Microbiome heterogeneity in tissues of the coral, Fimbriaphyllia (Euphyllia) ancora.

Coral microbiomes differ in the mucus, soft tissue and skeleton of a coral colony, but whether variations exist in different tissues of a single polyp is unknown. In the stony coral, Fimbriaphyllia ancora, we identified 8,994 amplicon sequencing variants (ASVs) in functionally differentiated polyp tissues, i.e., tentacles, body wall, mouth and pharynx, mesenterial filaments, and gonads (testes and ovaries), with a large proportion of ASVs specific to individual tissues. However, shared ASVs comprised the majority of microbiomes from all tissues in terms of relative abundance. No tissue-specific ASVs were found, except in testes, for which there were only two samples. At the generic level, Endozoicomonas was significantly less abundant in the body wall, where calicoblastic cells reside. On the other hand, several bacterial taxa presented significantly higher abundances in the mouth. Interestingly, although without statistical confirmation, gonadal tissues showed lower ASV richness and relatively high abundances of Endozoicomonas (in ovaries) and Pseudomonas (in testes). These findings provide evidence for microbiome heterogeneity between tissues within coral polyps, suggesting a promising field for future studies of functional interactions between corals and their bacterial symbionts.

A gauge of coral physiology: re-examining temporal changes in Endozoicomonas abundance correlated with natural coral bleaching.

Bacteria contribute to many physiological functions of coral holobionts, including responses to bleaching. The bacterial genus, Endozoicomonas, dominates the microbial flora of many coral species and its abundance appears to be correlated with coral bleaching. However, evidences for decoupling of bleaching and Endozoicomonas abundance changes have also been reported. In 2020, a severe bleaching event was recorded at reefs in Taiwan, providing a unique opportunity to re-examine bleaching-Endozoicomonas association using multiple stony corals in natural environments. In this study, we monitored tissue color and microbiome changes in three coral species (Montipora sp., Porites sp., and Stylophora pistillata) in Kenting National Park, following the bleaching event. All tagged Montipora sp. and Porites sp. recovered from bleaching within 1 year, while high mortality occurred in S. pistillata. Microbiome analysis found no correlation of Endozoicomonas relative abundance and bleaching severity during the sampling period, but found a stronger correlation when the month in which bleaching occurred was excluded. Moreover, Endozoicomonas abundance increased during recovery months in Montipora sp. and Porites sp., whereas in S. pistillata it was nearly depleted. These results suggest that Endozoicomonas abundance may represent a gauge of coral health and reflect recovery of some corals from stress. Interestingly, even though different Endozoicomonas strains predominated in the three corals, these Endozoicomonas strains were also shared among coral taxa. Meanwhile, several Endozoicomonas strains showed secondary emergence during coral recovery, suggesting possible symbiont switching in Endozoicomonas. These findings indicate that it may be possible to introduce Endozoicomonas to non-native coral hosts as a coral probiotic.

Surgical Outcomes of Open and Laparoscopic Hartmann Reversal: A Single-Center Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hartmann reversal (HR) is challenging and traditionally requires a large laparotomy wound. With the development of minimally invasive techniques, laparoscopic reversal of Hartmann's operation (HO) was attempted. We aimed to evaluate the outcomes of laparoscopic Hartmann reversal (LHR) versus open Hartmann reversal (OHR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we included 33 patients who underwent HR at Chi Mei Medical Center between January 2015 and March 2023. Ten patients received LHR, while 23 received OHR. We compared patient demographics, perioperative outcomes, early postoperative complications, and late postoperative complications between the two groups. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the baseline demographics of both groups. Compared to the open method, the LHR group had a shorter hospital stay and time to solid diet. The median length of hospital stay in the OHR and LHR groups was 15.00 (Q1-Q3: 13.00-16.00) and 11.5 (Q1-Q3: 10.00-14.00) days (p = 0.028), respectively. The median time to solid diet was 8.00 (Q1-Q3: 7.00-8.00) days in the OHR group and 5.00 (Q1-Q3: 5.00-7.00) days in the LHR group (p = 0.022). No statistical significance between the groups was noticed in early and late postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: Whether using a laparoscopic or an open method, HR is challenging. In our study, patients who underwent LHR were associated with reduced hospital stays and faster bowel movements.

