Reefs are integral to world economies contributing to food sources and tourism of coastal communities, serving as nurseries and habitats for marine life, and as a source of oceanic photosynthetic activity. Black band disease (BBD) is a cyanobacterial dominated polymicrobal disease, killing framework building coral. This investigation focused on characterizing major pigments of some BBD cyanobacteria, including identifying and quantifying pigments contributing to the dark, or black, appearance of BBD. BBD cyanobacterial pigments identified were compared with that found in non-BBD cyanobacterial strains. Additionally, we investigate the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by BBD cyanobacteria. Pigment analysis points to chlorophyll a, pheopytin a, phycocyanin, and phycoerythrin. Since some photosensitize, cells exposed to solar irradiation should produce and excrete ROS. Initial ROS analysis indicates that cellular ROS production and evolution occurs at a higher rate in cyanobacterial cells that have been subjected to solar irradiation relative to dark controls.

Black band disease (BBD): Pigment characterization and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and evolution assay development

245th National Meeting (2013)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.