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High levels of acrylate in the Great Barrier Reef coral Acropora millepora

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Abstract

High concentrations of acrylate, 542–683 μmol g−1 of the non-skeletal dry mass (DM), were measured in the Great Barrier Reef coral, Acropora millepora, using quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (qNMR). As the amount of NaCl salt in the samples was substantial but variable, the total carbon (TC) in the coral extracts was determined, and the carbon due to acrylate found to represent 13–15% of the TC present in the total organic extracts (TOE). Acrylate, a C3 compound, is thus a substantial carbon source in the coral holobiont and is known to be derived from dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), which has previously been found in corals and other organisms that harbor Symbiodinium spp. The reason for such high levels of acrylate in the corals is unknown; possible functions include antimicrobial and/or antioxidant roles, as well as playing a role in the structuring of the healthy resident coral bacteria.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Drs Chris Battershill, Nicole Webster, David Bourne, Mr Yui Sato and Mr Adrian Lutz for sample collections and Mr Jean-Baptiste Raina for helpful discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No 3, Townsville MC, QLD, 4810, Australia

    D. M. Tapiolas, C. A. Motti & S. G. Boyle

  2. Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B 2E9, Canada

    P. Holloway

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  1. D. M. Tapiolas
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  2. C. A. Motti
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  3. P. Holloway
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  4. S. G. Boyle
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Correspondence to D. M. Tapiolas.

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Communicated by Biology Editor Dr. Ruth Gates

P. Holloway is on leave from Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg.

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Tapiolas, D.M., Motti, C.A., Holloway, P. et al. High levels of acrylate in the Great Barrier Reef coral Acropora millepora . Coral Reefs 29, 621–625 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-010-0608-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-010-0608-3

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