Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry-Based Targeted Metabolomics of Hard Coral Samples

As with every organism, corals depend on superlative nutrition to grow and construct reefs for immunity and reproduction and to withstand changing environmental conditions. But we know very little about optimal nutrition for corals under normal or changing conditions, and how each member of the coral holobiont contributes to this nutritional status. Corals are holobionts comprised of the host and various symbiotic microorganisms.

These include Symbiodiniaceae, protists, bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The fitness of the holobiont depends on the metabolic interactions between these members. For instance, Symbiodiniaceae provide photosynthate to support the host’s metabolism and help it adapt to changing conditions.

To understand this crucial partnership, we need to study each partner’s chemical and metabolic composition separately. These findings demonstrated that more information could be obtained by separating host and symbiont fractions for metabolic analysis. However, the decision to analyze separate fractions versus the holobiont is ultimately governed by the research question.

So in cases where analysis of the holobiont is preferable, we provided a methodology for holobiont metabolite extractions, and suggestions to obtain as much information as possible during analysis. The methods used in this study open up new avenues for research. These include revealing potential biomarkers, identifying key metabolites during specific life stages or stress conditions, understanding the advantages of associating with certain species, and exploring interactions within the holobiont.

Future research will focus on applying the protocols established here to several research areas, including the detection of biomarkers with applications in coral reef conservation and restoration. This methodology can also be applied where the separation of fractions isn’t possible for other physiological measures. For example, when analyzing volatile metabolite emissions from coral colonies.