SCELSE researchers have identified a naturally occurring probiotic bacterium from the Roseobacteraceae family that could help corals withstand heat stress. The discovery was made by SCELSE PI and NTU School of Biological Sciences A/Prof Rebecca Case and SCELSE Research Fellow Dr Joao Pereyra, in collaboration with the St. John’s Island National Marine Laboratory (SJINML).

As part of the screening process, the researchers isolated individual bacteria and mapped their DNA to identify genes with potentially beneficial effects on corals. The discovery highlights the potential of microbiome science to strengthen coral resilience and help protect reefs in a warming world.

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