Abstract
Reef-building corals play an important role in marine ecosystems. However, owing to climate change, ocean acidification, and predation by invasive crown-of-thorns starfish, these corals are declining. As marine animals comprise polyps, reproduction by asexual budding is pivotal in scleractinian coral growth. The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling pathway is essential in coral budding morphogenesis. Here, we sequenced the full-length transcriptomes of four common and frequently dominant reef-building corals and screened out the budding-related FGF and FGFR genes. Thereafter, three-dimensional (3D) models of FGF and FGFR proteins as well as FGF-FGFR binding models were reconstructed. Based on our findings, the FGF8-FGFR3 binding models in Pocillopora damicornis, Montipora capricornis, and Acropora muricata are typical receptor tyrosine kinase-signaling pathways that are similar to the Kringelchen (FGFR) in hydra. However, in P. verrucosa, FGF8 is not the FGFR3 ligand, which is found in other hydrozoan animals, and its FGFR3 must be activated by other tyrosine kinase-type ligands. Overall, this study provides background on the potentially budding propagation signaling pathway activated by the applications of biological agents in reef-building coral culture that could aid in the future restoration of coral reefs.
Highlights
Coral reefs mainly comprise large numbers of calcium carbonate skeletons produced by scleractinian corals
In hydrozoan animals previously studied, the receptor tyrosine kinase related to the induction of polyp budding morphogenesis is FGFR3 (Kringelchen), and its general ligand is FGF8/17/18
This study revealed the full-length transcriptomes and protein coding sequences (CDS) profiles of four dominant reef-building corals
Summary
Coral reefs mainly comprise large numbers of calcium carbonate skeletons produced by scleractinian corals. Coral reefs serve as a living environment for more than 30% of marine animals and plants (Odum and Odum, 1955; Yu, 2012). Owing to biodiversity and efficient nutrient recycling, coral reefs can affect the physical and ecological conditions of surrounding ocean areas (Connell, 1978). Due to global warming, changes in the physicochemical environment of the ocean, and massive encroachment of the predatory crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS), coral reefs are sharply declining (Moberg and Folke, 1999; Wilson et al, 2006; Nakamura et al, 2014; Reimer et al, 2019; Magel et al, 2020). Determining how to promote the growth activity of reef-building corals is key to coral reef ecological restoration
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
