A window into vitamin effects on biomineralization in octocorals

Vitamins are essential micronutrients involved in various biochemical processes, such as serving as cofactors, antioxidants, and regulators of calcium metabolism. In vertebrates, vitamins D, K, and C are particularly known for supporting bone health and mineralization. However, the role of vitamins in biomineralization processes in marine invertebrates, such as octocorals (cnidarians) that produce internal skeletal structures called sclerites, remains largely unexplored. This study uses an in vivo injection method in the octocoral Sarcophyton sp. to assess the effects of various vitamins on sclerite formation over 21 days. Calcification was monitored using calcein, a fluorescent marker, and analyzed by confocal microscopy combined with particle analysis. Our results indicate that vitamin D promotes sclerite formation, whereas vitamin C appears to inhibit this process, suggesting distinct roles for specific vitamins in octocoral biomineralization. These findings provide experimental evidence of vitamin-mediated regulation of biomineralization in octocorals. By identifying conserved pathways in cnidarian skeletal formation, this study lays the groundwork for future research in coral physiology, and more broadly on comparative endocrinology, and may contribute to broader insights into coral resilience.