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Bleaching physiology: who's the 'weakest link' - host vs. symbiont?
Roberty, S.; Plumier, J.-C. (2022). Bleaching physiology: who's the 'weakest link' - host vs. symbiont? Emerging Topics in Life Sciences 6(1): 17-32. https://dx.doi.org/10.1042/ETLS20210228
In: Emerging Topics in Life Sciences. Portland Press. ISSN 2397-8554; e-ISSN 2397-8562, more
Peer reviewed article  

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Keyword
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    apoptosis, cell homeostasis, coral bleaching, oxidative stress, symbiodiniaceae, symbiosis

Authors  Top 
  • Roberty, S., more
  • Plumier, J.-C., more

Abstract
    Environmental stress, such as an increase in the sea surface temperature, triggers coral bleaching, a profound dysfunction of the mutualist symbiosis between the host cnidarians and their photosynthetic dinoflagellates of the Family Symbiodiniaceae. Because of climate change, mass coral bleaching events will increase in frequency and severity in the future, threatening the persistence of this iconic marine ecosystem at global scale. Strategies adapted to coral reefs preservation and restoration may stem from the identification of the succession of events and of the different molecular and cellular contributors to the bleaching phenomenon. To date, studies aiming to decipher the cellular cascade leading to temperature-related bleaching, emphasized the involvement of reactive species originating from compromised bioenergetic pathways (e.g. cellular respiration and photosynthesis). These molecules are responsible for damage to various cellular components causing the dysregulation of cellular homeostasis and the breakdown of symbiosis. In this review, we synthesize the current knowledge available in the literature on the cellular mechanisms caused by thermal stress, which can initiate or participate in the cell cascade leading to the loss of symbionts, with a particular emphasis on the role of each partner in the initiating processes.

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