Coral microbiomes as reservoirs of unknown genomic and biosynthetic diversity

Nature

by Fabienne Wiederkehr

February 26, 2026

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Coral reefs are among Earth's most biodiverse ecosystems, supporting countless marine species and providing essential ecosystem services to millions of people. However, these vital habitats are under severe threat from climate change, disease, and human activities, leading to a significant decline in coral cover over the past decades. A groundbreaking study analyzing microbial genomes from 820 reef-building corals collected across 99 reefs in the Pacific Ocean reveals a staggering level of untapped genomic and biosynthetic diversity. By reconstructing more than 13,000 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from these samples, researchers discovered that only 10% of the identified microbial species had previously available genomic data. This underscores the vast potential for new discoveries in coral microbiomes, particularly in fire corals, which showed biosynthetic richness comparable to or even exceeding that of sponges—a traditional source of bioactive compounds. The study highlights the critical role of coral microbiomes in producing bioactive metabolites, including anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor agents. These findings open new avenues for biotechnological applications and drug discovery, as many of these microbial species encode novel enzymology and biosynthetic pathways not seen before. The researchers also found that coral microbiomes are largely host-specific, meaning they provide unique ecological functions tailored to their coral hosts, such as nutrient provision and disease resistance. The implications of this research are profound for both conservation and science. Coral reefs are not only essential for marine biodiversity but also serve as reservoirs of molecular diversity with immense potential for medical innovation. As coral populations continue to decline, the urgency to conserve these ecosystems becomes even more critical to

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Originally published on Nature on 2/26/2026