KAUST scientists discover corals can be trained to fight disease
Scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology have discovered that corals can be 'primed' to resist disease through exposure to inactive pathogens. This breakthrough suggests corals possess a form of immune memory, offering a potential new strategy for reef conservation.
Why it matters
As climate change accelerates coral bleaching and disease, this discovery provides a viable biological intervention to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems.
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RIYADH: Scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology have found that corals can be trained to better withstand disease before an outbreak occurs, a finding that could eventually help protect reefs worldwide.</p>
The study, published in ISME Host Microbe, found that corals exposed to sublethal doses or inactive forms of a disease-causing pathogen became more resistant when they encountered the disease again.</p>
Known as pathogen priming, the process is similar to how vaccines prepare the body to recognize and respond to future threats.</p>
The discovery provides the first evidence that corals can develop a protective, immune memory-like response despite lacking the adaptive immune systems found in humans and other vertebrates.</p>
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