# Mycobacteria isolated from temperate stony corals

## TL;DR

This study isolates actinobacteria from temperate corals and finds that many belong to the Mycobacteriaceae family, suggesting a common coral-microbe relationship.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is the identification of mycolic acid-containing actinobacteria, especially Mycobacteriaceae, in temperate stony corals.

## Key findings

- Over 60% of isolated actinobacteria belonged to mycolic acid-containing genera.
- Mycobacteriaceae family members were frequently found in the coral samples.
- The study supports the global association of actinobacteria with coral hosts.

## Abstract

In marine environment, actinobacteria are widely distributed in water and sediments, and form symbiotic relationships with higher organisms. In this study, we isolated 49 actinobacterial strains from three temperate stony corals
, Pocillopora damicornis
,
Acropora hyacinthus
and
Acropora muricata
. More than 60% of obtained actinobacterial isolates belonged to mycolic acid-containing genera, particularly members of the family
Mycobacteriaceae
. Our results combined with the previous studies demonstrated that these actinobacteria are frequently associated with coral hosts worldwide.