Tisthammer Kaho H, Martinez Jonathan A, Downs Craig A, Richmond Robert H
Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, United States.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Albuquerque, NM, United States.
Front Physiol. 2024 Feb 21;15:1346045. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1346045. eCollection 2024.
Coral reefs globally face unprecedented challenges from anthropogenic stressors, necessitating innovative approaches for effective assessment and management. Molecular biomarkers, particularly those related to protein expressions, provide a promising avenue for diagnosing coral health at the cellular level. This study employed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to evaluate stress responses in the coral along an environmental gradient in Maunalua Bay, Hawaii. The results revealed distinct protein expression patterns correlating with anthropogenic stressor levels across the bay. Some proteins, such as ubiquitin and Hsp70, emerged as sensitive biomarkers, displaying a linear decrease in response along the environmental gradient, emphasizing their potential as indicators of stress. Our findings highlighted the feasibility of using protein biomarkers for real-time assessment of coral health and the identification of stressors. The identified biomarkers can aid in establishing stress thresholds and evaluating the efficacy of management interventions. Additionally, we assessed sediment and water quality from the inshore areas in the bay and identified organic contaminants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and pesticides, in bay sediments and waters.
全球珊瑚礁面临着来自人为压力源的前所未有的挑战，因此需要创新方法来进行有效的评估和管理。分子生物标志物，特别是那些与蛋白质表达相关的生物标志物，为在细胞水平诊断珊瑚健康状况提供了一条有前景的途径。本研究采用酶联免疫吸附测定法，沿着夏威夷莫纳鲁阿湾的环境梯度评估珊瑚中的应激反应。结果揭示了与整个海湾人为压力源水平相关的不同蛋白质表达模式。一些蛋白质，如泛素和热休克蛋白70，成为敏感的生物标志物，沿着环境梯度呈现线性下降反应，突出了它们作为应激指标的潜力。我们的研究结果强调了使用蛋白质生物标志物进行珊瑚健康实时评估和压力源识别的可行性。所确定的生物标志物有助于建立压力阈值并评估管理干预措施的效果。此外，我们评估了海湾近岸地区的沉积物和水质，并在海湾沉积物和水体中识别出有机污染物，包括多环芳烃和农药。
