Bacteria associated with early life stages of the coral Acropora tenuis. Coral-associated bacteria

Coral-associated bacteria are critical for the well being of their host by participating in nutrient cycling and competing with pathogens. They might also play essential roles in coral early life stages, as suggested by the vertical transmission of some bacteria in brooding corals. Bacterial acquisition patterns in broadcast spawners remain uncertain, as the metabarcoding of coral early life stages suggest the presence of bacterial communities, which have so far not been not detected by microscopic examinations. In this study, we combined 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding with fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) to analyse bacterial assemblages harboured by Acropora tenuis gamete bundles, embryos and larvae following a spawning event.