ORCID Profile
0000-0002-4753-5278
Current Organisations
Australian Antarctic Division
,
Australian Institute of Marine Science
,
University of Queensland
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Microbial Ecology | Microbiology | Virology | Biological Adaptation
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Effects of Climate Change and Variability on Australia (excl. Social Impacts) | Marine Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity |
Related Links
Publications
Prevalence of tissue necrosis and brown spot lesions in a common marine sponge
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1071/MF09200
Abstract: Sponges form a highly erse and ecologically significant component of benthic communities. Despite their importance, disease dynamics in sponges remain relatively unexplored. There are reports of severe disease epidemics in sponges from the Caribbean and the Mediterranean however, extensive sponge mortalities have not yet been reported from the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and Torres Strait, north-eastern Australia. Marine sponge surveys were conducted in the Palm Islands on the central GBR and Masig Island, Torres Strait, to determine the health of the Demosponge Ianthella basta. Using tissue necrosis and the presence of brown lesions as a proxy of health, sponges were assigned to predetermined disease categories. Sponges with lesions were present at all sites with 43 and 66% of I. basta exhibiting lesions and symptoms of necrosis in the Palm Islands and Torres Strait, respectively. Sponges from the Torres Strait also showed a greater incidence of significant and extensive necrosis in comparison to sponges from Palm Island (11.5 v. 6%). These results indicate the widespread distribution of a disease-like syndrome affecting the health of I. basta, and highlight the critical need for regular monitoring programs and future research to assess patterns in disease dynamics and ascertain the etiological agents of infection.
Microbial indicators as a diagnostic tool for assessing water quality and climate stress in coral reef ecosystems
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 23-03-2017
Bacterial Community Dynamics in the Marine Sponge Rhopaloeides odorabile Under In Situ and Ex Situ Cultivation
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-06-2011
DOI: 10.1007/S10126-010-9300-4
Abstract: Cultivation of sponges is being explored to supply biomaterial for the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. This study assesses the impact of various cultivation methods on the microbial community within the sponge Rhopaloeides odorabile during: (1) in situ cultivation under natural environmental conditions, (2) ex situ cultivation in small flow-through aquaria and (3) ex situ cultivation in large mesocosm systems. Principal components analysis of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiles indicated a stable microbial community in sponges cultured in situ (grown in the wild) and in sponges cultured ex situ in small flow-through aquaria over 12 weeks. In contrast, a shift in the microbial community was detected in sponges cultivated ex situ in large mesocosm aquaria for 12 months. This shift included (1) a loss of some stable microbial inhabitants, including members of the Poribacteria, Chloroflexi and Acidobacteria and (2) the addition of new microbes not detected in the wild sponges. Many of these acquired bacteria had highest similarity to known sponge-associated microbes, indicating that the sponge may be capable of actively selecting its microbial community. Alternatively, long-term ex situ cultivation may cause a shift in the dominant microbes that facilitates the growth of the more rare species. The microbial community composition varied between sponges cultivated in mesocosm aquaria with different nutrient concentrations and seawater chemistry, suggesting that these variables play a role in structuring the sponge-associated microbes. The high growth and symbiont stability in R. odorabile cultured in situ confirm that this is the preferred method of aquaculture for this species at this time.
Could some coral reefs become sponge reefs as our climate changes?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-05-2013
DOI: 10.1111/GCB.12212
Abstract: Coral reefs across the world have been seriously degraded and have a bleak future in response to predicted global warming and ocean acidification (OA). However, this is not the first time that biocalcifying organisms, including corals, have faced the threat of extinction. The end-Triassic mass extinction (200 million years ago) was the most severe biotic crisis experienced by modern marine invertebrates, which selected against biocalcifiers this was followed by the proliferation of another invertebrate group, sponges. The duration of this sponge-dominated period far surpasses that of alternative stable-ecosystem or phase-shift states reported on modern day coral reefs and, as such, a shift to sponge-dominated reefs warrants serious consideration as one future trajectory of coral reefs. We hypothesise that some coral reefs of today may become sponge reefs in the future, as sponges and corals respond differently to changing ocean chemistry and environmental conditions. To support this hypothesis, we discuss: (i) the presence of sponge reefs in the geological record (ii) reported shifts from coral- to sponge-dominated systems and (iii) direct and indirect responses of the sponge holobiont and its constituent parts (host and symbionts) to changes in temperature and pH. Based on this evidence, we propose that sponges may be one group to benefit from projected climate change and ocean acidification scenarios, and that increased sponge abundance represents a possible future trajectory for some coral reefs, which would have important implications for overall reef functioning.
Modularity and predicted functions of the global sponge-microbiome network
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-2019
DOI: 10.1038/S41467-019-08925-4
Abstract: Defining the organisation of species interaction networks and unveiling the processes behind their assembly is fundamental to understanding patterns of bio ersity, community stability and ecosystem functioning. Marine sponges host complex communities of microorganisms that contribute to their health and survival, yet the mechanisms behind microbiome assembly are largely unknown. We present the global marine sponge–microbiome network and reveal a modular organisation in both community structure and function. Modules are linked by a few sponge species that share microbes with other species around the world. Further, we provide evidence that abiotic factors influence the structuring of the sponge microbiome when considering all microbes present, but biotic interactions drive the assembly of more intimately associated ‘core’ microorganisms. These findings suggest that both ecological and evolutionary processes are at play in host-microbe network assembly. We expect mechanisms behind microbiome assembly to be consistent across multicellular hosts throughout the tree of life.
Evaluating the core microbiota in complex communities: A systematic investigation
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-02-2017
Abstract: The study of complex microbial communities poses unique conceptual and analytical challenges, with microbial species potentially numbering in the thousands. With transient or allochthonous microorganisms often adding to this complexity, a 'core' microbiota approach, focusing only on the stable and permanent members of the community, is becoming increasingly popular. Given the various ways of defining a core microbiota, it is prudent to examine whether the definition of the core impacts upon the results obtained. Here we used complex marine sponge microbiotas and undertook a systematic evaluation of the degree to which different factors used to define the core influenced the conclusions. Significant differences in alpha- and beta- ersity were detected using some but not all core definitions. However, findings related to host specificity and environmental quality were largely insensitive to major changes in the core microbiota definition. Furthermore, none of the applied definitions altered our perception of the ecological networks summarising interactions among bacteria within the sponges. These results suggest that, while care should still be taken in interpretation, the core microbiota approach is surprisingly robust, at least for comparing microbiotas of closely related s les.
Taurine as a key intermediate for host-symbiont interaction in the tropical spongeIanthella basta
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 23-09-2022
DOI: 10.1101/2022.09.23.509140
Abstract: Marine sponges are critical components of marine benthic fauna assemblages where their filter-feeding and reef-building capabilities provide bentho-pelagic coupling and crucial habitat. As potentially the oldest representation of a metazoan-microbe symbiosis, they also harbor dense, erse, and species-specific communities of microbes, which are increasingly recognized for their contributions to dissolved organic matter (DOM) processing. Recent omics-based studies of marine sponge microbiomes have proposed numerous pathways of dissolved metabolite exchange between the host and symbionts within the context of the surrounding environment, but few studies have sought to experimentally interrogate these pathways. By using a combination of metaproteogenomics and laboratory incubations coupled with isotope-based functional assays, we showed that the dominant gammaproteobacterial symbiont ‘ Candidatus Taurinisymbion ianthellae’ residing in the marine sponge, Ianthella basta , expresses a pathway for the import and dissimilation of taurine, a ubiquitously occurring sulfonate metabolite in marine sponges. ‘ Candidatus Taurinisymbion ianthellae’ incorporates taurine-derived carbon and nitrogen while, at the same time, oxidizing the dissimilated sulfite into sulfate for export. Furthermore, we found that taurine-derived ammonia is exported by the symbiont for immediate oxidation by the dominant ammonia-oxidizing thaumarchaeal symbiont ‘ Candidatus Nitrosospongia ianthellae’. Metaproteogenomic analyses also indicate that ‘ Candidatus Taurinisymbion ianthellae’ likely imports DMSP and possesses both pathways for DMSP demethylation and cleavage, enabling it to use this compound as a carbon and sulfur source for biomass, as well as for energy conservation. These results highlight the important role of biogenic sulfur compounds in the interplay between Ianthella basta and its microbial symbionts.
Qualitative variation in colour morphotypes of Ianthella basta (Porifera: Verongida)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-07-2011
Phylogenetic diversity of bacteria associated with the marine sponge Rhopaloeides odorabile
Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
Date: 2001
DOI: 10.1128/AEM.67.1.434-444.2001
Abstract: Molecular techniques were employed to document the microbial ersity associated with the marine sponge Rhopaloeides odorabile . The phylogenetic affiliation of sponge-associated bacteria was assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing of cloned DNA fragments. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to confirm the presence of the predominant groups indicated by 16S rDNA analysis. The community structure was extremely erse with representatives of the Actinobacteria , low-G+C gram-positive bacteria, the β- and γ-sub isions of the Proteobacteria , Cytophaga/Flavobacterium , green sulfur bacteria, green nonsulfur bacteria, planctomycetes, and other sequence types with no known close relatives. FISH probes revealed the spatial location of these bacteria within the sponge tissue, in some cases suggesting possible symbiotic functions. The high proportion of 16S rRNA sequences derived from novel actinomycetes is good evidence for the presence of an indigenous marine actinomycete assemblage in R. odorabile. High microbial ersity was inferred from low duplication of clones in a library with 70 representatives. Determining the phylogenetic affiliation of sponge-associated microorganisms by 16S rRNA analysis facilitated the rational selection of culture media and isolation conditions to target specific groups of well-represented bacteria for laboratory culture. Novel media incorporating sponge extracts were used to isolate bacteria not previously recovered from this sponge.
Sponge-Microbe Associations Survive High Nutrients and Temperatures
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 20-12-2012
Characterization of a thaumarchaeal symbiont that drives incomplete nitrification in the tropical spongeIanthella basta
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 25-07-2019
Life-stage specificity and cross-generational climate effects on the microbiome of a tropical sea urchin (Echinodermata: Echinoidea)
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-09-2023
DOI: 10.1111/MEC.17124
A genomic view of the microbiome of coral reef demosponges
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-01-2021
DOI: 10.1038/S41396-020-00876-9
Abstract: Sponges underpin the productivity of coral reefs, yet few of their microbial symbionts have been functionally characterised. Here we present an analysis of ~1200 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) spanning seven sponge species and 25 microbial phyla. Compared to MAGs derived from reef seawater, sponge-associated MAGs were enriched in glycosyl hydrolases targeting components of sponge tissue, coral mucus and macroalgae, revealing a critical role for sponge symbionts in cycling reef organic matter. Further, visualisation of the distribution of these genes amongst symbiont taxa uncovered functional guilds for reef organic matter degradation. Genes for the utilisation of sialic acids and glycosaminoglycans present in sponge tissue were found in specific microbial lineages that also encoded genes for attachment to sponge-derived fibronectins and cadherins, suggesting these lineages can utilise specific structural elements of sponge tissue. Further, genes encoding CRISPR and restriction-modification systems used in defence against mobile genetic elements were enriched in sponge symbionts, along with eukaryote-like gene motifs thought to be involved in maintaining host association. Finally, we provide evidence that many of these sponge-enriched genes are laterally transferred between microbial taxa, suggesting they confer a selective advantage within the sponge niche and therefore play a critical role in host ecology and evolution.
