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Defining the tipping point: a complex cellular life/death balance in corals in response to stress

T D Ainsworth1, K Wasmund, L Ukani

  • 1ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University Townsville, Australia. Tracy.ainsworth@jcu.edu.au

Scientific Reports
|February 23, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Coral bleaching involves apoptosis, a programmed cell death. Thermal stress significantly alters apoptotic gene expression in Acropora aspera, suggesting complex regulation of cell death during bleaching events.

Area of Science:

  • Marine Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Coral Reef Ecology

Background:

  • Apoptotic cell death is linked to coral bleaching.
  • Mechanisms of apoptosis in corals are poorly understood compared to higher animals.
  • Understanding coral apoptosis is crucial for predicting bleaching responses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the expression of key apoptosis regulators in Acropora aspera under simulated thermal stress.
  • To elucidate the role of apoptosis in the early stages of coral bleaching.

Main Methods:

  • Studied gene expression of six key apoptosis regulators in Acropora aspera.
  • Simulated mass coral bleaching conditions, including daily temperature fluctuations.
  • Analyzed gene expression changes between daily minimum and maximum temperatures.

Main Results:

  • Significant changes in both pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic gene expression were observed.
  • Thermal stress as low as 3°C below the bleaching threshold induced significant gene expression changes.
  • Apoptosis regulation in this coral-algal symbiosis is complex.

Conclusions:

  • Apoptotic cell death pathways are intricately regulated in corals.
  • These pathways may be critical in determining coral survival during environmental stress, preceding visible bleaching.
  • Further research into coral apoptosis is needed to understand and mitigate bleaching.

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