Population genetics of the coral Acropora millepora: Toward genomic prediction of bleaching

作者：Z. Fuller, V. Mocellin, Luke A. Morris, N. Cantin, Jihanne Shepherd, Luke A. Sarre, Julie Z. Peng, Yi Liao, J. Pickrell, P. Andolfatto, M. Matz, L. Bay, M. Przeworski · 发表于：Science · 年份：2020 · DOI：10.1126/science.aba4674 · 被引用次数：269 · 研究领域：Medicine、Biology

Conservation help from genomics Corals worldwide are under threat from rising sea temperatures and pollution. One response to heat stress is coral bleaching—the loss of photosynthetic endosymbionts that provide energy for the coral. Fuller et al. present a high-resolution genome of the coral Acropora millepora (see the Perspective by Bay and Guerrero). They were able to perform population genetic analyses with samples sequenced at lower coverage and conduct genome-wide association studies. These data were combined to generate a polygenic risk score for bleaching that can be used in coral conservation. Science this issue p. eaba4674; see also p. 249 A high-quality genome analysis of a branching stony coral helps elucidate the genetics of coral bleaching. INTRODUCTION Coral reefs worldwide are suffering losses at an alarming rate as a result of anthropogenic climate change. Increased seawater temperatures, even only slightly above long-term maxima, can induce bleaching—the breakdown of the symbiotic relationship between coral hosts and their intracellular photosynthetic dinoflagellates from the family Symbiodiniaceae. Because these symbionts provide the majority of energy required by the coral host, prolonged periods of bleaching can eventually lead to the death of the colony. In the face of rapidly increasing temperatures, new conservation strategies are urgently needed to prevent future mass losses of coral cover, and these benefit from an understanding of the genetic basis o...