Corals passed through the scanner
Why are coral bleaching in the world? Does global warming affect this process? What role microorganisms play in this process? These and other questions the researchers from six institutions addressed by a technology similar to that used by the physician performing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The scientists studied how the metabolic activity of a pathogen causing coral bleaching, a major threat to reef ecosystems around the underwater world.
The coral bleaching is the whitening of these due to a disruption of the symbiosis (two organisms living together as the benefits to both) with small photosynthetic algae. These single-celled creatures living within the coral tissue and provide the host organism up to 90 percent of its energy. It is solar energy, chemicals derived from algae that give coral species in the world a rainbow of colors.
Unfortunately, the coral colonies of great ecological value are being threatened worldwide by bacteria who lives in the oceans. When the germ becomes virulent, can infiltrate dislodge corals and algae, causing the coral loses its pigmentation. If the symbiosis breaks down long enough, the coral starves.
Environmental scientists have demonstrated in laboratory experiments that the virulence of V. It depends on temperature, that is causing the discoloration at temperatures above 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit). These findings have raised concerns that ocean temperatures increased, either by natural seasonal changes or trends of climate change may lead to an increased risk of coral bleaching. Over the past two decades, it has been reported that nearly 30 percent of the world’s coral reefs and their ecosystems have been severely degraded by fading.
In an article published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, the research team described how to use the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to study the metabolic changes in the pathogen V. The technique allowed the discovery of small molecules in the metabolism of related compounds that correlate with different biological conditions. In this study, when the temperature of 24-27 degrees Celsius increased levels of three compounds – betaine, glutamate and succinate – which help regulate energy production and osmotic pressure, a mechanism for maintaining cell integrity in bacteria. These metabolic changes may be the key to why the small change in temperature can be converted to the bacterium that causes coral bleaching. The researchers hope these findings will lead to a better understanding of the symbiotic relationships that exist in healthy corals and the possible effects on relations in the changing ecological conditions.
