Conclusions
Through complementary studies examining the transcriptomic responses of
corals to SCTLD and subsequent antibiotic treatment, we identified a
consistent signature of immune responses in both coral species examined.
Further, we observed evidence of a reversal in immune responses related
to disease exposure when corals were treated with amoxicillin,
suggestive of a recovery process that may be occurring at the host
level. Continued fate-tracking on treated corals is warranted to
determine whether such gene expression patterns continue, with treated
corals resembling a healthy, pre-diseased state. Further investigation
is also needed for early stages of disease exposure to investigate
immune responses associated with lesion formation prior to cell necrosis
and death. Such efforts will allow the identification of gene pathways
involved in coral and algal responses to SCTLD exposure, similarities
(and differences) in immune responses among species, and will facilitate
the comparisons of diseased and treated corals to determine the
potential for recovery and/or antibiotic resistance following disease
intervention efforts.