Diversity, structure and convergent evolution of the global sponge microbiome
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 16-06-2016
DOI: 10.1038/NCOMMS11870
Abstract: Sponges (phylum Porifera) are early- erging metazoa renowned for establishing complex microbial symbioses. Here we present a global Porifera microbiome survey, set out to establish the ecological and evolutionary drivers of these host–microbe interactions. We show that sponges are a reservoir of exceptional microbial ersity and major contributors to the total microbial ersity of the world’s oceans. Little commonality in species composition or structure is evident across the phylum, although symbiont communities are characterized by specialists and generalists rather than opportunists. Core sponge microbiomes are stable and characterized by generalist symbionts exhibiting amensal and/or commensal interactions. Symbionts that are phylogenetically unique to sponges do not disproportionally contribute to the core microbiome, and host phylogeny impacts complexity rather than composition of the symbiont community. Our findings support a model of independent assembly and evolution in symbiont communities across the entire host phylum, with convergent forces resulting in analogous community organization and interactions.
The Sponge Hologenome
Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
Date: 04-05-2016
Abstract: A paradigm shift has recently transformed the field of biological science molecular advances have revealed how fundamentally important microorganisms are to many aspects of a host’s phenotype and evolution. In the process, an era of “holobiont” research has emerged to investigate the intricate network of interactions between a host and its symbiotic microbial consortia. Marine sponges are early- erging metazoa known for hosting dense, specific, and often highly erse microbial communities. Here we synthesize current thoughts about the environmental and evolutionary forces that influence the ersity, specificity, and distribution of microbial symbionts within the sponge holobiont, explore the physiological pathways that contribute to holobiont function, and describe the molecular mechanisms that underpin the establishment and maintenance of these symbiotic partnerships. The collective genomes of the sponge holobiont form the sponge hologenome, and we highlight how the forces that define a sponge’s phenotype in fact act on the genomic interplay between the different components of the holobiont.
Temperature thresholds for bacterial symbiosis with a sponge
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 15-05-2008
Abstract: The impact of elevated seawater temperature on bacterial communities within the marine sponge Rhopaloeides odorabile was assessed. Sponges were exposed to temperatures ranging between 27 and 33 degrees C. No differences in bacterial community composition or sponge health were detected in treatments between 27 and 31 degrees C. In contrast, sponges exposed to 33 degrees C exhibited a complete loss of the primary cultivated symbiont within 24 h and cellular necrosis after 3 days. Furthermore, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and clone sequence analysis detected a dramatic shift in bacterial community composition between 31 and 33 degrees C. Within the first 24 h most of the DGGE bands detected in s les from 27 to 31 degrees C were absent from the 33 degrees C sponges whereas eight bands were detected exclusively in the 33 degrees C sponges. The 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that most of the microbes from sponges exposed to 27-31 degrees C had highest homology to known sponge-associated bacteria. In contrast, many of the microbes from sponges exposed to 33 degrees C were similar to sequences previously retrieved from diseased and bleached corals. The 16S rRNA clone library analysis also detected a significant shift in bacterial community structure. The 27 degrees C library was composed of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Nitrospira, Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi whereas the 33 degrees C library contained sequences from the Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. The clear shifts in community composition at elevated temperatures can be attributed to the loss of symbionts and to the establishment of alien microbial populations including potential pathogens. Breakdown of symbioses and stress in the sponge occurred at temperatures identical to those reported for coral bleaching, indicating that sponges may be similarly threatened by climate change.
Elevated seawater temperature causes a microbial shift on crustose coralline algae with implications for the recruitment of coral larvae
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-10-2010
Thermal and sedimentation stress are unlikely causes of brown spot syndrome in the Coral Reef sponge, Ianthella basta
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 22-06-2012
Site‐specific variation in Antarctic marine biofilms established on artificial surfaces
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-03-2006
DOI: 10.1111/J.1462-2920.2006.01007.X
Abstract: The community structure and composition of marine microbial biofilms established on glass surfaces was investigated across three differentially contaminated Antarctic sites within McMurdo Sound. Diverse microbial communities were revealed at all sites using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) techniques. Sequencing of excised DGGE bands demonstrated close affiliation with known psychrophiles or undescribed bacteria also recovered from the Antarctic environment. The majority of bacterial sequences were affiliated to the Gammaproteobacteria, Cytophaga/Flavobacteria of Bacteroidetes (CFB), Verrucomicrobia and Planctomycetales. Principal components analysis of quantitative FISH data revealed distinct differences in community composition between sites. Each of the sites were dominated by different bacterial groups: Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and CFB at the least impacted site, Cape Armitage green sulfur and sulfate reducing bacteria near the semi-impacted Scott Base and Planctomycetales and sulfate reducing bacteria near the highly impacted McMurdo Station. The highest abundance of archaea was detected near Scott Base (2.5% of total bacteria). Multivariate analyses (non-metric multidimensional scaling and analysis of similarities) of DGGE patterns revealed greater variability in community composition between sites than within sites. This is the first investigation of Antarctic biofilm structure and FISH results suggest that anthropogenic impacts may influence the complex composition of microbial communities.
Larval behaviours and their contribution to the distribution of the intertidal coral reef sponge Carteriospongia foliascens
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 22-05-2014
Biogeographic variation in the microbiome of the ecologically important sponge, Carteriospongia foliascens
Publisher: PeerJ
Date: 17-12-2015
DOI: 10.7717/PEERJ.1435
Abstract: Sponges are well known for hosting dense and erse microbial communities, but how these associations vary with biogeography and environment is less clear. Here we compared the microbiome of an ecologically important sponge species, Carteriospongia foliascens , over a large geographic area and identified environmental factors likely responsible for driving microbial community differences between inshore and offshore locations using co-occurrence networks (NWs). The microbiome of C. foliascens exhibited exceptionally high microbial richness, with more than 9,000 OTUs identified at 97% sequence similarity. A large biogeographic signal was evident at the OTU level despite similar phyla level ersity being observed across all geographic locations. The C. foliascens bacterial community was primarily comprised of Gammaproteobacteria (34.2% ± 3.4%) and Cyanobacteria (32.2% ± 3.5%), with lower abundances of Alphaproteobacteria , Bacteroidetes , unidentified Proteobacteria , Actinobacteria , Acidobacteria and Deltaproteobacteria . Co-occurrence NWs revealed a consistent increase in the proportion of Cyanobacteria over Bacteroidetes between turbid inshore and oligotrophic offshore locations, suggesting that the specialist microbiome of C. foliascens is driven by environmental factors.
Erratum: Coral reef invertebrate microbiomes correlate with the presence of photosymbionts
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-06-2013
Contamination in sediments, bivalves and sponges of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2006
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVPOL.2005.12.005
Abstract: This study examined the concentrations of total hydrocarbons (THC), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and trace metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg and As) in marine sediments off Scott Base (NZ) and compared them with sediments near the highly polluted McMurdo Station (US) as well as less impacted sites including Turtle Rock and Cape Evans. The Antarctic mollusc, Laternula elliptica and three common sponge species were also analysed for trace metals. The mean THC concentration in sediments from Scott Base was 3 fold higher than the pristine site, Turtle Rock, but 10 fold lower than s les from McMurdo Station. McMurdo Station sediments also contained the highest concentrations of PAHs, PCBs and the trace metals, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and Hg. Copper was significantly higher in bivalves from McMurdo Station than other sites. Trace metal concentrations in sponges were generally consistent within sites but no spatial patterns were apparent.
Microbiome analysis of a disease affecting the deep-sea sponge Geodia barretti
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 24-05-2017
Abstract: Reports of sponge disease are becoming increasingly frequent, although almost all instances involve shallow-water, tropical species. Here, we describe the first disease affecting the deep-water sponge, Geodia barretti. The disease is characterised by brown/black discolouration of the sponge tissue, extensive levels of tissue disintegration and increased levels of fouling. Disease prevalence was quantified using video survey transects conducted between 100 and 220 m in Korsfjorden, Norway, and the microbial communities of healthy and diseased sponges were compared using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Highly ergent community profiles were evident between the different health states, with distinct community shifts involving higher relative abundances of Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Deltaproteobacteria in diseased in iduals. In addition, three operational taxonomic units were exclusively present in diseased in iduals and were shared between the disease lesions and the apparently healthy tissue of diseased in iduals, suggesting a non-localised infection or dysbiosis. Genomic analysis of the G. barretti microbiome combined with experimental work to assess the mechanisms of infection will further elucidate the role of microorganisms in the disease.
Using a thermistor flowmeter with attached video camera for monitoring sponge excurrent speed and oscular behaviour
Publisher: PeerJ
Date: 13-12-2016
DOI: 10.7717/PEERJ.2761
Abstract: A digital, four-channel thermistor flowmeter integrated with time-lapse cameras was developed as an experimental tool for measuring pumping rates in marine sponges, particularly those with small excurrent openings (oscula). Combining flowmeters with time-lapse imagery yielded valuable insights into the contractile behaviour of oscula in Cliona orientalis . Osculum cross-sectional area (OSA) was positively correlated to measured excurrent speeds (ES), indicating that sponge pumping and osculum contraction are coordinated behaviours. Both OSA and ES were positively correlated to pumping rate ( Q ). Diel trends in pumping activity and osculum contraction were also observed, with sponges increasing their pumping activity to peak at midday and decreasing pumping and contracting oscula at night. Short-term elevation of the suspended sediment concentration (SSC) within the seawater initially decreased pumping rates by up to 90%, ultimately resulting in closure of the oscula and cessation of pumping.
