Abstract
Coral resilience depends on the ability to withstand and adapt to environmental fluctuations. As reefs increasingly face both global and local thermal stress, understanding the molecular basis for this resilience is critical. In southern Taiwan, corals near a nuclear power plant outlet (NPPOL) experience elevated and variable seawater temperatures compared to a nearby stable reef (WLT). In this study, we generated a high-quality genome assembly for the common coral Leptoria phrygia and combined it with seasonal transcriptomic and population genetic analyses. Despite high connectivity and low genetic differentiation between sites, L. phrygia exhibited distinct, seasonally dynamic transcriptional responses. Stress- and metabolism-related pathways, including apoptosis, cytoskeletal remodeling, and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle regulation, were enriched in summer and winter, whereas lipid metabolism and biosynthesis dominated in transitional seasons. Comparative field and tank experiments identified core differentially expressed genes, including vitellogenins and Ca²⁺-homeostasis genes, as biomarkers of resilience. These findings reflect transcriptional variation rather than direct physiological mechanisms. Overall, our findings provide a genomic resource for L. phrygia and describe gene expression variation across contrasting thermal environments.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the aquarium facility support provided by NMMBA and the assistance of Prof. Crystal McRae (Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University). Logistical support from Kenting National Park Headquarters is gratefully acknowledged, particularly in facilitating fieldwork operations and site access. We also thank the members of our laboratories for their technical assistance and constructive input during the course of this study.
Funding
This work was financially supported by the Academia Sinica Thematic Research Program (grant number: AS-TP-111-L03).
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Lin, YY., Uchida, T., Shinzato, C. et al. Transcriptional responses of reef-building coral Leptoria phrygia to localized thermal anomalies: a seasonal and experimental approach.
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-50231-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-50231-9
Keywords
- Coral resilience
- Nuclear power plant
- Thermal stress
- Transcriptomic responses
Source: Ecology - nature.com
