Exploration of coral functional genes responding to the seawater temperature change

Abstract

This study focused on the identification of functional genes in coral to assess the molecular level responses to environmental stresses like as seawater temperature change and hypoxia and marine acidification. Because the Kuroshio Current is warming quickly, reef building corals in the region have rapidly expanded their range northward in response to warming temperatures. Furthermore, coral reefs of Taiwan and Japan were closely linked by the Kuroshio Current, including some soft corals, e.g. Alcyoniidae, Nephtheidae and Xeniida. Inevitably, the coral population and its distribution in Korea could be affected by warming currents, similar to the situation in Japan and Taiwan. To assess the coral health condition as well as coral stress responses, we purposed to identify molecular level stress responses using gene expression change as well as functional genes responsind to external stress like increased seawater temperature in this study.s warming quickly, reef building corals in the region have rapidly expanded their range northward in response to warming temperatures. Furthermore, coral reefs of Taiwan and Japan were closely linked by the Kuroshio Current, including some soft corals, e.g. Alcyoniidae, Nephtheidae and Xeniida. Inevitably, the coral population and its distribution in Korea could be affected by warming currents, similar to the situation in Japan and Taiwan. To assess the coral health condition as well as coral stress responses, we purposed to identify molecular level stress responses using gene expression change as well as functional genes responsind to external stress like increased seawater temperature in this study.