[Acropora cervicornis protein measurements: nutrient- and disease-exposed] - Acropora cervicornis protein measurements: nutrient- and disease-exposed from samples collected at Mote Marine Laboratory in situ nursery from June to July 2022 (Collaborative Research: Tracking the interacting roles of the environment, host genotype, and a novel Rickettsiales in coral disease susceptibility)

All ramets in the disease group were subjected to disease challenge in the form of a tissue homogenate produced from diseased fragments of random genotypes of A. cervicornis. Ramets in a comparative unexposed group were exposed to a homogenate produced from healthy fragments of random genotypes of A. cervicornis. To evaluate the effect of Aquarickettsia infection; nutrient enrichment; disease exposure; and the combination of these factors on coral immune function, a number of immune related proteins and antioxidants were measured using microplate assays from a total of 55 samples taken prior to disease exposure and following disease exposure as corals either resisted or developed disease.

Total host protein and the antioxidant superoxide dismutase were found to be higher in healthy corals regardless of genotype or nutrient enrichment. Phenoloxidase and prophenoloxidase were higher in concentration in diseased samples compared to healthy samples. Disease-exposed but apparently healthy corals had higher superoxide dismutase, prophenoloxidase, and peroxidase activity than either healthy unexposed corals or diseased corals despite total protein concentrations that were lower than healthy unexposed corals.