Same, same but different: Symbiotic bacterial associations in GBR sponges
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 2012
Near-future ocean acidification causes differences in microbial associations within diverse coral reef taxa
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-10-2013
Abstract: Microorganisms form symbiotic partnerships with a erse range of marine organisms and can be critical to the health and survival of their hosts. Despite the importance of these relationships, the sensitivity of symbiotic microbes to ocean acidification (OA) is largely unknown and this needs to be redressed to adequately predict marine ecosystem resilience in a changing climate. We adopted a profiling approach to explore the sensitivity of microbes associated with coral reef biofilms and representatives of three ecologically important calcifying invertebrate phyla [corals, foraminifera and crustose coralline algae (CCA)] to OA. The experimental design for this study comprised four pHs consistent with current IPCC predictions for the next few centuries (pHNIST 8.1, 7.9, 7.7, 7.5) these pH CO₂ conditions were produced in flow-through aquaria using CO₂ bubbling. All reduced pH/increased pCO₂ treatments caused clear differences in the microbial communities associated with coral, foraminifera, CCA and reef biofilms over 6 weeks, while no visible signs of host stress were detected over this period. The microbial communities of coral, foraminifera, CCA and biofilms were significantly different between pH 8.1 (pCO₂ = 464 μatm) and pH 7.9 (pCO₂ = 822 μatm), a concentration likely to be exceeded by the end of the present century. This trend continued at lower pHs/higher pCO₂. 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed variable and species-specific changes in the microbial communities with no microbial taxa consistently present or absent from specific pH treatments. The high sensitivity of coral, foraminifera, CCA and biofilm microbes to OA conditions projected to occur by 2100 is a concern for reef ecosystems and highlights the need for urgent research to assess the implications of microbial shifts for host health and coral reef processes.
Appearance matters: sedimentation effects on different sponge morphologies
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 16-01-2015
DOI: 10.1017/S0025315414001787
Abstract: Dredging activity poses an environmental risk to sponges as sediments from the dredge or disposal site may smother the sponge surface, potentially affecting water filtration and light penetration. Dredge-related sedimentation effects may also vary between sponge morphologies, potentially impacting community structure and functioning. To test this, 10 sponge species encompassing four different morphologies (massive, erect, cup and encrusting), were exposed to a single pulse treatment of three different sediment concentrations (0, 250 and 500 mg l −1 ) and followed over 2 weeks, in 1000 l tanks. Total suspended solids (TSS) and sedimentation rates (SR) were recorded throughout the study. A sharp decrease in TSS was recorded within the first 2–3 h and a total settlement of sediments occurred within the first 48 h of the pulse exposure (0, 8 and 16 mg cm −2 in the control, medium and high sediment treatments, respectively). The effects of high sedimentation included mortality of cup-shaped Callyspongia confoederata and small areas of tissue necrosis in other species, with massive, encrusting and wide cup morphologies particularly affected. However, the sediment concentrations tested in this experiment did not cause changes in the concentration of sponge pigments or the structure of the symbiotic microbial community in any species. These results indicate that a single pulse of sediments less than 16 mg cm −2 is not detrimental to most of the sponge species studied.
Marine microbial symbiosis heats up: the phylogenetic and functional response of a sponge holobiont to thermal stress
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-01-2013
Redefining the sponge‐symbiont acquisition paradigm: sponge microbes exhibit chemotaxis towards host‐derived compounds
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 13-10-2017
Abstract: Marine sponges host stable and species-specific microbial symbionts that are thought to be acquired and maintained by the host through a combination of vertical transmission and filtration from the surrounding seawater. To assess whether the microbial symbionts also actively contribute to the establishment of these symbioses, we performed in situ experiments on Orpheus Island, Great Barrier Reef, to quantify the chemotactic responses of natural populations of seawater microorganisms towards cellular extracts of the reef sponge Rhopaloeides odorabile. Flow cytometry analysis revealed significant levels of microbial chemotaxis towards R. odorabile extracts and 16S rRNA gene licon sequencing showed enrichment of 'sponge-specific' microbial phylotypes, including a cluster within the Gemmatimonadetes and another within the Actinobacteria. These findings infer a potential mechanism for how sponges can acquire bacterial symbionts from the surrounding environment and suggest an active role of the symbionts in finding their host.
The influence of habitat on post-settlement processes, larval production and recruitment in a common coral reef sponge
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2014
Bacterial community structure associated with the Antarctic soft coral, Alcyonium antarcticum
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 2007
DOI: 10.1111/J.1574-6941.2006.00195.X
Abstract: The structure and composition of microbial communities inhabiting the soft coral Alcyonium antarcticum were investigated across three differentially contaminated sites within McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Diverse microbial communities were revealed at all sites using culture-based analysis, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), 16S rRNA gene clone-library analysis, and FISH. Phylogenetic analysis of isolates and retrieved sequences demonstrated close affiliation with known psychrophiles from the Antarctic environment and high similarity to Gammaproteobacteria clades of sponge-associated microorganisms. The majority of bacteria detected with all techniques reside within the Gammaproteobacteria, although other phylogenetic groups including Alpha- and Betaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Actinomycetales, Planctomycetes, and Chlorobi and bacteria from the functional group of sulfate-reducing bacteria were also present. Multivariate (nMDS) analysis of DGGE banding patterns and principal component analysis of quantitative FISH data revealed no distinct differences in community composition between differentially contaminated sites. Rather, conserved coral-associated bacterial groups were observed within and between sites, providing evidence to support specific coral-microbial interactions. This is the first investigation of microbial communities associated with Antarctic soft corals, and the results suggest that spatially stable microbial associations exist across an environmental impact gradient.
Functional equivalence and evolutionary convergence in complex communities of microbial sponge symbionts
Publisher: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Date: 13-06-2012
Abstract: Microorganisms often form symbiotic relationships with eukaryotes, and the complexity of these relationships can range from those with one single dominant symbiont to associations with hundreds of symbiont species. Microbial symbionts occupying equivalent niches in different eukaryotic hosts may share functional aspects, and convergent genome evolution has been reported for simple symbiont systems in insects. However, for complex symbiont communities, it is largely unknown how prevalent functional equivalence is and whether equivalent functions are conducted by evolutionarily convergent mechanisms. Sponges represent an evolutionarily ergent group of species with common physiological and ecological traits. They also host complex communities of microbial symbionts and thus are the ideal model to test whether functional equivalence and evolutionary convergence exist in complex symbiont communities across phylogenetically ergent hosts. Here we use a s ling design to determine the phylogenetic and functional profiles of microbial communities associated with six sponge species. We identify common functions in the six microbiomes, demonstrating the existence of functional equivalence. These core functions are consistent with our current understanding of the biological and ecological roles of sponge-associated microorganisms and also provide insight into symbiont functions. Importantly, core functions also are provided in each sponge species by analogous enzymes and biosynthetic pathways. Moreover, the abundance of elements involved in horizontal gene transfer suggests their key roles in the genomic evolution of symbionts. Our data thus demonstrate evolutionary convergence in complex symbiont communities and reveal the details and mechanisms that underpin the process.
Validation of key sponge symbiont pathways using genome‐centric metatranscriptomics
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-09-2023
Crustose coralline algae and a cnidarian neuropeptide trigger larval settlement in two coral reef sponges
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 25-01-2012
The marine sponge Ianthella basta can recover from stress-induced tissue regression
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 06-10-2012
Scientists’ warning to humanity: microorganisms and climate change
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 18-06-2019
The marine sponge Ianthella basta can recover from stress-induced tissue regression
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Date: 2011
PARALYTIC SHELLFISH TOXINS ARE RESTRICTED TO FEW SPECIES AMONG AUSTRALIA'S TAXONOMIC DIVERSITY OF CULTURED MICROALGAE1
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-07-2003
Sponge disease: a global threat?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-04-2007
DOI: 10.1111/J.1462-2920.2007.01303.X
Abstract: Sponges are the most simple and primitive metazoans, yet they have various biological and ecological properties that make them an influential component of coral-reef ecosystems. Marine sponges provide refuge for many small invertebrates and are critical to benthic-pelagic coupling across a wide range of habitats. Reports of sponge disease have increased dramatically in recent years with sponge populations decimated throughout the Mediterranean and Caribbean. Reports also suggest an increased prevalence of sponge disease in Papua New Guinea, the Great Barrier Reef and in the reefs of Cozumel, Mexico. These epidemics can have severe impacts on the survival of sponge populations, the ecology of the reef and the fate of associated marine invertebrates. Despite the ecological and commercial importance of sponges, the understanding of sponge disease is limited. There has generally been a failure to isolate and identify the causative agents of sponge disease, with only one case confirming Koch's postulates and identifying a novel Alphaproteobacteria strain as the primary pathogen. Other potential disease agents include fungi, viruses, cyanobacteria and bacterial strains within the Bacillus and Pseudomonas genera. There is some evidence for correlations between sponge disease and environmental factors such as climate change and urban/agricultural runoff. This review summarizes the occurrence of sponge disease, describes the syndromes identified thus far, explores potential linkages with environmental change and proposes a strategy for future research towards better management of sponge disease outbreaks.
Metamorphosis of a Scleractinian Coral in Response to Microbial Biofilms
Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
Date: 02-2004
DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.2.1213-1221.2004
Abstract: Microorganisms have been reported to induce settlement and metamorphosis in a wide range of marine invertebrate species. However, the primary cue reported for metamorphosis of coral larvae is calcareous coralline algae (CCA). Herein we report the community structure of developing coral reef biofilms and the potential role they play in triggering the metamorphosis of a scleractinian coral. Two-week-old biofilms induced metamorphosis in less than 10% of larvae, whereas metamorphosis increased significantly on older biofilms, with a maximum of 41% occurring on 8-week-old microbial films. There was a significant influence of depth in 4- and 8-week biofilms, with greater levels of metamorphosis occurring in response to shallow-water communities. Importantly, larvae were found to settle and metamorphose in response to microbial biofilms lacking CCA from both shallow and deep treatments, indicating that microorganisms not associated with CCA may play a significant role in coral metamorphosis. A polyphasic approach consisting of scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) revealed that coral reef biofilms were comprised of complex bacterial and microalgal communities which were distinct at each depth and time. Principal-component analysis of FISH data showed that the Alphaproteobacteria , Betaproteobacteria , Gammaproteobacteria , and Cytophaga - Flavobacterium of Bacteroidetes had the largest influence on overall community composition. A low abundance of Archaea was detected in almost all biofilms, providing the first report of Archaea associated with coral reef biofilms. No differences in the relative densities of each sub ision of Proteobacteria were observed between slides that induced larval metamorphosis and those that did not. Comparative cluster analysis of bacterial DGGE patterns also revealed that there were clear age and depth distinctions in biofilm community structure however, no difference was detected in banding profiles between biofilms which induced larval metamorphosis and those where no metamorphosis occurred. This investigation demonstrates that complex microbial communities can induce coral metamorphosis in the absence of CCA.
