The microbiome of the branching coral Acropora kenti Article Swipe
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· 2023
· Open Access
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· DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3228011/v1
· OA: W4385689545
<title>Abstract</title> Microbial diversity has been extensively explored in reef-building corals however the functional roles of coral-associated microorganisms remain poorly elucidated. Here, metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) were recovered from the coral <italic>Acropora kenti </italic>(formerly <italic>A.</italic> <italic>tenuis</italic>) to elucidate microbial functions and metabolic interactions within the holobiont. Overall, 191 bacterial and 10 archaeal MAGs assigned to 16 phyla were recovered from <italic>A. kenti</italic> and the adjacent seawater. Based on their prevalence and relative abundances, 82 of these MAGs were specific to the <italic>A. kenti </italic>holobiont, including members of the Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Desulfobacterota. <italic>A. kenti</italic>-specific MAGs displayed significant differences in their genomic features and functional potential relative to seawater specific-MAGs, having a higher prevalence of genes involved in host immune system evasion, nitrogen and carbon fixation, and synthesis of five essential B-vitamins. Moreover, a diversity of <italic>A. kenti</italic>-specific MAGs encoded genes required for the synthesis of essential amino acids, such as tryptophan, histidine, and lysine, which cannot be <italic>de novo</italic> synthesised by the host or Symbiodiniaceae. Across a water quality gradient spanning 2° of latitude, <italic>A. kenti</italic> microbial community composition correlated to increased temperature and dissolved inorganic nitrogen. Corresponding enrichment in molecular chaperones, nitrate reductases, and a heat-shock protein, indicated phenotypic adaptation of the microbiome to localised anthropogenic pressures. These findings reveal mechanisms of <italic>A. kenti</italic>-microbiome-symbiosis on the Great Barrier Reef, highlighting the interactions underpinning the health and functioning of this keystone holobiont.
