Interspecies differences in the transcriptome response of corals to acute heat stress

Area of Science:

• Marine Biology
• Genomics
• Ecology

Background:

• Rising sea surface temperatures are increasing coral bleaching events globally.
• Coral species display differential susceptibility to thermal stress.
• Understanding genetic factors is crucial for coral conservation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the genetic underpinnings of differential thermal tolerance in coral species.
• To compare gene repertoires of four coral species with known varying thermal stress responses.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of gene repertoires across four coral species.
• Assessment of gene abundance, focusing on antioxidant proteins and chaperones.
• Examination of gene expression patterns, including stress response genes (SRGs), under thermal stress.

Main Results:

• More tolerant coral species (Favites colemani, Montipora digitata) showed higher abundance of antioxidant and chaperone protein families.
• Seriatopora caliendrum exhibited significant bleaching under thermal stress.
• Bleaching in S. caliendrum correlated with DNA damage response activation and SRG upregulation.

Conclusions:

• Differences in stress response gene (SRG) orthologs and their expression regulation contribute to coral thermal tolerance.
• Genetic variations influence the ability of corals to maintain physiological stability amidst rising seawater temperatures.
• These findings are vital for predicting coral resilience and informing conservation strategies in a changing climate.