Effects of suspended sediments on the sponge holobiont with implications for dredging management
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-07-2017
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-017-05241-Z
Abstract: Dredging can cause high suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) in the water column, posing a hazard to filter feeding organisms like sponges as sediment may clog their aquiferous systems and reduce feeding. In order to provide pressure−response values for sponges to SSC and tease apart the cause:effect pathways of dredging pressures, five heterotrophic and phototrophic species were experimentally exposed to a range of dredging-relevant SSC of up to 100 mg L −1 , with light compensation across treatments to ensure that SSC was the primary physical parameter. This study shows that some sponge species exposed to high SSC (≥23 mg L −1 ) for extended periods (28 d) have lower survival, increased necrosis and depletion of energy reserves. In contrast, SSC of ≤10 mg L −1 caused few, if any, negative effects and is thus suggested as a prudent sub-lethal threshold for sponges. Microbial communities did not change significantly among SSC treatments, although a nutritional shift from mixotrophy towards increased phototrophy was detected for some sponge species exposed to high SSC. Importantly however, it is expected that the combined effect of SSC with low light availability and sediment smothering as occurs during dredging operations will increase the negative effects on sponges.
Bacillus insecticides are not acutely harmful to corals and sponges
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 17-04-2009
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS07933
Comparative genome-centric analysis reveals seasonal variation in the function of coral reef microbiomes
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-03-2020
DOI: 10.1038/S41396-020-0622-6
Abstract: Microbially mediated processes contribute to coral reef resilience yet, despite extensive characterisation of microbial community variation following environmental perturbation, the effect on microbiome function is poorly understood. We undertook metagenomic sequencing of sponge, macroalgae and seawater microbiomes from a macroalgae-dominated inshore coral reef to define their functional potential and evaluate seasonal shifts in microbially mediated processes. In total, 125 high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes were reconstructed, spanning 15 bacterial and 3 archaeal phyla. Multivariate analysis of the genomes relative abundance revealed changes in the functional potential of reef microbiomes in relation to seasonal environmental fluctuations (e.g. macroalgae biomass, temperature). For ex le, a shift from Alphaproteobacteria to Bacteroidota-dominated seawater microbiomes occurred during summer, resulting in an increased genomic potential to degrade macroalgal-derived polysaccharides. An 85% reduction of Chloroflexota was observed in the sponge microbiome during summer, with potential consequences for nutrition, waste product removal, and detoxification in the sponge holobiont. A shift in the Firmicutes:Bacteroidota ratio was detected on macroalgae over summer with potential implications for polysaccharide degradation in macroalgal microbiomes. These results highlight that seasonal shifts in the dominant microbial taxa alter the functional repertoire of host-associated and seawater microbiomes, and highlight how environmental perturbation can affect microbially mediated processes in coral reef ecosystems.
Metamorphosis of broadcast spawning corals in response to bacteria isolated from crustose algae
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 2001
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS223121
Spatial patterns of microbial communities across surface waters of the Great Barrier Reef
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-08-2020
DOI: 10.1038/S42003-020-01166-Y
Abstract: Microorganisms are fundamental drivers of biogeochemical cycling, though their contribution to coral reef ecosystem functioning is poorly understood. Here, we infer predictors of bacterioplankton community dynamics across surface-waters of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) through a meta-analysis, combining microbial with environmental data from the eReefs platform. Nutrient dynamics and temperature explained 41.4% of inter-seasonal and cross-shelf variation in bacterial assemblages. Bacterial families OCS155, Cryomorphaceae, Flavobacteriaceae, Synechococcaceae and Rhodobacteraceae dominated inshore reefs and their relative abundances positively correlated with nutrient loads. In contrast, Prochlorococcaceae negatively correlated with nutrients and became increasingly dominant towards outershelf reefs. Cyanobacteria in Prochlorococcaceae and Synechococcaceae families occupy complementary cross-shelf biogeochemical niches their abundance ratios representing a potential indicator of GBR nutrient levels. One Flavobacteriaceae-affiliated taxa was putatively identified as diagnostic for ecosystem degradation. Establishing microbial observatories along GBR environmental gradients will facilitate robust assessments of microbial contributions to reef health and inform tipping-points in reef condition.
Coral reef invertebrate microbiomes correlate with the presence of photosymbionts
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-01-2013
Predicting the HMA-LMA Status in Marine Sponges by Machine Learning
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 08-05-2017
Novel reference transcriptomes for the sponges Carteriospongia foliascens and Cliona orientalis and associated algal symbiont Gerakladium endoclionum
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 27-06-2020
DOI: 10.1101/2020.06.26.156463
Abstract: Transcriptomes from sponges are important resources for studying the stress responses of these ecologically important filter feeders, the interactions between sponges and their symbionts, and the evolutionary history of metazoans. Here, we generated reference transcriptomes for two common and cosmopolitan Indo-Pacific sponge species: Carteriospongia foliascens and Cliona orientalis. We also created a reference transcriptome for the primary symbiont of C. orientalis – Gerakladium endoclionum . To ensure a full repertoire of transcripts were included, clones of each sponge species were exposed to a range of in idual stressors: decreased salinity, elevated temperature, elevated suspended sediment concentrations, sediment deposition and light attenuation. RNA extracted from all treatments was pooled for each species, using equal concentrations from each clone. Sequencing of pooled RNA yielded 409 and 418 million raw reads for C. foliascens and C. orientalis holobionts (host and symbionts), respectively. Reads underwent quality trimming before assembly with Trinity. Assemblies were filtered into sponge-specific or, for G. endoclionum , symbiont-specific assemblies. Assemblies for C. foliascens, C. orientalis , and G. endoclionum contained 67,304, 82,895, and 28,670 contigs, respectively. Contigs represented 15,248-37,344 isogroups (∼genes) per assembly, and N50s ranged 1,672-4,355 bp. Gene ortholog analysis verified a high level of completeness and quality for sponge-specific transcriptomes, with an average 93% of core EuKaryotic Orthologous Groups (KOGs) and 98% of single-copy metazoan core gene orthologs identified. The G. endoclionum assembly was partial with only 56% of core KOGs and 32% of single-copy eukaryotic core gene orthologs identified. These reference transcriptomes are a valuable resource for future molecular research aimed at assessing sponge stress responses.
Microbial community dynamics in a larval aquaculture system of the tropical rock lobster, Panulirus ornatus
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2004
Deep sequencing reveals exceptional diversity and modes of transmission for bacterial sponge symbionts
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-2010
Chemotaxis by natural populations of coral reef bacteria
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 23-01-2015
Host-associated coral reef microbes respond to the cumulative pressures of ocean warming and ocean acidification
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-01-2016
DOI: 10.1038/SREP19324
Abstract: 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 sea urchin Echinometra sp. Microbial communities of all taxa were tolerant of elevated p CO 2 /reduced pH, exhibiting stable microbial communities between pH 8.1 ( p CO 2 479–499 μatm) and pH 7.9 ( p CO 2 738–835 μatm). In contrast, microbial communities of the CCA and foraminifera were sensitive to elevated seawater temperature, with a significant microbial shift involving loss of specific taxa and appearance of novel microbial groups occurring between 28 and 31 °C. An interactive effect between stressors was also identified, with distinct communities developing under different p CO 2 conditions only evident at 31 °C. Microbiome analysis of key calcifying coral reef species under near-future climate conditions highlights the importance of assessing impacts from both increased SST and OA, as combinations of these global stressors can lify microbial shifts which may have concomitant impacts for coral reef structure and function.
Minimum Information about an Uncultivated Virus Genome (MIUViG)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 17-12-2019
DOI: 10.1038/NBT.4306
Coral-associated viral communities show high levels of diversity and host auxiliary functions
Publisher: PeerJ
Date: 17-11-2017
DOI: 10.7717/PEERJ.4054
Abstract: Stony corals (Scleractinia) are marine invertebrates that form the foundation and framework upon which tropical reefs are built. The coral animal associates with a erse microbiome comprised of dinoflagellate algae and other protists, bacteria, archaea, fungi and viruses. Using a metagenomics approach, we analysed the DNA and RNA viral assemblages of seven coral species from the central Great Barrier Reef (GBR), demonstrating that tailed bacteriophages of the Caudovirales dominate across all species examined, and ssDNA viruses, notably the Microviridae , are also prevalent. Most sequences with matches to eukaryotic viruses were assigned to six viral families, including four Nucleocytoplasmic Large DNA Viruses (NCLDVs) families: Iridoviridae, Phycodnaviridae, Mimiviridae, and Poxviridae , as well as Retroviridae and Polydnaviridae . Contrary to previous findings, Herpesvirales were rare in these GBR corals. Sequences of a ssRNA virus with similarities to the dinornavirus, Heterocapsa circularisquama ssRNA virus of the Alvernaviridae that infects free-living dinoflagellates, were observed in three coral species. We also detected viruses previously undescribed from the coral holobiont, including a virus that targets fungi associated with the coral species Acropora tenuis . Functional analysis of the assembled contigs indicated a high prevalence of latency-associated genes in the coral-associated viral assemblages, several host-derived auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) for photosynthesis ( psbA , psbD genes encoding the photosystem II D1 and D2 proteins respectively), as well as potential nematocyst toxins and antioxidants (genes encoding green fluorescent-like chromoprotein). This study expands the currently limited knowledge on coral-associated viruses by characterising viral composition and function across seven GBR coral species.
Behavioral and morphological changes caused by thermal stress in the Great Barrier Reef sponge Rhopaloeides odorabile
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2012
Viral ecogenomics across the Porifera
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-10-2020
DOI: 10.1186/S40168-020-00919-5
Abstract: Viruses directly affect the most important biological processes in the ocean via their regulation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic populations. Marine sponges form stable symbiotic partnerships with a wide ersity of microorganisms and this high symbiont complexity makes them an ideal model for studying viral ecology. Here, we used morphological and molecular approaches to illuminate the ersity and function of viruses inhabiting nine sponge species from the Great Barrier Reef and seven from the Red Sea. Viromic sequencing revealed host-specific and site-specific patterns in the viral assemblages, with all sponge species dominated by the bacteriophage order Caudovirales but also containing variable representation from the nucleocytoplasmic large DNA virus families Mimiviridae , Marseilleviridae , Phycodnaviridae , Ascoviridae , Iridoviridae , Asfarviridae and Poxviridae . Whilst core viral functions related to replication, infection and structure were largely consistent across the sponge viromes, functional profiles varied significantly between species and sites largely due to differential representation of putative auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) and accessory genes, including those associated with herbicide resistance, heavy metal resistance and nylon degradation. Furthermore, putative AMGs varied with the composition and abundance of the sponge-associated microbiome. For instance, genes associated with antimicrobial activity were enriched in low microbial abundance sponges, genes associated with nitrogen metabolism were enriched in high microbial abundance sponges and genes related to cellulose biosynthesis were enriched in species that host photosynthetic symbionts. Our results highlight the erse functional roles that viruses can play in marine sponges and are consistent with our current understanding of sponge ecology. Differential representation of putative viral AMGs and accessory genes across sponge species illustrate the erse suite of beneficial roles viruses can play in the functional ecology of these complex reef holobionts.
