Next-generation sequencing revealed specific microbial symbionts inPorites lutea with pigment abnormalities in North Sulawesi, Indonesia

摘要

Bacterial diseases affecting corals pose an enormous threat to the health of coral reefs. The relationship between certain bacterial species and coral diseases remain largely unknown. Pigment abnormalities are common in Porites lutea. Here we used Illumina 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyze the bacterial communities associated with healthyP. lutea andP. lutea with pigment abnormalities. We observed an increase of alpha diversity of the bacterial community ofP. lutea with pigment abnormalities, relative to healthy corals. We then identified changes in the abundance of individual operational taxonomic units (OTUs) between pigmented and healthy corals. We were able to identify eight OTUs associated with pigment abnormalities, which are possibly the causative agents of pigment abnormalities.