The clinical outcomes and effectiveness of antiviral agents among underweight patients with COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the outcomes of underweight patients with COVID-19 and the effectiveness of antiviral agents in this population. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study using theTriNetX research network was conducted. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to balance the first cohort involving COVID-19 patients with underweight and normal-weight. In the second cohort, underweight patients receiving antiviral agents and untreated individuals were matched using PSM. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause hospitalization and death during the 7-30-day follow-up period. RESULTS: After PSM, the first cohort including each group of 13,502 patients with balanced baseline characteristics were identified for comparing the outcome of patients with underweight and normal weight. The underweight group had a higher risk of the composite primary outcome than those with normal weight (hazard ratio [HR], 1.251; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.132-1.382). The second cohort included each 884 underweight patients with and without receiving antivirals.Compared with untreated patients, those receiving antiviral treatment had a lower risk of composite primary outcomes (HR, 0.426; 95% CI, 0.278-0.653). CONCLUSION: Underweight status may be associated with a higher risk of all-cause hospitalization and death in patients with COVID-19.Among underweight patients, antiviral agents demonstrated clinically beneficial effects.

Similar but different: Characterization of dddD gene-mediated DMSP metabolism among coral-associated Endozoicomonas.

Endozoicomonas are often predominant bacteria and prominently important in coral health. Their role in dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) degradation has been a subject of discussion for over a decade. A previous study found that Endozoicomonas degraded DMSP through the dddD pathway. This process releases dimethyl sulfide, which is vital for corals coping with thermal stress. However, little is known about the related gene regulation and metabolic abilities of DMSP metabolism in Endozoicomonadaceae. In this study, we isolated a novel Endozoicomonas DMSP degrader and observed a distinct DMSP metabolic trend in two phylogenetically close dddD-harboring Endozoicomonas species, confirmed genetically by comparative transcriptomic profiling and visualization of the change of DMSP stable isotopes in bacterial cells using nanoscale secondary ion spectrometry. Furthermore, we found that DMSP cleavage enzymes are ubiquitous in coral Endozoicomonas with a preference for having DddD lyase. We speculate that harboring DMSP degrading genes enables Endozoicomonas to successfully colonize various coral species across the globe.

Microbiome Restructuring: Dominant Coral Bacterium Endozoicomonas Species Respond Differentially to Environmental Changes.

Bacteria in the coral microbiome play a crucial role in determining coral health and fitness, and the coral host often restructures its microbiome composition in response to external factors. An important but often neglected factor determining this microbiome restructuring is the ability of microbiome members to respond to changes in the environment. To address this issue, we examined how the microbiome structure of Acropora muricata corals changed over 9 months following a reciprocal transplant experiment. Using a combination of metabarcoding, genomics, and comparative genomics approaches, we found that coral colonies separated by a small distance harbored different dominant Endozoicomonas-related phylotypes belonging to two different species, including a novel species, "Candidatus Endozoicomonas penghunesis" 4G, whose chromosome-level (complete) genome was also sequenced in this study. Furthermore, the two dominant Endozoicomonas species had different potentials to scavenge reactive oxygen species, suggesting potential differences in responding to the environment. Differential capabilities of dominant members of the microbiome to respond to environmental change can (i) provide distinct advantages or disadvantages to coral hosts when subjected to changing environmental conditions and (ii) have positive or negative implications for future reefs. IMPORTANCE The coral microbiome has been known to play a crucial role in host health. In recent years, we have known that the coral microbiome changes in response to external stressors and that coral hosts structure their microbiome in a host-specific manner. However, an important internal factor, the ability of microbiome members to respond to change, has been often neglected. In this study, we combine metabarcoding, culturing, and genomics to delineate the differential ability of two dominant Endozoicomonas species, including a novel "Ca. Endozoicomonas penghunesis" 4G, to respond to change in the environment following a reciprocal transplant experiment.

High-resolution spatial and genomic characterization of coral-associated microbial aggregates in the coral Stylophora pistillata.

