Linking bacterial tetrabromopyrrole biosynthesis to coral metamorphosis

An important factor dictating coral fitness is the quality of bacteria associated with corals and coral reefs. One way that bacteria benefit corals is by stimulating the larval to juvenile life cycle transition of settlement and metamorphosis. Tetrabromopyrrole (TBP) is a small molecule produced by...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:ISME Communications 2023-09, Vol.3 (1), p.98-98
Main Authors: Alker, Amanda T, Farrell, Morgan V, Demko, Alyssa M, Purdy, Trevor N, Adak, Sanjoy, Moore, Bradley S, Sneed, Jennifer M, Paul, Valerie J, Shikuma, Nicholas J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ablation
Bacteria
Biofilms
Biosynthesis
Brief Communication
Cloning
Coral reefs
Corals
Fluorescence
Gene expression
Genes
Genetic engineering
Genomes
Life cycles
Metamorphosis
Morphogenesis
Mutants
Ocean floor
Plasmids
Pseudoalteromonas
Seawater
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:An important factor dictating coral fitness is the quality of bacteria associated with corals and coral reefs. One way that bacteria benefit corals is by stimulating the larval to juvenile life cycle transition of settlement and metamorphosis. Tetrabromopyrrole (TBP) is a small molecule produced by bacteria that stimulates metamorphosis with and without attachment in a range of coral species. A standing debate remains, however, about whether TBP biosynthesis from live Pseudoalteromonas bacteria is the primary stimulant of coral metamorphosis. In this study, we create a Pseudoalteromonas sp. PS5 mutant lacking the TBP brominase gene, bmp2. Using this mutant, we confirm that the bmp2 gene is critical for TBP biosynthesis in Pseudoalteromonas sp. PS5. Mutation of this gene ablates the bacterium’s ability in live cultures to stimulate the metamorphosis of the stony coral Porites astreoides. We further demonstrate that expression of TBP biosynthesis genes is strongest in stationary and biofilm modes of growth, where Pseudoalteromonas sp. PS5 might exist within surface-attached biofilms on the sea floor. Finally, we create a modular transposon plasmid for genomic integration and fluorescent labeling of Pseudoalteromonas sp. PS5 cells. Our results functionally link a TBP biosynthesis gene from live bacteria to a morphogenic effect in corals. The genetic techniques established here provide new tools to explore coral-bacteria interactions and could help to inform future decisions about utilizing marine bacteria or their products for coral restoration.
ISSN:2730-6151
2730-6151
DOI:10.1038/s43705-023-00309-6