Bacteria are also the cause of several diseases that affect corals. Montipora white syndrome (MWS) is a progressive tissue loss disease found on reefs throughout the Hawaiian archipelago and is particularly prevalent in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, where Montipora capitata is ubiquitous.
We have developed a model coral disease system that is being used to explore many components of the host, pathogen and environment triangle of disease causation.
In laboratory infection assays a range of bacteria are capable of recreating MWS. These bacteria have been developed as genetic systems, and genetic screens are being used to identify virulence factors in a step towards understanding the disease process. To see a time-lapse movie of disease progression in the lab click on the image below.
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