Microbiomes and metabolomes of dominant coral reef primary producers illustrate a potential role for immunolipids in marine symbioses

• Published in: Communications biology Vol. 6; no. 1; pp. 896 - 19
• Main Authors: Mannochio-Russo, Helena, Swift, Sean O. I., Nakayama, Kirsten K., Wall, Christopher B., Gentry, Emily C., Panitchpakdi, Morgan, Caraballo-Rodriguez, Andrés M., Aron, Allegra T., Petras, Daniel, Dorrestein, Kathleen, Dorrestein, Tatiana K., Williams, Taylor M., Nalley, Eileen M., Altman-Kurosaki, Noam T., Martinelli, Mike, Kuwabara, Jeff Y., Darcy, John L., Bolzani, Vanderlan S., Wegley Kelly, Linda, Mora, Camilo, Yew, Joanne Y., Amend, Anthony S., McFall-Ngai, Margaret, Hynson, Nicole A., Dorrestein, Pieter C., Nelson, Craig E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 31-08-2023; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 101/58; 45/91; 631/326/2565/2134; 631/326/2565/547; 631/92/320; 631/92/604; Algae; Animals; Anthozoa; Biology; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Coral Reefs; Corals; Host specificity; Immune response; Life Sciences; Lipids; Metabolome; Microbiomes; Microbiota; Seaweed; Seaweeds; Symbiosis
• ISSN: 2399-3642; 2399-3642
• DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05230-1

The dominant benthic primary producers in coral reef ecosystems are complex holobionts with diverse microbiomes and metabolomes. In this study, we characterize the tissue metabolomes and microbiomes of corals, macroalgae, and crustose coralline algae via an intensive, replicated synoptic survey of a single coral reef system (Waimea Bay, Oʻahu, Hawaii) and use these results to define associations between microbial taxa and metabolites specific to different hosts. Our results quantify and constrain the degree of host specificity of tissue metabolomes and microbiomes at both phylum and genus level. Both microbiome and metabolomes were distinct between calcifiers (corals and CCA) and erect macroalgae. Moreover, our multi-omics investigations highlight common lipid-based immune response pathways across host organisms. In addition, we observed strong covariation among several specific microbial taxa and metabolite classes, suggesting new metabolic roles of symbiosis to further explore.
Hawaiian coral reef organisms (macroalgae, corals, coralline algae) show host-specific correlation of lipids and specific bacterial groups, and distinct microbiomes are observed between calcifiers and erect macroalgae.