Scientists at the University of Florida have developed a new technique to prevent coral reef collapse.
In a groundbreaking development, scientists from the University of Florida have managed to replicate the initial stage of coral skeleton formation in a soft-bodied sea anemone, offering hope in the battle against coral reef collapse. Coral reefs, responsible for providing immense economic benefits, are currently under threat due to the adverse effects of warming and acidifying oceans. To address this pressing issue, researchers have been striving to find ways to preserve these vital ecosystems, yet have faced challenges in studying fragile coral polyps in laboratory settings.
The innovative technique developed by the University of Florida team involves inducing the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, a creature that does not naturally produce reef-forming rocky skeletons, to create skeleton-forming proteins. This transformation effectively turns the sea anemone into an ideal model system for investigating coral reefs and devising strategies to fortify coral polyps against the impacts of climate change.
Mark Martindale, Ph.D., the director of the University of Florida's Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and lead researcher on the study, emphasized the urgency of the situation by highlighting the ongoing decline of the entire coral reef ecosystem. He underscored the importance of understanding the underlying issues and having experimental systems in place to address these challenges, which the new model system now provides.
While coral polyps have been notoriously difficult to cultivate in laboratory conditions, the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis offers a more tractable alternative. As the first member of the jellyfish and coral family to have its genome sequenced, this sea anemone allows for straightforward manipulation of its genes and genetic makeup. Although it does not naturally produce any skeleton, the researchers sought to determine whether it could be coaxed into emulating a coral polyp's ability to convert seawater into solid rock.
To investigate this possibility, the scientists introduced a gene from the stony coral Stylophora pistillata, known for its role in assisting the animal in concentrating calcium necessary for skeleton formation, into Nematostella embryos. Remarkably, the coral protein exhibited the expected behavior of binding calcium in the sea anemone, akin to its function in the stony coral. This successful demonstration opens up avenues for further genetic manipulations to enhance the resilience of coral polyps in the face of environmental stressors.
Brent Foster, a researcher in Martindale's lab and the primary author of the study, highlighted the potential for leveraging the sea anemone model to investigate not only coral skeleton production but also other hard structures, such as tooth enamel. These investigations encompass the broader field of biomineralization, where living organisms create rigid structures using minerals like calcium. Moving forward, researchers aim to delve into the cellular mechanisms that govern the microenvironment conducive to biomineralization processes.
The collaborative effort involved in this groundbreaking research brought together scientists from the Institute of Human Genetics in Montpelier, France, Cornell University, and Cardiff University. Their findings, published in the journal iScience on February 6, mark a significant step forward in the quest to safeguard coral reefs. The study was supported by funding from the National Science Foundation, underscoring the importance of continued scientific exploration in preserving these vital marine ecosystems.
This innovative approach holds promise in offering a lifeline to coral reefs teetering on the brink of collapse, providing a ray of hope in the fight to protect these invaluable natural wonders from the perils of climate change.
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1036955
The innovative technique developed by the University of Florida team involves inducing the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, a creature that does not naturally produce reef-forming rocky skeletons, to create skeleton-forming proteins. This transformation effectively turns the sea anemone into an ideal model system for investigating coral reefs and devising strategies to fortify coral polyps against the impacts of climate change.
Mark Martindale, Ph.D., the director of the University of Florida's Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and lead researcher on the study, emphasized the urgency of the situation by highlighting the ongoing decline of the entire coral reef ecosystem. He underscored the importance of understanding the underlying issues and having experimental systems in place to address these challenges, which the new model system now provides.
While coral polyps have been notoriously difficult to cultivate in laboratory conditions, the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis offers a more tractable alternative. As the first member of the jellyfish and coral family to have its genome sequenced, this sea anemone allows for straightforward manipulation of its genes and genetic makeup. Although it does not naturally produce any skeleton, the researchers sought to determine whether it could be coaxed into emulating a coral polyp's ability to convert seawater into solid rock.
To investigate this possibility, the scientists introduced a gene from the stony coral Stylophora pistillata, known for its role in assisting the animal in concentrating calcium necessary for skeleton formation, into Nematostella embryos. Remarkably, the coral protein exhibited the expected behavior of binding calcium in the sea anemone, akin to its function in the stony coral. This successful demonstration opens up avenues for further genetic manipulations to enhance the resilience of coral polyps in the face of environmental stressors.
Brent Foster, a researcher in Martindale's lab and the primary author of the study, highlighted the potential for leveraging the sea anemone model to investigate not only coral skeleton production but also other hard structures, such as tooth enamel. These investigations encompass the broader field of biomineralization, where living organisms create rigid structures using minerals like calcium. Moving forward, researchers aim to delve into the cellular mechanisms that govern the microenvironment conducive to biomineralization processes.
The collaborative effort involved in this groundbreaking research brought together scientists from the Institute of Human Genetics in Montpelier, France, Cornell University, and Cardiff University. Their findings, published in the journal iScience on February 6, mark a significant step forward in the quest to safeguard coral reefs. The study was supported by funding from the National Science Foundation, underscoring the importance of continued scientific exploration in preserving these vital marine ecosystems.
This innovative approach holds promise in offering a lifeline to coral reefs teetering on the brink of collapse, providing a ray of hope in the fight to protect these invaluable natural wonders from the perils of climate change.
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1036955
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