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 with Stylophora pistillata and quantify their cell abundance. Our analysis reveals that multiple Endozoicomonas phylotypes coexist inside a single CAMA. Nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging revealed that the Endozoicomonas cells 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-asse

SUBMITTER: Wada N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9258956 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature