Presence of Aspergillus sydowii, a pathogen of gorgonian sea fans in the marine sponge Spongia obscura

Neta Ein-Gil; Micha Ilan; Shmuel Carmeli; Garriet W. Smith; Joseph R. Pawlik; Oded Yarden

doi:10.1038/ismej.2009.18

Presence of Aspergillus sydowii, a pathogen of gorgonian sea fans in the marine sponge Spongia obscura

Neta Ein-Gil, Micha Ilan, Shmuel Carmeli, Garriet W. Smith, Joseph R. Pawlik, Oded Yarden^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

57 Scopus citations

Abstract

The fungus Aspergillus sydowii is the causative agent of epidemics that affect gorgonian corals (sea fans) and has significantly affected their populations in the Caribbean Sea. We have isolated a strain of A. sydowii from healthy marine sponges (Spongia obscura) collected in Bahamian inshore waters. After its identification on the basis of morphology, molecular markers and chemical profiling followed by pathogenicity tests, we found this strain to be highly similar to a strain isolated from diseased coral, and have shown the capacity of this fungus to persist in sponge environment. Our findings suggest that sponges have the possibility of being reservoirs of a potential marine pathogen.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	752-755
Number of pages	4
Journal	ISME Journal
Volume	3
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2009.18
State	Published - Jun 2009

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation, Biological Oceanography Program (to JRP, OCE-0095724 and 0550468, including UNOLS ship support on the RV Seward Johnson), by the US–Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF 200-321) and the Israel Science Foundation. We thank the government of the Bahamas for permission to perform research in their territorial waters.

Keywords

Chemical ecology
Gorgonia ventalina
Spongia obscura

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1038/ismej.2009.18

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title = "Presence of Aspergillus sydowii, a pathogen of gorgonian sea fans in the marine sponge Spongia obscura",

abstract = "The fungus Aspergillus sydowii is the causative agent of epidemics that affect gorgonian corals (sea fans) and has significantly affected their populations in the Caribbean Sea. We have isolated a strain of A. sydowii from healthy marine sponges (Spongia obscura) collected in Bahamian inshore waters. After its identification on the basis of morphology, molecular markers and chemical profiling followed by pathogenicity tests, we found this strain to be highly similar to a strain isolated from diseased coral, and have shown the capacity of this fungus to persist in sponge environment. Our findings suggest that sponges have the possibility of being reservoirs of a potential marine pathogen.",

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note = "Funding Information: Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation, Biological Oceanography Program (to JRP, OCE-0095724 and 0550468, including UNOLS ship support on the RV Seward Johnson), by the US–Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF 200-321) and the Israel Science Foundation. We thank the government of the Bahamas for permission to perform research in their territorial waters.",

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AU - Smith, Garriet W.

AU - Pawlik, Joseph R.

AU - Yarden, Oded

N1 - Funding Information: Funding was provided by the National Science Foundation, Biological Oceanography Program (to JRP, OCE-0095724 and 0550468, including UNOLS ship support on the RV Seward Johnson), by the US–Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF 200-321) and the Israel Science Foundation. We thank the government of the Bahamas for permission to perform research in their territorial waters.

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AB - The fungus Aspergillus sydowii is the causative agent of epidemics that affect gorgonian corals (sea fans) and has significantly affected their populations in the Caribbean Sea. We have isolated a strain of A. sydowii from healthy marine sponges (Spongia obscura) collected in Bahamian inshore waters. After its identification on the basis of morphology, molecular markers and chemical profiling followed by pathogenicity tests, we found this strain to be highly similar to a strain isolated from diseased coral, and have shown the capacity of this fungus to persist in sponge environment. Our findings suggest that sponges have the possibility of being reservoirs of a potential marine pathogen.

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Presence of Aspergillus sydowii, a pathogen of gorgonian sea fans in the marine sponge Spongia obscura

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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