Investigation of the role of the microbiome and metabolome in South Atlantic corals regarding the effect of bleaching

• Grant number: 24/05211-4
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2030
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Anelize Bauermeister
• Grantee: Anelize Bauermeister
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Leticia Veras Costa Lotufo ; Marcelo Visentini Kitahara ; Massuo Jorge Kato ; Miguel Mies ; Tito Monteiro da Cruz Lotufo

Abstract

The progressive warming of oceans has increasingly caused massive coral bleaching events, disturbing the ecophysiology of coral, and frequently, leading to mortality. However, even when suffering mass bleaching events, many corals resist bleaching and recover. It is known that algae and bacteria are essential components to keep this holobiont healthy. Although the physiological effects of bleaching are well documented, the consequences of the stress caused to the microbial community and their role during this process are not yet well understood. Furthermore, knowledge at the metabolomic level of these holobionts is fundamental for a better understanding of their ecological functions, and consequently, for better protection of corals. In this project, two organisms with different behavior regarding the bleaching effect were choose for a comparative study, one with higher mortality (the hydrocoral Millepora alcicornis) and other of lower mortality (the coral Mussismilia hispida). Therefore, the main objective of this project is to investigate the role of the microbial metabolites in the bleaching effect and in the recovery of M. hispida and M. alcicornis employing comparative metabolomics, metabolomics and microbiome integrative analysis, and co-culture of microorganisms isolated from the corals. In this work, samples of the corals will be collected from reef environments in the South Atlantic, including samples from healthy and bleached colonies for comparison. The microorganisms will be isolated from coral samples, and then, they will be cultivated alone and in co-cultures to study the metabolites produced, and better understand the ecological relationship between them and their host. Coral samples will be analyzed by untargeted metabolomics (LC-MS/MS), and 16S rRNA gene diversity to study the metabolome and microbiome, respectively. These data will be also analyzed in an integrative approach by computational tools that allow one to identify possible correlations between them. This line of research of metabolomics and microbiome data integration is innovative and has great biotechnological potential, being of great importance for training personnel to fill this niche that still lacks human training. (AU)