Data from: Identification of a bacterial pathogen associated with Porites white patch syndrome in the Western Indian Ocean

Porites white patch syndrome (PWPS) is a coral disease recently described in the western Indian Ocean. This study aimed to isolate and identify potential pathogens associated with PWPS utilising both culture and non-culture screening techniques and inoculation trials. A total of 14 bacterial strains (those dominant in disease lesions, absent or rare in healthy tissues and considered potential pathogens in a previous study) were cultured and used to experimentally inoculate otherwise healthy individuals in an attempt to fulfil Henle-Koch's postulates. However, only one (P180R), identified as closely related (99-100% sequence identity based on 1.4 kb 16S RNA sequence) to Vibrio tubiashii, elicited signs of disease in tank experiments. Following experimental infection (which resulted in a 90% infection rate), the pathogen was also successfully re-isolated from the diseased tissues and re-inoculated in healthy corals colonies, therefore fulfilling the final stages of Henle-Koch's postulates. Finally we report that PWPS appears to be a temperature-dependent disease, with significantly higher tissue loss (ANOVA: df= 2, F=39.77, P<0.01) occurring at 30°C (1.45 ± 0.85 cm2 day−1 (mean ± SE)) compared to ambient temperatures of 28°C and 26°C (0.73 ± 0.80 cm2 day−1 (mean ± SE) and 0.51 ± 0.50 cm2 day−1 (mean ± SE), respectively).

多孔白斑综合征（Porites white patch syndrome, PWPS）是近期在西印度洋被报道的一种珊瑚病害。本研究旨在通过培养与非培养筛选技术结合接种实验，分离并鉴定与多孔白斑综合征相关的潜在病原菌。研究共培养了14株细菌菌株——这些菌株在病害病灶中占优势，在健康组织中缺失或罕见，且在既往研究中被认定为潜在病原菌——并将其用于对健康珊瑚个体进行人工接种，以验证亨勒-科赫法则（Henle-Koch's postulates）。然而，仅有编号为P180R的1株菌株，经鉴定其与管状弧菌（Vibrio tubiashii）亲缘关系极近（基于1.4 kb 16S RNA序列的序列同源性达99%~100%），在水槽实验中诱发了病害症状。该人工感染实验的感染率达90%，感染后研究人员成功从发病组织中重新分离出该病原菌，并将其再次接种至健康珊瑚群落，由此完成了亨勒-科赫法则的最后验证步骤。最后，本研究证实多孔白斑综合征属于温度依赖性病害：在30℃条件下，珊瑚组织流失速率为1.45 ± 0.85 cm²·d⁻¹（平均值±标准误），显著高于28℃和26℃的环境温度条件下（分别为0.73 ± 0.80 cm²·d⁻¹和0.51 ± 0.50 cm²·d⁻¹，平均值±标准误），该差异具有统计学意义（方差分析：自由度df=2，F=39.77，P<0.01）。