In cool temperatures the bacteria Vibrio coralliilyticus is rarely a problem for coral, but when temperatures rise it is a different story–plaguing reefs around the world. Scientists have now have identified three matabolites released during the periods of warmer temperature by studying the the temperature dependent nature of the Vibrio pathogen (using nuclear magnetic resonance). [...]
In cool temperatures the bacteria Vibrio coralliilyticus is rarely a problem for coral, but when temperatures rise it is a different story–plaguing reefs around the world. Scientists have now have identified three matabolites released during the periods of warmer temperature by studying the the temperature dependent nature of the Vibrio pathogen (using nuclear magnetic resonance). The three identified chemicals that are being attributed to the warm temperature bleaching are:
- Betaine
- Glutamate
- Succinate
This information could prove extremely valuable as we strive to save our reefs and better understand coral bleaching. For more information see the full study:
Boroujerdi et al. NMR-Based Microbial Metabolomics and the Temperature-Dependent Coral Pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus. Environmental Science & Technology, 2009.
