Seasonal patterns in gorgonian-associated bacterial communities - Raw sequence reads

Diseases, resulting in mass mortality events, have significantly impacted gorgonian populations in the Mediterranean Sea. The health of cnidarians is highly dependent on the microbes associated with the animal, providing nutrients and protection against pathogens. However, little is known about the gorgonian-associated microbes. This study investigated the composition of the bacterial community of Mediterranean gorgonians and how stable the associations are throughout the year.