Dataset Information

Advancing Reef Monitoring Techniques through Exometabolomics: Quantification of Labile Dissolved Organic Metabolites on Coral Reefs

ABSTRACT:

Extracellular chemical cues constitute much of the language of life among marine organisms from microbes to mammals. These chemical cues shape foraging and feeding strategies, symbiotic interactions, selection of mates and habitats, and the transfer of energy and nutrients within and among ecosystems. Changes in the chemical pool flux within these ecosystems serve as invisible signals of overall ecosystem health and, conversely, disruption to this finely tuned equilibrium. In coral reef systems, the full scope and magnitude of the chemicals involved in maintaining reef equilibria [m1] are largely unknown, and in particular, processes involving small, polar molecules, which form the majority components of labile dissolved organic carbon (DOC), are often poorly captured using traditional techniques and therefore remain unconstrained. [m2] In this study, we employed a recently developed chemical derivatization method and mass spectrometry-based targeted exometabolomics to capture and quantify polar dissolved phase metabolites on five coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands. We detected and quantified 45 exometabolites, and further demonstrate their variability across the investigated geographic landscape and contextualize these findings in terms of geographic and benthic cover differences. By comparing our results to previously published coral reef exometabolomes that did not employ chemical derivatization, we show the novel quantification of 23 metabolites which were previously undetected in the coral reef exometabolome, including compounds involved in central carbon metabolism (e.g., glutamate) and novel metabolites such as homoserine betaine. We highlight the immense potential of chemical derivatization-based exometabolomics for quantifying labile chemical cues on coral reefs and measuring molecular level responses to environmental stressors. Overall, improving our understanding of the composition and dynamics of reef exometabolites is vital for effective ecosystem monitoring and management strategies.

INSTRUMENT(S): Liquid Chromatography MS - negative - reverse phase, Liquid Chromatography MS - positive - reverse phase

PROVIDER: MTBLS9008 | MetaboLights | 2025-07-16

REPOSITORIES: MetaboLights

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Dataset's files

Source:

			Action	DRS
	mtab_CINAR_BC_lumos_032822_01.mzML	Mzml
	mtab_CINAR_BC_lumos_032822_02.mzML	Mzml
	mtab_CINAR_BC_lumos_032822_03.mzML	Mzml
	mtab_CINAR_BC_lumos_032822_04.mzML	Mzml
	mtab_CINAR_BC_lumos_032822_05.mzML	Mzml

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Publications

Benzoyl Chloride Derivatization Advances the Quantification of Dissolved Polar Metabolites on Coral Reefs.

Garcia Brianna M BM Becker Cynthia C CC Weber Laura L Swarr Gretchen J GJ Kido Soule Melissa C MC Apprill Amy A Kujawinski Elizabeth B EB

Journal of proteome research 20240523 6

Extracellular chemical cues constitute much of the language of life among marine organisms, from microbes to mammals. Changes in this chemical pool serve as invisible signals of overall ecosystem health and disruption to this finely tuned equilibrium. In coral reefs, the scope and magnitude of the chemicals involved in maintaining reef equilibria are largely unknown. Processes involving small, polar molecules, which form the majority components of labile dissolved organic carbon, are often poorl ...[more]

PMID: 38782401

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