the isolation and characterization of eight microsatellite loci from the scleractinian coral, acropora nobilis. the microsatellite loci were obtained using compound ssr primers or an enrichment protocol. all the loci were polymorphic with four to eight alleles per locus and observed heterozygosities ranging from 0.22 to 0.76. some of the primers developed for the two congeners, acropora palmata and acropora millepora were applicable to a. nobilis. these loci are useful for studying the ...	2008	21585840
quantification of algal endosymbionts (symbiodinium) in coral tissue using real-time pcr.	understanding the flexibility of the endosymbioses between scleractinian corals and single-cell algae of the genus symbiodinium will provide valuable insights into the future of coral reefs. here, a real-time polymerase chain reaction (pcr) assay is presented to accurately determine the cell densities of symbiodinium clades c and d in the scleractinian coral acropora millepora, which can be extended to other coral-symbiont associations in the future. the assay targets single- to low-copy genes o ...	2009	21564569
induction of larval metamorphosis of the coral acropora millepora by tetrabromopyrrole isolated from a pseudoalteromonas bacterium.	the induction of larval attachment and metamorphosis of benthic marine invertebrates is widely considered to rely on habitat specific cues. while microbial biofilms on marine hard substrates have received considerable attention as specific signals for a wide and phylogenetically diverse array of marine invertebrates, the presumed chemical settlement signals produced by the bacteria have to date not been characterized. here we isolated and fully characterized the first chemical signal from bacter ...	2011	21559509
a comparative study of phenoloxidase activity in diseased and bleached colonies of the coral acropora millepora.	in scleractinian (hard) corals, immune responses involving phenoloxidase (po) activity are known to play a role in coral wound healing, but there have been no studies investigating their roles in mitigating either disease or bleaching in an indo-pacific coral. po activity induces the release of reactive oxygen species leading to a cytotoxic cellular environment, which enhances resistance against pathogens, but is also likely to compound oxidative stress induced during bleaching. antioxidants suc ...	2011	21527282
unexpected complexity of the reef-building coral acropora millepora transcription factor network.	abstract:	2011	21526989
a multilocus, temperature stress-related gene expression profile assay in acropora millepora, a dominant reef-building coral.	we report an accurate multiplex reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (rt-qpcr) assay, capable of reproducing gene expression profiles from 16 target genes [12 genes of interest (gois) and four reference genes (rgs)] in acropora millepora, a common reef-building model coral species. the 12 gois have known or putative roles in the coral bleaching response, yet the method is not restricted to this particular assay and gene set. the procedure is based on the beckman coulter ( ...	2011	21429140
regulation of apoptotic mediators reveals dynamic responses to thermal stress in the reef building coral acropora millepora.	mass coral bleaching is increasing in scale and frequency across the world's coral reefs and is being driven primarily by increased levels of thermal stress arising from global warming. in order to understand the impacts of projected climate change upon corals reefs, it is important to elucidate the underlying cellular mechanisms that operate during coral bleaching and subsequent mortality. in this respect, increased apoptotic cell death activity is an important cellular process that is associat ...	2011	21283671
fluorescence of coral larvae predicts their settlement response to crustose coralline algae and reflects stress.	multi-coloured homologues of the green fluorescent protein generate some of the most striking visual phenomena in the ocean. despite their natural prominence in reef-building corals and widespread use in biotechnology, their biological role remains obscure. here, we experimented with larvae of acropora millepora to determine what can be learned about a coral larva or recruit from its fluorescent colour. we performed 12 crosses between seven a. millepora colonies representing differing fluorescen ...	2011	21270034
chemical and physical environmental conditions underneath mat- and canopy-forming macroalgae, and their effects on understorey corals.	disturbed coral reefs are often dominated by dense mat- or canopy-forming assemblages of macroalgae. this study investigated how such dense macroalgal assemblages change the chemical and physical microenvironment for understorey corals, and how the altered environmental conditions affect the physiological performance of corals. field measurements were conducted on macroalgal-dominated inshore reefs in the great barrier reef in quadrats with macroalgal biomass ranging from 235 to 1029 g dw m(-2) ...	2010	20856882
