Coral reefs are one of the most important marine habitats in the world. They are important for human health because they protect shorelines, and provide food and economic security for many coastal and island communities. Despite this great importance, coral reefs are under threat due to warming ocean waters. The coral animal consists of many cells including immune cells and gastrodermal cells. Gastrodermal cells have algae that live within them, and this symbiotic relationship is important to maintain coral health. When water temperature increases, coral bleaching occurs. The coral and algae stop living together. During bleaching the coral?s immune system is compromised making it more likely for it to get sick and die. Thus, this research aims to understand how the immune system of corals responds to heat. This research is important for the bioeconomy: if it is known how corals defend against disease, then this information could be used to make diagnostic tools to identify sick corals. We could also create therapeutics to help save corals. These tools would protect coral reefs, which would protect shorelines, and provide food and economic security for coastal communities in the USA. The research uses funding to train graduate and undergraduate students, including under-represented students. As such this funding is training the next generation of leaders in science. The research uses funding to educate families about coral through a partnership with the Miami, Florida Frost Science Museum.
Innate immunity and mutualistic symbiosis are two fundamentally important processes that are connected but also opposing mechanisms for survival. An ecologically important example of this exists in stony corals. While also maintaining a beneficial relationship with an endosymbiotic alga, Symbiodiniaceae, stony coral innate immune system must also identify potential pathogens. The scientific community lacks information on the plasticity and function of the coral cells responsible for the innate immune reaction, and/or the cells responsible for symbiosis. The overall goal of this grant is to apply a unique approach, fluorescent activated cell sorting (FACS) to determine the function of immune cells and Symbiodiniaceae-interacting cell populations in heat stressed and control conditions. The overall hypothesis of this proposal is that corals possess specialized populations of immune cells unique from the cells which engulf the Symbiodiniaceae. Using FACS and RNA sequencing, this international team will determine the morphology and gene expression of isolated coral cell populations under control and heat stress conditions. Determine what the function of immune cells during control and heat stress conditions and determine the source of the immune signal during heat stress induced bleaching. By understanding these cellular interactions, a better understand the cellular mechanisms of the coral immune system, especially during heat stress will be gained. The research uses funding to train graduate and undergraduate students, including under-represented students. As such this funding is training the next generation of leaders in science. The research uses funding to educate families about coral through a partnership with the Miami, Florida Frost Science Museum.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
