Genomic signatures of disease resistance in endangered staghorn corals

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Vollmer, Steven V.; Selwyn, Jason D.; Despard, Brecia A.; Roesel, Charles L.
• 署名单位: Northeastern University
• 刊物名称: SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0036-9024
• DOI: 10.1126/science.adi3601
• 发表日期: 2023-09-29
• 页码: 1451-1454
• 关键词: white-band disease; gene-expression; beta regression; CLIMATE-CHANGE; r-package; resilience; management; DISCOVERY

摘要

White band disease (WBD) has caused unprecedented declines in the Caribbean Acropora corals, which are now listed as critically endangered species. Highly disease-resistant Acropora cervicornis genotypes exist, but the genetic underpinnings of disease resistance are not understood. Using transmission experiments, a newly assembled genome, and whole-genome resequencing of 76 A. cervicornis genotypes from Florida and Panama, we identified 10 genomic regions and 73 single-nucleotide polymorphisms that are associated with disease resistance and that include functional protein-coding changes in four genes involved in coral immunity and pathogen detection. Polygenic scores calculated from 10 genomic loci indicate that genetic screens can detect disease resistance in wild and nursery stocks of A. cervicornis across the Caribbean.