Exploring the Potential Molecular Mechanisms of Interactions between a Probiotic Consortium and Its Coral Host
Phillipe M. Rosado, Pedro Cardoso, João G. Rosado, Júnia Schultz, Ulisses Nunes da Rocha, Tina Keller‐Costa, Raquel S. Peixoto
Abstract
Probiotics are currently the main hope as a potential medicine for corals, organisms that are considered the marine "canaries of the coal mine" and that are threatened with extinction. Our experiments have proved the concept that probiotics mitigate coral bleaching and can also prevent coral mortality. Here, we present a comprehensive genetic survey of probiotic traits using a genome-based framework. The main outcomes are a roadmap that facilitates the selection of coral probiotic strains while increasing the array of mechanisms that can be included in the selection of coral probiotics.
Topics & Concepts
CoralThreatened speciesProbioticHost (biology)Coral bleachingExtinction (optical mineralogy)BiologyCoral reefEcologyFisheryBacteriaGeneticsHabitatPaleontologyCoral and Marine Ecosystems StudiesMicrobial Community Ecology and PhysiologyGenomics and Phylogenetic Studies