Changes in the metabolic potential of the sponge microbiome under ocean acidification
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-09-2019
DOI: 10.1038/S41467-019-12156-Y
Abstract: Anthropogenic CO 2 emissions are causing ocean acidification, which can affect the physiology of marine organisms. Here we assess the possible effects of ocean acidification on the metabolic potential of sponge symbionts, inferred by metagenomic analyses of the microbiomes of two sponge species s led at a shallow volcanic CO 2 seep and a nearby control reef. When comparing microbial functions between the seep and control sites, the microbiome of the sponge Stylissa flabelliformis (which is more abundant at the control site) exhibits at the seep reduced potential for uptake of exogenous carbohydrates and amino acids, and for degradation of host-derived creatine, creatinine and taurine. The microbiome of Coelocarteria singaporensis (which is more abundant at the seep) exhibits reduced potential for carbohydrate import at the seep, but greater capacity for archaeal carbon fixation via the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate pathway, as well as archaeal and bacterial urea production and ammonia assimilation from arginine and creatine catabolism. Together these metabolic features might contribute to enhanced tolerance of the sponge symbionts, and possibly their host, to ocean acidification.
Diverse microbial communities inhabit Antarctic sponges
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-01-2004
DOI: 10.1111/J.1462-2920.2004.00570.X
Abstract: Genetic techniques were employed to investigate the archaeal, bacterial and eukaryotic communities associated with the Antarctic sponges Kirkpatrickia varialosa, Latrunculia apicalis, Homaxinella balfourensis, Mycale acerata and Sphaerotylus antarcticus. The phylogenetic affiliation of sponge-derived bacteria was assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing of cloned DNA fragments. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) was used to determine the stability of bacterial associations within each sponge species and across spatial scales. Of the 150 archaeal clones from L. apicalis, K. varialosa and M. acerata screened by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis, four unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were observed and all clustered closely together within the Crenarchaeota. Of the 250 sponge-derived bacterial clones screened by RFLP analysis, 61 were unique OTUs that were not detected during examination of 160 seawater-derived clones. Rarefaction analysis indicated that the clone libraries represented between 44 and 83% of the total estimated ersity. Phylogenetic analysis of sequence data revealed that the bacterial communities present in Antarctic sponges primarily clustered within the Gamma and Alpha proteobacteria and the Cytophaga/Flavobacterium of Bacteroidetes group. Bacterial DGGE analysis for replicate sponge and seawater s les at each Antarctic site revealed that bacterial communities were consistently detected within a particular species regardless of the collection site, with six bacterial bands exclusively associated with a single sponge species. Phylogenetic analysis of sequence data from eukaryotic DGGE analysis revealed that the communities present in Antarctic sponges fell into diatom and dinoflagellate clusters with many sequences having no known close relatives. In addition, seven eukaryotic sequences that were not detected in seawater s les or other sponge species were observed in K. varialosa.
Variability in microbial community composition and function between different niches within a coral reef.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-01-2014
DOI: 10.1007/S00248-013-0362-5
Abstract: To explore how microbial community composition and function varies within a coral reef ecosystem, we performed metagenomic sequencing of seawater from four niches across Heron Island Reef, within the Great Barrier Reef. Metagenomes were sequenced from seawater s les associated with (1) the surface of the coral species Acropora palifera, (2) the surface of the coral species Acropora aspera, (3) the sandy substrate within the reef lagoon and (4) open water, outside of the reef crest. Microbial composition and metabolic function differed substantially between the four niches. The taxonomic profile showed a clear shift from an oligotroph-dominated community (e.g. SAR11, Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus) in the open water and sandy substrate niches, to a community characterised by an increased frequency of copiotrophic bacteria (e.g. Vibrio, Pseudoalteromonas, Alteromonas) in the coral seawater niches. The metabolic potential of the four microbial assemblages also displayed significant differences, with the open water and sandy substrate niches dominated by genes associated with core house-keeping processes such as amino acid, carbohydrate and protein metabolism as well as DNA and RNA synthesis and metabolism. In contrast, the coral surface seawater metagenomes had an enhanced frequency of genes associated with dynamic processes including motility and chemotaxis, regulation and cell signalling. These findings demonstrate that the composition and function of microbial communities are highly variable between niches within coral reef ecosystems and that coral reefs host heterogeneous microbial communities that are likely shaped by habitat structure, presence of animal hosts and local biogeochemical conditions.
A complex life cycle in a warming planet: Gene expression in thermally stressed sponges
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-02-2013
DOI: 10.1111/MEC.12213
Abstract: Sponges are abundant, erse and functionally important components of aquatic biotopes with crucial associations for many reef fish and invertebrates. Sponges have strict temperature optima, and mass mortality events have occurred after unusually high temperatures. To assess how sponges may adapt to thermal stress associated with a changing climate, we applied gene expression profiling to both stages of their bipartite life cycles. Adult Rhopaloeides odorabile are highly sensitive to thermal stress (32 °C), yet their larvae can withstand temperatures up to 36 °C. Here, we reveal the molecular mechanisms that underpin these contrasting thermal tolerances, which may provide sponges with a means to successfully disperse into cooler waters. Heat shock protein 70 was induced by increasing temperature in adult sponges, and genes involved in important biological functions including cytoskeleton rearrangement, signal transduction, protein synthesis/degradation, oxidative stress and detoxification were all negatively correlated with temperature. Conversely, gene expression in larvae was not significantly affected until 36 °C when a stress response involving extremely rapid activation of heat shock proteins occurred. This study provides the first transcriptomic assessment of thermal stress on both life history stages of a marine invertebrate facilitating better predictions of the long-term consequences of climate change for sponge population dynamics.
Cooperation, communication and co-evolution: Grand challenges in microbial symbiosis research
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 10-04-2014
Understanding ship-grounding impacts on a coral reef: potential effects of anti-foulant paint contamination on coral recruitment
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2002
DOI: 10.1016/S0025-326X(01)00128-X
Abstract: The 184 m cargo ship Bunga Teratai Satu collided with Sudbury Reef, part of the Great Barrier Reef and remained grounded for 12 days. The ship was re-floated only 3 days prior to the November 2000 mass coral spawning. No cargo or fuel was lost but the impact resulted in significant contamination of the reef with anti-foulant paint containing tributyltin (TBT), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn). Larvae of the reef-building scleractinian coral Acropora microphthalma were exposed to various concentrations of sediment collected from the grounding site in replicated laboratory experiments. Two experiments were performed, both of which used varying ratios of contaminated and control site sediment in seawater as treatments. In the first experiment, the influence of contaminated sediment on larval competency was examined using metamorphosis bioassays. In the second, the effect of contaminated sediment upon larval recruitment on pre-conditioned terracotta tiles was assessed. In both experiments, sediment containing 8.0 mg kg(-1) TBT, 72 mg kg(-1) Cu and 92 mg kg(-1) Zn significantly inhibited larval settlement and metamorphosis. At this level of contamination larvae survived but contracted to a spherical shape and swimming and searching behaviour ceased. At higher contamination levels, 100% mortality was recorded. These results indicate that the contamination of sediment by anti-fouling paint at Sudbury Reef has the potential to significantly reduce coral recruitment in the immediate vicinity of the site and that this contamination may threaten the recovery of the resident coral community unless the paint is removed.
Simulated future conditions of ocean warming and acidification disrupt the microbiome of the calcifying foraminifera Marginopora vertebralis across life stages
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-10-2020
Conceptual and methodological advances for holobiont research
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-01-2017
Biofilm development within a larval rearing tank of the tropical rock lobster, Panulirus ornatus
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2006
Recruitment of Antarctic marine eukaryotes onto artificial surfaces
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 15-06-2006
Testing cophylogeny between coral reef invertebrates and their bacterial and archaeal symbionts
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-06-2021
DOI: 10.1111/MEC.16006
Abstract: Marine invertebrates harbour a complex suite of bacterial and archaeal symbionts, a subset of which are probably linked to host health and homeostasis. Within a complex microbiome it can be difficult to tease apart beneficial or parasitic symbionts from nonessential commensal or transient microorganisms however, one approach is to detect strong cophylogenetic patterns between microbial lineages and their respective hosts. We employed the Procrustean approach to cophylogeny (PACo) on 16S rRNA gene derived microbial community profiles paired with COI, 18S rRNA and ITS1 host phylogenies. Second, we undertook a network analysis to identify groups of microbes that were co‐occurring within our host species. Across 12 coral, 10 octocoral and five sponge species, each host group and their core microbiota (50% prevalence within host species replicates) had a significant fit to the cophylogenetic model. Independent assessment of each microbial genus and family found that bacteria and archaea affiliated to Endozoicomonadaceae , Spirochaetaceae and Nitrosopumilaceae have the strongest cophylogenetic signals. Further, local Moran's I measure of spatial autocorrelation identified 14 ASVs, including Endozoicomonadaceae and Spirochaetaceae , whose distributions were significantly clustered by host phylogeny. Four co‐occurring subnetworks were identified, each of which was dominant in a different host group. Endozoicomonadaceae and Spirochaetaceae ASVs were abundant among the subnetworks, particularly one subnetwork that was exclusively comprised of these two bacterial families and dominated the octocoral microbiota. Our results disentangle key microbial interactions that occur within complex microbiomes and reveal long‐standing, essential microbial symbioses in coral reef invertebrates.