Bacteria commonly form aggregates in a range of coral species [termed coral-associated microbial aggregates (CAMAs)], although these structures remain poorly characterized despite extensive efforts studying the coral microbiome. Here, we comprehensively characterize CAMAs associated with Stylophora pistillata and quantify their cell abundance. Our analysis reveals that multiple Endozoicomonas phylotypes coexist inside a single CAMA. Nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging revealed that the Endozoicomonas cells were enriched with phosphorus, with the elemental compositions of CAMAs different from coral tissues and endosymbiotic Symbiodiniaceae, highlighting a role in sequestering and cycling phosphate between coral holobiont partners. Consensus metagenome-assembled genomes of the two dominant Endozoicomonas phylotypes confirmed their metabolic potential for polyphosphate accumulation along with genomic signatures including type VI secretion systems allowing host association. Our findings provide unprecedented insights into Endozoicomonas-dominated CAMAs and the first direct physiological and genomic linked evidence of their biological role in the coral holobiont.

Potential syntrophic relationship between coral-associated Prosthecochloris and its companion sulfate-reducing bacterium unveiled by genomic analysis.

Endolithic microbial symbionts in the coral skeleton may play a pivotal role in maintaining coral health. However, compared to aerobic micro-organisms, research on the roles of endolithic anaerobic micro-organisms and microbe-microbe interactions in the coral skeleton are still in their infancy. In our previous study, we showed that a group of coral-associated Prosthecochloris (CAP), a genus of anaerobic green sulphur bacteria, was dominant in the skeleton of the coral Isopora palifera. Though CAP is diverse, the 16S rRNA phylogeny presents it as a distinct clade separate from other free-living Prosthecochloris. In this study, we build on previous research and further characterize the genomic and metabolic traits of CAP by recovering two new high-quality CAP genomes - Candidatus Prosthecochloris isoporae and Candidatus Prosthecochloris sp. N1 - from the coral I. palifera endolithic cultures. Genomic analysis revealed that these two CAP genomes have high genomic similarities compared with other Prosthecochloris and harbour several CAP-unique genes. Interestingly, different CAP species harbour various pigment synthesis and sulphur metabolism genes, indicating that individual CAPs can adapt to a diversity of coral microenvironments. A novel high-quality genome of sulfate-reducing bacterium (SRB)- Candidatus Halodesulfovibrio lyudaonia - was also recovered from the same culture. The fact that CAP and various SRB co-exist in coral endolithic cultures and coral skeleton highlights the importance of SRB in the coral endolithic community. Based on functional genomic analysis of Ca. P. sp. N1, Ca. P. isoporae and Ca. H. lyudaonia, we also propose a syntrophic relationship between the SRB and CAP in the coral skeleton.

Shifting in the Dominant Bacterial Group Endozoicomonas Is Independent of the Dissociation With Coral Symbiont Algae.

The coral-associated Endozoicomonas are dominant bacteria in the coral holobiont. Their relative abundance usually decreases with heat-induced coral bleaching and is proposed to be positively correlated with Symbiodiniaceae abundance. It remains unclear whether this phenomenon of decreased Endozoicomonas abundance is caused by temperature stress or a decreased abundance of Symbiodiniaceae. This study induced bleaching in the coral Euphyllia glabrescens using a dark treatment over 15 weeks. We examined shifts in Endozoicomonas abundance and experimentally reduced Symbiodiniaceae density. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was used to characterize the changes in bacterial community (incl. Endozoicomonas) over time, and the 16S rRNA gene copy number of Endozoicomonas was quantified by qPCR. We detected a high abundance of Endozoicomonas in E. glabrescens that underwent dark-induced bleaching. The results reveal that changes in the relative abundance of Endozoicomonas are unrelated to Symbiodiniaceae abundance, indicating that Endozoicomonas can be independent of Symbiodiniaceae in the coral holobiont.

Comparative genomics: Dominant coral-bacterium Endozoicomonas acroporae metabolizes dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP).

