Genomic time machine: From sponge microbiome, insights into evolutionary past

Sponges in coral reefs are important to the overall health of the reefs and are among the earliest animals on the planet. New research from UNH looks at the evolution of sponges and the organisms that live with them in a novel way. Through hundreds of millions of years of dramatic evolutionary change, researchers can predict aspects of reef and ocean ecology.

The study shows how the organisms have evolved over 700 million years ago.

The work provides a new approach to understanding the past based on genetics.

The researchers characterized almost 100 sponge species from across the Caribbean using a machine-learning method to model the identity and abundance of every member of the sponges. They found two distinct compositions that led to different strategies sponges used for feeding, and protecting themselves against predators, even among species that grew side by side on a reef.

The types of symbiotic communities we describe are very complex, yet we can show they evolved independently multiple times.

sponges have decided that this diverse arrangement of microbes works for them many times.

The origin of one of these distinct microbiomes, which had a high microbial abundance, occurred at a time when the Earth's oceans underwent a significant change.

This research began far from the lab in the warm waters of the Caribbean.

Pankey went on five expeditions in the last two years to collect sponges. Michael Lesser, UNH research professor emeritus, and his co-authors from the University of Mississippi and the Universidad Nacional del Comahue in Argentina helped establish field work techniques. Keir Macartney was a graduate student.

More information: M. Sabrina Pankey et al, Cophylogeny and convergence shape holobiont evolution in sponge–microbe symbioses, Nature Ecology & Evolution (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01712-3 Journal information: Nature Ecology & Evolution Citation: Genomic time machine: From sponge microbiome, insights into evolutionary past (2022, April 14) retrieved 14 April 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2022-04-genomic-machine-sponge-microbiome-insights.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.