Eutrophication has no short-term effect on the Cymbastela stipitata holobiont
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 14-05-2014
Down under the tunic: bacterial biodiversity hotspots and widespread ammonia-oxidizing archaea in coral reef ascidians
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 24-10-2013
Assessing the complex sponge microbiota: core, variable and species-specific bacterial communities in marine sponges
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-10-2011
HoloVir: A workflow for investigating the diversity and function of viruses in invertebrate holobionts
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 09-06-2016
Diverse coral reef invertebrates exhibit patterns of phylosymbiosis
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 22-05-2020
Subcellular view of host–microbiome nutrient exchange in sponges
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-02-2021
DOI: 10.1186/S40168-020-00984-W
Abstract: Sponges are increasingly recognised as key ecosystem engineers in many aquatic habitats. They play an important role in nutrient cycling due to their unrivalled capacity for processing both dissolved and particulate organic matter (DOM and POM) and the exceptional metabolic repertoire of their erse and abundant microbial communities. Functional studies determining the role of host and microbiome in organic nutrient uptake and exchange, however, are limited. Therefore, we coupled pulse-chase isotopic tracer techniques with nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) to visualise the uptake and translocation of 13 C- and 15 N-labelled dissolved and particulate organic food at subcellular level in the high microbial abundance sponge Plakortis angulospiculatus and the low microbial abundance sponge Halisarca caerulea. The two sponge species showed significant enrichment of DOM- and POM-derived 13 C and 15 N into their tissue over time. Microbial symbionts were actively involved in the assimilation of DOM, but host filtering cells (choanocytes) appeared to be the primary site of DOM and POM uptake in both sponge species overall, via pinocytosis and phagocytosis, respectively. Translocation of carbon and nitrogen from choanocytes to microbial symbionts occurred over time, irrespective of microbial abundance, reflecting recycling of host waste products by the microbiome. Here, we provide empirical evidence indicating that the prokaryotic communities of a high and a low microbial abundance sponge obtain nutritional benefits from their host-associated lifestyle. The metabolic interaction between the highly efficient filter-feeding host and its microbial symbionts likely provides a competitive advantage to the sponge holobiont in the oligotrophic environments in which they thrive, by retaining and recycling limiting nutrients. Sponges present a unique model to link nutritional symbiotic interactions to holobiont function, and, via cascading effects, ecosystem functioning, in one of the earliest metazoan–microbe symbioses.
Sponge larval settlement cues: The role of microbial biofilms in a warming ocean
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-02-2014
DOI: 10.1038/SREP04072
The effects of copper on the microbial community of a coral reef sponge
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-2001
Increased seawater temperature increases the abundance and alters the structure of natural Vibrio populations associated with the coral Pocillopora damicomis
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 21-05-2015
Microbiological aspects of phyllosoma rearing of the ornate rock lobster Panulirus ornatus
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2007
Vibrionaceae infection in phyllosomas of the tropical rock lobster Panulirus ornatus as detected by fluorescence in situ hybridisation
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2006
Exploring the role of microorganisms in the disease-like syndrome affecting the sponge Ianthella basta
Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
Date: 09-2010
DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00653-10
Abstract: A disease-like syndrome is currently affecting a large percentage of the Ianthella basta populations from the Great Barrier Reef and central Torres Strait. Symptoms of the syndrome include discolored, necrotic spots leading to tissue degradation, exposure of the skeletal fibers, and disruption of the choanocyte chambers. To ascertain the role of microbes in the disease process, a comprehensive comparison of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other eukaryotes was performed in healthy and diseased sponges using multiple techniques. A low ersity of microbes was observed in both healthy and diseased sponge communities, with all sponges dominated by an Alphaproteobacteria , a Gammaproteobacteria , and a group I crenarchaeota. Bacterial cultivation, community analysis by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis ( Bacteria and Eukarya ), sequencing of 16S rRNA clone libraries ( Bacteria and Archaea ), and direct visual assessment by electron microscopy failed to reveal any putative pathogens. In addition, infection assays could not establish the syndrome in healthy sponges even after direct physical contact with affected tissue. These results suggest that microbes are not responsible for the formation of brown spot lesions and necrosis in I. basta .
Small core communities and high variability in bacteria associated with the introduced ascidian Styela plicata
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-12-2012
Shifts in microbial and chemical patterns within the marine sponge Aplysina aerophoba during a disease outbreak
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-11-2008
DOI: 10.1111/J.1462-2920.2008.01734.X
Abstract: The microbial community composition in affected and unaffected portions of diseased sponges and healthy control sponges of Aplysina aerophoba was assessed to ascertain the role of microbes in the disease process. Sponge secondary metabolites were also examined to assess chemical shifts in response to infection. The microbial profile and aplysinimine levels in unaffected tissue near the lesions closely reflected those of healthy sponge tissue, indicating a highly localized disease process. DGGE detected multiple sequences that were exclusively present in diseased sponges. Most notably, a Deltaproteobacteria sequence with high homology to a coral black band disease strain was detected in all sponge lesions and was absent from all healthy and unaffected regions of diseased sponges. Other potential pathogens identified by DGGE include an environmental Cytophaga strain and a novel Epsilonproteobacteria strain with no known close relatives. The disease process also caused a major shift in prokaryote community structure at a very high taxonomic level. Using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, only the diseased sponges were found to contain sequences belonging to the Epsilonproteobacteria and Firmicutes, and there was a much greater number of Bacteroidetes sequences within the diseased sponges. In contrast, only the healthy sponges contained sequences corresponding to the cyanobacteria and 'OP1' candidate ision, and the healthy sponges were dominated by Chloroflexi and Gammaproteobacteria sequences. Overall bacterial ersity was found to be considerably higher in diseased sponges than in healthy sponges. These results provide a platform for future cultivation-based experiments to isolate the putative pathogens from A. aerophoba and perform re-infection trials to define the disease aetiology.
Sponge-specific bacteria are widespread (but rare) in diverse marine environments
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-10-2013
Calculation and Uncertainty of Fast Radio Burst Structure Based on Smoothed Data
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Date: 31-08-2023
Abstract: Studies of the time-domain structure of fast radio bursts (FRBs) require an accurate estimate of the FRB dispersion measure in order to recover the intrinsic burst shape. Furthermore, the exact dispersion measure is itself of interest when studying the time evolution of the medium through which multiple bursts from repeating FRBs propagate. A commonly used approach to obtain the dispersion measure is to take the value that maximizes the FRB structure in the time domain. However, various authors use differing methods to obtain this structure parameter and do not document the smoothing method used. Furthermore, there are no quantitative estimates of the error in this procedure in the FRB literature. In this article, we present a smoothing filter based on the discrete cosine transform, and show that computing the structure parameter by summing the squares of the derivatives and taking the square root (that is, the 2-norm, Σ ( d / dt ) 2 ) immediately lends itself to the calculation of the uncertainty of the structure parameter. We illustrate this with FRB 20181112A and FRB 20210117A data, which were detected by the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder, and for which high-time-resolution data are available.
Cryptic speciation and phylogeographic relationships in the elephant ear spongeIanthella basta(Porifera, Ianthellidae) from northern Australia
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 28-09-2012
Insights into the Coral Microbiome: Underpinning the Health and Resilience of Reef Ecosystems
Publisher: Annual Reviews
Date: 08-09-2016
DOI: 10.1146/ANNUREV-MICRO-102215-095440
Abstract: Corals are fundamental ecosystem engineers, creating large, intricate reefs that support erse and abundant marine life. At the core of a healthy coral animal is a dynamic relationship with microorganisms, including a mutually beneficial symbiosis with photosynthetic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium spp.) and enduring partnerships with an array of bacterial, archaeal, fungal, protistan, and viral associates, collectively termed the coral holobiont. The combined genomes of this coral holobiont form a coral hologenome, and genomic interactions within the hologenome ultimately define the coral phenotype. Here we integrate contemporary scientific knowledge regarding the ecological, host-specific, and environmental forces shaping the ersity, specificity, and distribution of microbial symbionts within the coral holobiont, explore physiological pathways that contribute to holobiont fitness, and describe potential mechanisms for holobiont homeostasis. Understanding the role of the microbiome in coral resilience, acclimation, and environmental adaptation is a new frontier in reef science that will require large-scale collaborative research efforts.
Phenology of sexual reproduction in the common coral reef sponge, Carteriospongia foliascens
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 18-01-2014
Cross‐generational effects of climate change on the microbiome of a photosynthetic sponge
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-09-2020
Effects of light attenuation on the sponge holobiont-implications for dredging management
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-12-2016
DOI: 10.1038/SREP39038
Abstract: Dredging and natural sediment resuspension events can cause high levels of turbidity, reducing the amount of light available for photosynthetic benthic biota. To determine how marine sponges respond to light attenuation, five species were experimentally exposed to a range of light treatments. Tolerance thresholds and capacity for recovery varied markedly amongst species. Whilst light attenuation had no effect on the heterotrophic species Stylissa flabelliformis and Ianthella basta, the phototrophic species Cliona orientalis and Carteriospongia foliascens discoloured (bleached) over a 28 day exposure period to very low light ( .8 mol photons m −2 d −1 ). In darkness, both species discoloured within a few days, concomitant with reduced fluorescence yields, chlorophyll concentrations and shifts in their associated microbiomes. The phototrophic species Cymbastela coralliophila was less impacted by light reduction. C. orientalis and C. coralliophila exhibited full recovery under normal light conditions, whilst C. foliascens did not recover and showed high levels of mortality. The light treatments used in the study are directly relevant to conditions that can occur in situ during dredging projects, indicating that light attenuation poses a risk to photosynthetic marine sponges. Examining benthic light levels over temporal scales would enable dredging proponents to be aware of conditions that could impact on sponge physiology.
The bioeroding sponge Cliona orientalis will not tolerate future projected ocean warming
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 29-05-2018
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-018-26535-W
Abstract: Coral reefs face many stressors associated with global climate change, including increasing sea surface temperature and ocean acidification. Excavating sponges, such as Cliona spp., are expected to break down reef substrata more quickly as seawater becomes more acidic. However, increased bioerosion requires that Cliona spp. maintain physiological performance and health under continuing ocean warming. In this study, we exposed C. orientalis to temperature increments increasing from 23 to 32 °C. At 32 °C, or 3 °C above the maximum monthly mean (MMM) temperature, sponges bleached and the photosynthetic capacity of Symbiodinium was compromised, consistent with sympatric corals. Cliona orientalis demonstrated little capacity to recover from thermal stress, remaining bleached with reduced Symbiodinium density and energy reserves after one month at reduced temperature. In comparison, C. orientalis was not observed to bleach during the 2017 coral bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef, when temperatures did not reach the 32 °C threshold. While C. orientalis can withstand current temperature extremes ( °C above MMM) under laboratory and natural conditions, this species would not survive ocean temperatures projected for 2100 without acclimatisation or adaptation (≥3 °C above MMM). Hence, as ocean temperatures increase above local thermal thresholds, C. orientalis will have a negligible impact on reef erosion.