Dominant coral-associated Endozoicomonas bacteria species are hypothesized to play a role in the coral sulfur cycle by metabolizing dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) into dimethylsulfide (DMS); however, no sequenced genome to date harbors genes for this process. In this study, we assembled high-quality (>95% complete) draft genomes of strains of the recently added species Endozoicomonas acroporae (Acr-14T, Acr-1, and Acr-5) isolated from the coral Acropora sp. and performed a comparative genomic analysis on the genus Endozoicomonas. We identified DMSP CoA-transferase/lyase-a dddD gene homolog in all sequenced genomes of E. acroporae strains-and functionally characterized bacteria capable of metabolizing DMSP into DMS via the DddD cleavage pathway using RT-qPCR and gas chromatography (GC). Furthermore, we demonstrated that E. acroporae strains can use DMSP as a carbon source and have genes arranged in an operon-like manner to link DMSP metabolism to the central carbon cycle. This study confirms the role of Endozoicomonas in the coral sulfur cycle.

Metagenomic, phylogenetic, and functional characterization of predominant endolithic green sulfur bacteria in the coral Isopora palifera.

BACKGROUND: Endolithic microbes in coral skeletons are known to be a nutrient source for the coral host. In addition to aerobic endolithic algae and Cyanobacteria, which are usually described in the various corals and form a green layer beneath coral tissues, the anaerobic photoautotrophic green sulfur bacteria (GSB) Prosthecochloris is dominant in the skeleton of Isopora palifera. However, due to inherent challenges in studying anaerobic microbes in coral skeleton, the reason for its niche preference and function are largely unknown. RESULTS: This study characterized a diverse and dynamic community of endolithic microbes shaped by the availability of light and oxygen. In addition, anaerobic bacteria isolated from the coral skeleton were cultured for the first time to experimentally clarify the role of these GSB. This characterization includes GSB's abundance, genetic and genomic profiles, organelle structure, and specific metabolic functions and activity. Our results explain the advantages endolithic GSB receive from living in coral skeletons, the potential metabolic role of a clade of coral-associated Prosthecochloris (CAP) in the skeleton, and the nitrogen fixation ability of CAP. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the endolithic microbial community in coral skeletons is diverse and dynamic and that light and oxygen are two crucial factors for shaping it. This study is the first to demonstrate the ability of nitrogen uptake by specific coral-associated endolithic bacteria and shed light on the role of endolithic bacteria in coral skeletons.

Separation of amino acids, peptides and corresponding Amadori compounds on a silica column at elevated temperature.

Maillard reaction of glucose with amino acids and peptides has become a very important experimental model in the food flavor and pharmaceutical industries for better understanding the mechanism of food flavor generation and drug stability. Because of the amino acid and sugar functional groups present in their structures, most of the reaction components formed during the initial stages of Maillard reaction as well as the substrates are relatively polar. These compounds are poorly retained on a conventional reversed phase column. While polar stationary phases like HILIC column do provide better retention for these polar components, method selectivity could still be a challenge due to the structural similarity between these analytes. In this report, parameters such as pH, mobile phase composition and temperature were investigated using different brands of bare silica columns in order to separate glycine (G), diglycine (DG), triglycine (TG), and the corresponding Amadori compounds of glucose-glycine (GG), glucose-diglycine (GDG) and glucose-triglycine (GTG). An excellent separation for glycine, glycine peptides and their Amadori compounds was obtained on a bare silica column at an elevated temperature.

Effects of water content on volatile generation and peptide degradation in the maillard reaction of glycine, diglycine, and triglycine.

Peptides abundant in food and protein hydrolysates are known to be important to process flavors. The present study reports the volatile profile of the Maillard reactions of glycine, diglycine, and triglycine. The reaction with glucose was conducted at 0-100% water content in glycerol medium at 160 degrees C for 1 h. Volatile compounds were quantified by stir bar sorptive extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and nonvolatile compounds were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The major volatiles produced from each of the reaction systems were trimethylpyrazine and 2,5-dimethylpyrazine. Volatile generation increased as water decreased, and the overall reactivity of the glycine and glycine peptides in volatile formation was glycine approximately triglycine > diglycine. Triglycine was very unstable and mainly degraded into cyclic Gly-Gly and glycine, whereas diglycine had a higher stability than triglycine toward hydrolytic cleavage of the peptide bond. The amounts of glycine, diglycine, cyclic (Gly-Gly), and triglycine in the peptide-glucose reaction mixtures at different water content were reported.