Meeting Abstract

P2.37  Sunday, Jan. 5 15:30  The transcriptional response of coral larvae to viral challenge in the context of thermal stress WRIGHT, R.M*; ROSALES, S.M; WELSH, R.M; VEGA THURBER, R.L; MATZ, M.V; University of Texas, Austin; Oregon State University, Corvallis; Oregon State University, Corvallis; Oregon State University, Corvallis; University of Texas, Austin rachelwright8@gmail.com

The global decline of coral reefs has been simultaneously attributed to rising ocean temperatures and the increasing prevalence of disease. While the agents of these diseases remain largely unidentified, there is increasing evidence that viruses play a role in infection. We challenged larvae of the reef-building coral Acropora millepora with virus-like particles (VLPs) isolated from seawater and with temperature stress (31C). Larval cultures were maintained at control (27C) or elevated (31C) temperatures either in the presence or absence of VLPs, resulting in four experimental treatments with five biological replicates per treatment. Global gene expression analysis was then completed using tag-based RNA-seq. Gene coexpression network analysis identified groups of co-regulated genes (modules) corresponding to the effects of virus and heat individually, as well as correlating with the combined effect of the two stressors. These differentially expressed genes included some of the key players in innate invertebrate immunity, genes previously implicated in response to thermal stress, and a number of novel candidates. This knowledge and the assays based on such genes will improve our ability to evaluate the risks of viral infection in corals in the context of warming oceans.