The Pathogen of the Great Barrier Reef Sponge Rhopaloeides odorabile Is a New Strain of Pseudoalteromonas agarivorans Containing Abundant and Diverse Virulence-Related Genes
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-04-2015
DOI: 10.1007/S10126-015-9627-Y
Abstract: Sponge diseases have increased dramatically, yet the causative agents of disease outbreaks have eluded identification. We undertook a polyphasic taxonomic analysis of the only confirmed sponge pathogen and identified it as a novel strain of Pseudoalteromonas agarivorans. 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and gyraseB (gyrB) gene sequences along with phenotypic characteristics demonstrated that strain NW4327 was most closely related to P. agarivorans. DNA-DNA hybridization and in silico genome comparisons established NW4327 as a novel strain of P. agarivorans. Genes associated with type IV pili, mannose-sensitive hemagglutinin pili, and curli formation were identified in NW4327. One gene cluster encoding ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, HlyD and TolC, and two clusters related to the general secretion pathway indicated the presence of type I secretion system (T1SS) and type II secretion system (T2SS), respectively. A contiguous gene cluster of at least 19 genes related to type VI secretion system (T6SS) which included all 13 core genes was found. The absence of T1SS and T6SS in nonpathogenic P. agarivorans S816 established NW4327 as the virulent strain. Serine proteases and metalloproteases of the classes S8, S9, M4, M6, M48, and U32 were identified in NW4327, many of which can degrade collagen. Collagenase activity in NW4327 and its absence in the nonpathogenic P. agarivorans KMM 255(T) reinforced the invasiveness of NW4327. This is the first report unambiguously identifying a sponge pathogen and providing the first insights into the virulence genes present in any pathogenic Pseudoalteromonas genome. The investigation supports a theoretical study predicting high abundance of terrestrial virulence gene homologues in marine bacteria.
Effects of combined dredging-related stressors on sponges
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-07-2017
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-017-05251-X
Abstract: Dredging can cause increased suspended sediment concentrations (SSCs), light attenuation and sedimentation in marine communities. In order to determine the combined effects of dredging-related pressures on adult sponges, three species spanning different nutritional modes and morphologies were exposed to 5 treatment levels representing realistic dredging scenarios. Most sponges survived under low to moderate turbidity scenarios (SSCs of ≤ 33 mg L −1 , and a daily light integral of ≥0.5 mol photons m −2 d −1 ) for up to 28 d. However, under the highest turbidity scenario (76 mg L −1 , 0.1 mol photons m −2 d −1 ) there was 20% and 90% mortality of the phototrophic sponges Cliona orientalis and Carteriospongia foliascens respectively, and tissue regression in the heterotrophic Ianthella basta . All three sponge species exhibited mechanisms to effectively tolerate dredging-related pressures in the short term (e.g. oscula closure, mucus production and tissue regression), although reduced lipids and deterioration of sponge health suggest that longer term exposure to similar conditions is likely to result in higher mortality. These results suggest that the combination of high SSCs and low light availability can accelerate mortality, increasing the probability of biological effects, although there is considerable interspecies variability in how adult sponges respond to dredging pressures.
Combining morphometrics with molecular taxonomy: How different are similar foliose keratose sponges from the Australian tropics?
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.YMPEV.2014.01.004
Abstract: Sponge taxonomy can be challenging as many groups exhibit extreme morphological plasticity induced by local environmental conditions. Foliose keratose sponges of the sub-family Phyllospongiinae (Dictyoceratida, Thorectidae: Strepsichordaia, Phyllospongia and Carteriospongia) are commonly found in intertidal and subtidal habitats of the Indo-Pacific. Lacking spicules, these sponges can be difficult to differentiate due to the lack of reliable morphological characters for species delineation. We use molecular phylogenies inferred from the nuclear Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 region (ITS2) and morphometrics (19 characters 52 character states) to identify evolutionarily significant units (ESUs sensu Moritz) within foliose Phyllosponginiids collected from seven geographic locations across tropical eastern and Western Australia. The ITS2 topology was congruent with the tree derived from Bayesian inference of discrete morphological characters supporting expected taxonomic relationships at the genus level and the identification of five ESUs. However, phylogenies inferred from the ITS2 marker revealed multiple sequence clusters, some of which were characterised by distinct morphological features and specific geographic ranges. Our results are discussed in light of taxonomic incongruences within this study, hidden sponge ersity and the role of vicariant events in influencing present day distribution patterns.
Strict thermal threshold identified by quantitative PCR in the sponge Rhopaloeides odorabile
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 09-06-2011
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS09128
Assessing the strength and sensitivity of the core microbiota approach on a highly diverse sponge reef
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-2020
Purification and Characterization of a Collagenolytic Enzyme from a Pathogen of the Great Barrier Reef Sponge, Rhopaloeides odorabile
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 24-09-2009
Characterization of a sponge microbiome using an integrative genome-centric approach
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 28-01-2020
The response of a boreal deep-sea sponge holobiont to acute thermal stress
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 22-05-2017
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-017-01091-X
Abstract: Effects of elevated seawater temperatures on deep-water benthos has been poorly studied, despite reports of increased seawater temperature (up to 4 °C over 24 hrs) coinciding with mass mortality events of the sponge Geodia barretti at Tisler Reef, Norway. While the mechanisms driving these mortality events are unclear, manipulative laboratory experiments were conducted to quantify the effects of elevated temperature (up to 5 °C, above ambient levels) on the ecophysiology (respiration rate, nutrient uptake, cellular integrity and sponge microbiome) of G. barretti . No visible signs of stress (tissue necrosis or discolouration) were evident across experimental treatments however, significant interactive effects of time and treatment on respiration, nutrient production and cellular stress were detected. Respiration rates and nitrogen effluxes doubled in responses to elevated temperatures (11 °C & 12 °C) compared to control temperatures (7 °C). Cellular stress, as measured through lysosomal destabilisation, was 2–5 times higher at elevated temperatures than for control temperatures. However, the microbiome of G. barretti remained stable throughout the experiment, irrespective of temperature treatment. Mortality was not evident and respiration rates returned to pre-experimental levels during recovery. These results suggest other environmental processes, either alone or in combination with elevated temperature, contributed to the mortality of G. barretti at Tisler reef.
Microbial conservation in the Anthropocene
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-05-2018
A decadal analysis of bioeroding sponge cover on the inshore Great Barrier Reef
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-06-2017
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-017-02196-Z
Abstract: Decreasing coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) may provide opportunities for rapid growth and expansion of other taxa. The bioeroding sponges Cliona spp. are strong competitors for space and may take advantage of coral bleaching, damage, and mortality. Benthic surveys of the inshore GBR (2005–2014) revealed that the percent cover of the most abundant bioeroding sponge species, Cliona orientalis , has not increased. However, considerable variation in C . orientalis cover, and change in cover over time, was evident between survey locations. We assessed whether biotic or environmental characteristics were associated with variation in C . orientalis distribution and abundance. The proportion of fine particles in the sediments was negatively associated with the presence-absence and the percent cover of C . orientalis , indicating that the sponge requires exposed habitat. The cover of corals and other sponges explained little variation in C . orientalis cover or distribution. The fastest increases in C . orientalis cover coincided with the lowest macroalgal cover and chlorophyll a concentration, highlighting the importance of macroalgal competition and local environmental conditions for this bioeroding sponge. Given the observed distribution and habitat preferences of C . orientalis , bioeroding sponges likely represent site-specific – rather than regional – threats to corals and reef accretion.
Ocean acidification reduces induction of coral settlement by crustose coralline algae
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 25-09-2013
DOI: 10.1111/GCB.12008
Prevalent and persistent viral infection in cultures of the coral algal endosymbiont Symbiodinium
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 17-03-2017
TBT contamination identified in Antarctic marine sediments
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2004
The sponge microbiome project
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 16-08-2017
Effects of sediment smothering on the sponge holobiont with implications for dredging management
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-07-2017
DOI: 10.1038/S41598-017-05243-X
Abstract: One of the ways dredging can affect benthic habitats is through high levels of sediment deposition, which has the potential to smother sessile organisms such as sponges. In order to provide pressure-response values to sedimentation and tease apart the different cause-effect pathways of high turbidity, 5 sponge species, including heterotrophic and phototrophic nutritional modes, were exposed for up to 30 d to multiple sediment deposition events, each of which resulted in an initial covering of 80–100% of the surface of the sponges in a layer ~0.5 mm thick. The response of the sponges was examined using a suite of different response variables including growth, respiration, lipid content, community composition of the microbial symbionts, and maximum quantum yield and chlorophyll content of the phototrophic symbionts. Different species showed different mechanisms of sediment rejection and different patterns of sediment clearance. All species survived the treatments, were able to tolerate high levels of partial covering of their surfaces, and for most species the treatment did not alter the health of the sponge holobiont. Results from this study will guide interpretation of experiments examining the combined effects of all three dredging-related pressures, and aid the development of water quality thresholds for impact prediction purposes.
Microbial contributions to the persistence of coral reefs
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 16-05-2017
The effects of antifoulant-paint-contaminated sediments on coral recruits and branchlets
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-2003
A spongin-boring alpha-proteobacterium is the etiological agent of disease in the Great Barrier Reef sponge Rhopaloeides odorabile
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 2002
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS232305
Thermal stress modifies the marine sponge virome
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-07-2019
Abstract: Marine sponges can form stable partnerships with a wide ersity of microbes and viruses, and this high intraspecies symbiont specificity makes them ideal models for exploring how host-associated viromes respond to changing environmental conditions. Here we exposed the abundant Great Barrier Reef sponge Rhopaloiedes odorabile to elevated seawater temperature for 48 h and utilised a metaviromic approach to assess the response of the associated viral community. An increase in endogenous retro-transcribing viruses within the Caulimorviridae and Retroviridae families was detected within the first 12 h of exposure to 32 °C, and a 30-fold increase in retro-transcribing viruses was evident after 48 h at 32 °C. Thermally stressed sponges also exhibited a complete loss of ssDNA viruses which were prevalent in field s les and sponges from the control temperature treatment. Despite these viromic changes, functional analysis failed to detect any loss or gain of auxiliary metabolic genes, indicating that viral communities are not providing a direct competitive advantage to their host under thermal stress. In contrast, endogenous sponge retro-transcribing viruses appear to be replicating under thermal stress, and consistent with retroviral infections in other organisms, may be contributing to the previously described rapid decline in host health evident at elevated temperature.
Natural volcanic CO2 seeps reveal future trajectories for host-microbial associations in corals and sponges
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 17-10-2015
Sponge-specific clusters revisited: A comprehensive phylogeny of sponge-associated microorganisms
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-12-2012
DOI: 10.1111/J.1462-2920.2011.02664.X
Abstract: Marine sponges often contain erse and abundant communities of microorganisms including bacteria, archaea and eukaryotic microbes. Numerous 16S rRNA-based studies have identified putative 'sponge-specific' microbes that are apparently absent from seawater and other (non-sponge) marine habitats. With more than 7500 sponge-derived rRNA sequences (from clone, isolate and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis data) now publicly available, we sought to determine whether the current notion of sponge-specific sequence clusters remains valid. Comprehensive phylogenetic analyses were performed on the 7546 sponge-derived 16S and 18S rRNA sequences that were publicly available in early 2010. Overall, 27% of all sequences fell into monophyletic, sponge-specific sequence clusters. Such clusters were particularly well represented among the Chloroflexi, Cyanobacteria, 'Poribacteria', Betaproteobacteria and Acidobacteria, and in total were identified in at least 14 bacterial phyla, as well as the Archaea and fungi. The largest sponge-specific cluster, representing the cyanobacterium 'Synechococcus spongiarum', contained 245 sequences from 40 sponge species. These results strongly support the existence of sponge-specific microbes and provide a suitable framework for future studies of rare and abundant sponge symbionts, both of which can now be studied using next-generation sequencing technologies.
