Scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have found that corals can be “trained” to better resist disease, offering a promising new approach to coral reef conservation.
Published in ISME Host Microbe, the study found that corals exposed to sub-lethal doses or inactive forms of disease-causing pathogens developed stronger resistance when they encountered the same pathogen again. Researchers describe this process as pathogen priming, which is conceptually similar to vaccination because it prepares an organism to respond more effectively to a future threat.
The discovery provides the first evidence that corals can develop an immune memory-like response despite lacking the adaptive immune system found in humans and other vertebrates. Researchers also found that changes in the coral’s microbiome—the community of microorganisms living alongside it—play an important role in this protective response.
The findings could have significant implications for coral nurseries and reef restoration programs, where disease outbreaks can cause major losses. By priming corals before exposure to pathogens, conservationists may eventually be able to improve coral survival and resilience.
The KAUST team is now testing the approach across different coral species, pathogens and environmental conditions to determine how widely the technique can be applied.