gene expression profiles of cytosolic heat shock proteins hsp70 and hsp90 from symbiotic dinoflagellates in response to thermal stress: possible implications for coral bleaching.	unicellular photosynthetic dinoflagellates of the genus symbiodinium are the most common endosymbionts of reef-building scleractinian corals, living in a symbiotic partnership known to be highly susceptible to environmental changes such as hyperthermic stress. in this study, we identified members of two major heat shock proteins (hsps) families, hsp70 and hsp90, in symbiodinium sp. (clade c) with full-length sequences that showed the highest similarity and evolutionary relationship with other kn ...	2011	20821176
validation of housekeeping genes for gene expression studies in symbiodinium exposed to thermal and light stress.	unicellular photosynthetic algae (dinoflagellate) from the genus symbiodinium live in mutualistic symbiosis with reef-building corals. cultured symbiodinium sp. (clade c) were exposed to a range of environmental stresses that included elevated temperatures (29°c and 32°c) under high (100 μmol quanta m(-2) s(-1) photosynthetic active radiation) and low (10 μmol quanta m(-2) s(-1)) irradiances. using real-time rt-pcr the stability of expression for the nine selected putative housekeeping genes (hk ...	2010	20668900
analysis of evolutionarily conserved innate immune components in coral links immunity and symbiosis.	reef-building corals are representatives of one of the earliest diverging metazoan lineages and are experiencing increases in bleaching events (breakdown of the coral-symbiodinium symbiosis) and disease outbreaks. the present study investigates the roles of two pattern recognition proteins, the mannose binding lectin millectin and a complement factor c3-like protein (c3-am), in the coral acropora millepora. the results indicate that the innate immune functions of these molecules are conserved an ...	2010	20600272
characterization of a group of mites with unusual features from two coral genomes.	miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (mites), which are common in eukaryotic genomes, are small non-coding elements that transpose by utilizing transposases encoded by autonomous transposons. recent genome-wide analyses and cross-mobilization assays have greatly improved our knowledge on mite proliferation, however, specific mechanisms for the origin and evolution of mites are still unclear.	2010	20502527
potential costs of acclimatization to a warmer climate: growth of a reef coral with heat tolerant vs. sensitive symbiont types.	one of the principle ways in which reef building corals are likely to cope with a warmer climate is by changing to more thermally tolerant endosymbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) genotypes. it is highly likely that hosting a more heat-tolerant algal genotype will be accompanied by tradeoffs in the physiology of the coral. to better understand one of these tradeoffs, growth was investigated in the indo-pacific reef-building coral acropora millepora in both the laboratory and the field. in the keppel ...	2010	20454653
characterisation of nitric oxide synthase in three cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbioses.	nitric oxide synthase (nos) is an enzyme catalysing the conversion of l-arginine to l-citrulline and nitric oxide (no), the latter being an essential messenger molecule for a range of biological processes. whilst its role in higher vertebrates is well understood little is known about the role of this enzyme in early metazoan groups. for instance, nos-mediated signalling has been associated with cnidaria-algal symbioses, however controversy remains about the contribution of enzyme activities by t ...	2010	20442851
estimating the potential for adaptation of corals to climate warming.	the persistence of tropical coral reefs is threatened by rapidly increasing climate warming, causing a functional breakdown of the obligate symbiosis between corals and their algal photosymbionts (symbiodinium) through a process known as coral bleaching. yet the potential of the coral-algal symbiosis to genetically adapt in an evolutionary sense to warming oceans is unknown. using a quantitative genetics approach, we estimated the proportion of the variance in thermal tolerance traits that has a ...	2010	20305781
differential regulation by heat stress of novel cytochrome p450 genes from the dinoflagellate symbionts of reef-building corals.	exposure to heat stress has been recognized as one of the major factors leading to the breakdown of the coral-alga symbiosis and coral bleaching. here, we describe the presence of three new cytochrome p450 (cyp) genes from the reef-building coral endosymbiont symbiodinium (type c3) and changes in their expression during exposure to severe and moderate heat stress conditions. sequence analysis of the cyp c-terminal region and two conserved domains, the "perf" and "heme-binding" domains, confirmed ...	2010	20228102
patterns of gene expression in a scleractinian coral undergoing natural bleaching.	coral bleaching is a major threat to coral reefs worldwide and is predicted to intensify with increasing global temperature. this study represents the first investigation of gene expression in an indo-pacific coral species undergoing natural bleaching which involved the loss of algal symbionts. quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction experiments were conducted to select and evaluate coral internal control genes (icgs), and to investigate selected coral genes of interest (gois) for chang ...	2010	20041338