Spotlight on how microbes influence their host's behavior.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-08-2019
Qualitative variation in colour morphotypes of Ianthella basta (Porifera: Verongida)
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Date: 2011
Interactive effects of temperature and pCO 2 on sponges: from the cradle to the grave
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-09-2016
DOI: 10.1111/GCB.13474
Abstract: As atmospheric CO
Acute ecotoxicology of natural oil and gas condensate to coral reef larvae
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-02-2201
DOI: 10.1038/SREP21153
Abstract: Risks posed by oil spills to coral reefs are difficult to evaluate, partially due to the absence of studies that adequately assess toxicity to relevant coral reef species. Here we experimentally tested the acute toxicity of condensate, representing a fraction of light crude oil, to coral ( Acropora tenuis ) and sponge ( Rhopaloeides odorabile ) larvae. The metamorphosis of coral larvae was inhibited at total petroleum aromatic hydrocarbon (TPAH) concentrations of water accommodated fractions (WAF) as low as 103 μg l −1 , similar to concentrations detected in seawater following large spills. The sensitivity of coral larvae increased by 40% when co-exposed to UV light that they might encounter in shallow reefal systems. Condensate WAF was more toxic to coral larvae than predicted by summing the toxicity of its main components (benzene, toluene, p -xylene and napthalene). In contrast, the sensitivity of sponge larvae to condensate WAF ( ,000 μg l −1 TPAH) was far less than coral in the presence and absence of UV, but similar to that of other marine invertebrates. While these results highlight the relative sensitivity of coral larvae to oil, further research is needed to better understand and predict the impacts and risks posed by hydrocarbons to tropical reef systems.
Taxonomic, functional and expression analysis of viral communities associated with marine sponges
Publisher: PeerJ
Date: 02-02-2021
DOI: 10.7717/PEERJ.10715
Abstract: Viruses play an essential role in shaping the structure and function of ecological communities. Marine sponges have the capacity to filter large volumes of ‘virus-laden’ seawater through their bodies and host dense communities of microbial symbionts, which are likely accessible to viral infection. However, despite the potential of sponges and their symbionts to act as viral reservoirs, little is known about the sponge-associated virome. Here we address this knowledge gap by analysing metagenomic and (meta-) transcriptomic datasets from several sponge species to determine what viruses are present and elucidate their predicted and expressed functionality. Sponges were found to carry erse, abundant and active bacteriophages as well as eukaryotic viruses belonging to the Megavirales and Phycodnaviridae . These viruses contain and express auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) for photosynthesis and vitamin synthesis as well as for the production of antimicrobials and the defence against toxins. These viral AMGs can therefore contribute to the metabolic capacities of their hosts and also potentially enhance the survival of infected cells. This suggest that viruses may play a key role in regulating the abundance and activities of members of the sponge holobiont.
Elevated seawater temperature disrupts the microbiome of an ecologically important bioeroding sponge
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 31-03-2018
DOI: 10.1111/MEC.14544
Abstract: Bioeroding sponges break down calcium carbonate substratum, including coral skeleton, and their capacity for reef erosion is expected to increase in warmer and more acidic oceans. However, elevated temperature can disrupt the functionally important microbial symbionts of some sponge species, often with adverse consequences for host health. Here, we provide the first detailed description of the microbial community of the bioeroding sponge Cliona orientalis and assess how the community responds to seawater temperatures incrementally increasing from 23°C to 32°C. The microbiome, identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, was dominated by Alphaproteobacteria, including a single operational taxonomic unit (OTU Rhodothalassium sp.) that represented 21% of all sequences. The "core" microbial community (taxa present in >80% of s les) included putative nitrogen fixers and ammonia oxidizers, suggesting that symbiotic nitrogen metabolism may be a key function of the C. orientalis holobiont. The C. orientalis microbiome was generally stable at temperatures up to 27°C however, a community shift occurred at 29°C, including changes in the relative abundance and turnover of microbial OTUs. Notably, this microbial shift occurred at a lower temperature than the 32°C threshold that induced sponge bleaching, indicating that changes in the microbiome may play a role in the destabilization of the C. orientalis holobiont. C. orientalis failed to regain Symbiodinium or restore its baseline microbial community following bleaching, suggesting that the sponge has limited ability to recover from extreme thermal exposure, at least under aquarium conditions.
What do we really know about sponge-microbial symbioses?
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-10-2009
The culturable microbial community of the Great Barrier Reef sponge Rhopaloeides odorabile is dominated by an alpha-Proteobacterium
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 23-04-2001
The larval sponge holobiont exhibits high thermal tolerance
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-10-0011
DOI: 10.1111/J.1758-2229.2011.00296.X
Abstract: Marine sponges are critical components of benthic environments however, their sessile habit, requirement to filter large volumes of water and complex symbiotic partnerships make them particularly vulnerable to the effects of global climate change. We assessed the effect of elevated seawater temperature on bacterial communities in larvae of the Great Barrier Reef sponge, Rhopaloeides odorabile. In contrast to the strict thermal threshold of 32°C previously identified in adult R. odorabile, larvae exhibit a markedly higher thermal tolerance, with no adverse health effects detected at temperatures below 36°C. Similarly, larval microbial communities were conserved at temperatures up to 34°C with a highly significant shift occurring after 24 h at 36°C. This shift involved the loss of previously described symbionts (in particular the Nitrospira, Chloroflexi and a Roseobacter lineage) and the appearance of new Gammaproteobacteria not detected at lower temperatures. Here, we demonstrated that sponge larvae maintain highly stable symbioses at seawater temperatures exceeding those that are predicted under current climate change scenarios. In addition, by revealing that the shift in microbial composition occurs in conjunction with necrosis and mortality of larvae at 36°C we have provided additional evidence of the strong link between host health and the stability of symbiont communities.
Detection and Phylogenetic Analysis of Novel Crenarchaeote and Euryarchaeote 16S Ribosomal RNA Gene Sequences from a Great Barrier Reef Sponge
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-2001
DOI: 10.1007/S10126-001-0065-7
Abstract: The presence of Archaea in the Great Barrier Reef marine sponge Rhopaloeides odorabile was investigated by 16S ribosomal RNA community analysis of total DNA extracted from the sponge tissue. The 16S rRNA gene sequences corresponding to group I crenarchaeotes and group II euryarchaeotes were recovered from R. odorabile tissue. The location of archaeal cells within the sponge tissue was investigated using fluorescently labeled oligonucleotide probes. The presence of Archaea was confirmed within all regions of the sponge tissue from R. odorabile, with a significantly higher number of archaeal cells located in the pinacoderm than the mesohyl region. This is the first report of euryarchaeaotes associated with marine sponges.
Coral Reef Bacterial Communities
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Date: 2013
Marine sponges and their microbial symbionts: love and other relationships
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-03-2011
DOI: 10.1111/J.1462-2920.2011.02460.X
Abstract: Many marine sponges harbour dense and erse microbial communities of considerable ecological and biotechnological importance. While the past decade has seen tremendous advances in our understanding of the phylogenetic ersity of sponge-associated microorganisms (more than 25 bacterial phyla have now been reported from sponges), it is only in the past 3-4 years that the in situ activity and function of these microbes has become a major research focus. Already the rewards of this new emphasis are evident, with genomics and experimental approaches yielding novel insights into symbiont function. Key steps in the nitrogen cycle [denitrification, anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox)] have recently been demonstrated in sponges for the first time, with erse bacteria - including the sponge-associated candidate phylum 'Poribacteria'- being implicated in these processes. In this minireview we examine recent major developments in the microbiology of sponges, and identify several research areas (e.g. biology of viruses in sponges, effects of environmental stress) that we believe are deserving of increased attention.
Incongruence between the distribution of a common coral reef sponge and photosynthesis
Publisher: Inter-Research Science Center
Date: 10-02-2011
DOI: 10.3354/MEPS08886
Marine biofilms constitute a bank of hidden microbial diversity and functional potential
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 31-01-2019
DOI: 10.1038/S41467-019-08463-Z
Abstract: Recent big data analyses have illuminated marine microbial ersity from a global perspective, focusing on planktonic microorganisms. Here, we analyze 2.5 terabases of newly sequenced datasets and the Tara Oceans metagenomes to study the ersity of biofilm-forming marine microorganisms. We identify more than 7,300 biofilm-forming ‘species’ that are undetected in seawater analyses, increasing the known microbial ersity in the oceans by more than 20%, and provide evidence for differentiation across oceanic niches. Generation of a gene distribution profile reveals a functional core across the biofilms, comprised of genes from a variety of microbial phyla that may play roles in stress responses and microbe-microbe interactions. Analysis of 479 genomes reconstructed from the biofilm metagenomes reveals novel biosynthetic gene clusters and CRISPR-Cas systems. Our data highlight the previously underestimated ocean microbial ersity, and allow mining novel microbial lineages and gene resources.
The contribution of microbial biotechnology to mitigating coral reef degradation
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-07-2017
The coral Acropora loripes genome reveals an alternative pathway for cysteine biosynthesis in animals
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Date: 23-09-2022
Abstract: The metabolic capabilities of animals have been derived from well-studied model organisms and are generally considered to be well understood. In animals, cysteine is an important amino acid thought to be exclusively synthesized through the transsulfuration pathway. Corals of the genus Acropora have lost cystathionine β-synthase, a key enzyme of the transsulfuration pathway, and it was proposed that Acropora relies on the symbiosis with dinoflagellates of the family Symbiodiniaceae for the acquisition of cysteine. Here, we identify the existence of an alternative pathway for cysteine biosynthesis in animals through the analysis of the genome of the coral Acropora loripes . We demonstrate that these coral proteins are functional and synthesize cysteine in vivo, exhibiting previously unrecognized metabolic capabilities of animals. This pathway is also present in most animals but absent in mammals, arthropods, and nematodes, precisely the groups where most of the animal model organisms belong to, highlighting the risks of generalizing findings from model organisms.
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ARC Future Fellowships - Grant ID: FT120100480
Start Date: 12-2012
End Date: 12-2017
Amount: $710,828.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityDiscovery Projects - Grant ID: DP200100790
Start Date: 07-2020
End Date: 04-2021
Amount: $620,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
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