Faculty Affairs and Academic Programs
Tingting Xiang
Engineering and Computer Science
Engineering and Evaluating Synthetic Symbiont Communities to Understand Coral Resilience
Coral reefs are among the most biologically diverse and economically valuable ecosystems on Earth, yet they are rapidly declining due to ocean warming driven by climate change. Reef-building corals depend on an endosymbiosis with photosynthetic dinoflagellates (Symbiodiniaceae) that supply most of the host’s energy. Elevated temperatures destabilize this partnership, causing corals to lose their symbionts in a process known as bleaching. Although bleaching events are increasing in frequency and severity worldwide, the cellular and ecological mechanisms that determine whether corals retain or lose symbionts under stress remain poorly understood. To uncover principles governing symbiont stability, we will employ synthetic algal communities composed of wild-type strains and UV-mutagenesis–generated pigment mutants, including the GREEN02 mutant developed in our laboratory. This system enables direct visualization of individual symbiont populations and controlled manipulation of community structure. In Aim 1, we will quantify inter-symbiont interactions and competitive dynamics in vitro under ambient and elevated temperatures. In Aim 2, we will introduce synthetic communities into the cnidarian model Aiptasia to examine how heat stress alters symbiont retention, spatial patterns, and host–symbiont fidelity in vivo. By integrating engineered symbiont communities with a tractable host system, this work will reveal mechanisms that shape algal resilience in warming oceans. Outcomes will deepen mechanistic understanding of bleaching, identify factors governing symbiont persistence, and inform biologically grounded strategies to support coral survival under climate change.
