Graduation Semester and Year
Spring 2024
Language
English
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Biology
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Dr. Laura Mydlarz
Second Advisor
Dr. Amy Apprill
Third Advisor
Dr. Joseph Boll
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Todd Castoe
Fifth Advisor
Dr. Kayunta Johnson-Winters
Abstract
Coral reefs face existential threats due to climate change and human activities. The combined effects of ocean warming, overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction have fundamentally altered the functionality of coral reefs and are driving a drastic increase in the prevalence and severity of coral disease outbreaks. Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) has emerged one of the most devastating disturbances to Caribbean reef ecosystems on record. Despite notable progress, the cellular mechanisms driving SCTLD pathogenesis remain poorly understood. To address this issue, my dissertation investigates the gene expression, histopathology, immune protein activity, and symbiont community dynamics involved in SCTLD progression and susceptibility. In chapter two, I utilize a multi-species SCTLD transmission experiment to examine the gene expression shifts within the coral host and its algal endosymbiont (family Symbiodiniaceae) in response to SCTLD infection. In chapter three, I correlate histology, immune protein activity, and Symbiodiniaceae community data with constitutive gene expression patterns to identify the factors contributing to disease susceptibility. In chapter four, I present a supervised machine learning framework to examine the gene expression patterns involved in SCTLD progression in a major reef-building coral and its dominant algal endosymbiont. Overall, this work establishes a foundation for integrating host and endosymbiont gene expression patterns with physiological phenotypes into coral disease research and identifies key factors contributing to SCTLD susceptibility and pathogenesis.
Keywords
Coral, Disease, Symbiosis, Immunity, Gene expression, Climate change
Disciplines
Bioinformatics | Cell Biology | Computational Biology | Genomics | Immunology of Infectious Disease | Integrative Biology | Marine Biology
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Beavers, Kelsey M., "CORALS IN CRISIS: A TRANSCRIPTOMIC INVESTIGATION OF STONY CORAL TISSUE LOSS DISEASE" (2024). Biology Dissertations. 1.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/biology_dissertations/1
Supplementary Data for Chapter 2
Source Data.xlsx (32 kB)
Source Data for Chapter 2
Chapter3_SupplementaryData.xlsx (11687 kB)
Supplementary Data for Chapter 3
Chapter4_SupplementaryData.xlsx (3601 kB)
Supplementary Data for Chapter 4
Included in
Bioinformatics Commons, Cell Biology Commons, Computational Biology Commons, Genomics Commons, Immunology of Infectious Disease Commons, Integrative Biology Commons, Marine Biology Commons
Comments
I am profoundly grateful to my incredible parents, Lyle and Kelly Beavers, whose unwavering support and encouragement have guided me through every challenge. I am thankful for my wonderful big sister, Devon Lord, who always has and always will inspire me. I am also grateful for my brother-in-law, Dr. Nathan Lord, whose encouragement of my scientific endeavors helped push me to become the researcher that I am today. In addition, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to my boyfriend, Spencer Link, and to my best friends, Annalee Rhodes, Maria Cavazos, and Madison Hockman, whose steadfast love and care sustained me through the rigors of my Ph.D. journey. Their companionship lifted me up when I needed it most, and I surely couldn’t have made this body of work without them. I am deeply grateful to my lab cohort, Madison Emery and Emily Van Buren, whose camaraderie and expertise were indispensable to my graduate school experience. It has been a privilege to grow both scientifically and professionally alongside them, and I look forward to witnessing their continued success when our time together at UTA comes to an end. Finally, I extend my sincere gratitude to my dissertation committee, whose guidance has been instrumental in my development as a scientist. I am particularly thankful for my advisor, Dr. Laura Mydlarz. Her mentorship has empowered me to become a capable and confident researcher, and I will always be grateful for the time she has invested in my success.