Project description:We performed single-cell RNA sequencing on the the larvae of the cnidarians Clytia hemisphaerica (Hydrozoa), Astroides calycularis (Anthozoa) and Pocillopora damicornis (Anthozoa). We identified cell types that were likely from the aboral end of the planulae and searched for genes in common that may mediate the larval settlement response.
Project description:Ocean acidification increasingly threatens coral reef ecosystems by challenging calcifi-cation processes fundamental to reef accretion. Yet, many corals continue to calcify under elevated pCO₂, suggesting species-specific physiological plasticity and potential cellular compensations. Here, we investigate the proteomic responses of two common pocilloporid corals, Stylophora pistillata and Pocillopora damicornis, to moderate (~940 ppm) and high (~2,800 ppm) pCO₂ over a two-month period. Using label-free quantita-tive proteomics, we identify changes in protein abundances compared to control con-ditions (~480 ppm) and infer functional shifts that underlie their respective responses to acidification. S. pistillata exhibited extensive proteomic restructuring under high pCO₂, marked by downregulation of metabolic pathways and concurrent upregulation of ion transporters, cytoskeletal elements, and stress response proteins, suggesting a meta-bolically costly but flexible strategy to sustain calcification. In contrast, P. damicornis showed fewer and more moderate proteomic changes, with adjustments in structural proteins and redox regulation, indicating a more restrained acclimatization strategy. These divergent responses highlight contrasting modes of resistance (plasticity versus stability). In direct context to physiological and geochemical data, our findings reveal cellular mechanisms of calcification control and underscore the utility of proteomics in coral ecophysiology, offering new insights into species-specific vulnerability and po-tential adaptive capacities under future ocean conditions.
Project description:the identity of coral proteins expressed at onset of metamorphosis (swimming planula to ‘settler’ stages) was investigated using planulae released from 4 distinct brooding Pocillopora acuta coral colonies, to consider maternal carry-over effects on the variability of larval proteomes.the identity of coral proteins expressed at onset of metamorphosis (swimming planula to ‘settler’ stages) was investigated using planulae released from 4 distinct brooding Pocillopora acuta coral colonies, to consider maternal carry-over effects on the variability of larval proteomes.
Project description:Understanding the phenotypic plasticity of corals is crucial for uncovering mechanisms of resilience in warming oceans, yet the biological significance of coral color morphs still needs to be explored. Using an innovative multi-omic approach (proteomics, lipidomics, and metabolomics), we provide the first comprehensive analysis of differences between pink and brown morphs of Pocillopora verrucosa. Our data reveal key taxa, potentially pathogenic or beneficial, associated with each morph, and suggest different strategies for each color morph to cope with heat stress, either expressing proteins involved in UV protection and heterotrophic activity or enhanced levels of heat stress resilience and DNA repair. These findings offer insights into the phenotypic plasticity of coral color morphs and their differential responses to climate change.
