Meeting Abstract
The relationship between clownfish and sea anemones is, arguably, the most recognizable example of symbiosis on the planet. The relationship stems from the ability of the clownfish symbionts to live with immunity among the otherwise lethal tentacles of sea anemones. It is broadly understood that this immunity stems from the interplay between the mucus coating covering the clownfish and the mucus coating produced by the sea anemone. These mucus layers, containing important microbial communities and metabolic compounds, serve as the interface of the entire symbiosis. Although the taxonomic and functional diversity of the microbiome within these layers may shed light on the emergence and health of this symbiosis, it remains entirely uncharacterized. Here we use high-throughput 16s amplicon sequencing to characterize the microbiome of host anemones Entacmaea quadricolor, Heteractis magnifica, Stichodactyla mertensii, Heteractis aurora, and Cryptodnedrum adhaesivum from the Maldives. We further explore the taxonomic and functional diversity of the H. magnifica microbiome from anemones sampled on atoll fore reef communities that host clownfish symbionts and those from shallow (1m depth) reef channel anemones that do not host fish. This study provides the first glimpse into the taxonomic and functional diversity of the microbiome of the clownfish sea anemones.
