High-resolution spatial and genomic characterization of coral-associated microbial aggregates in the coral Stylophora pistillata
Abstract
Bacteria commonly form aggregates in a range of coral species [termed coral-associated microbial aggregates (CAMAs)], although these structures remain poorly characterized despite extensive efforts studying the coral microbiome. Here, we comprehensively characterize CAMAs associated withStylophora pistillataand quantify their cell abundance. Our analysis reveals that multipleEndozoicomonasphylotypes coexist inside a single CAMA. Nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging revealed that theEndozoicomonascells were enriched with phosphorus, with the elemental compositions of CAMAs different from coral tissues and endosymbiotic Symbiodiniaceae, highlighting a role in sequestering and cycling phosphate between coral holobiont partners. Consensus metagenome-assembled genomes of the two dominantEndozoicomonasphylotypes confirmed their metabolic potential for polyphosphate accumulation along with genomic signatures including type VI secretion systems allowing host association. Our findings provide unprecedented insights intoEndozoicomonas-dominated CAMAs and the first direct physiological and genomic linked evidence of their biological role in the coral holobiont.Coral-associated bacterial aggregates may play a role in phosphate sequestration inside corals.
- Publication:
-
Science Advances
- Pub Date:
- July 2022
- DOI:
- 10.1126/sciadv.abo2431
- Bibcode:
- 2022SciA....8O2431W