Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting for the Isolation of Scleractinian Cell Populations

Summary

Corals create biodiverse ecosystems important for both humans and marine organisms. However, we still do not understand the full potential and function of many coral cells. Here, we present a protocol developed for the isolation, labeling, and separation of stony coral cell populations.

Abstract

Coral reefs are under threat due to anthropogenic stressors. The biological response of coral to these stressors may occur at a cellular level, but the mechanisms are not well understood. To investigate coral response to stressors, we need tools for analyzing cellular responses. In particular, we need tools that facilitate the application of functional assays to better understand how cell populations are reacting to stress. In the current study, we use fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to isolate and separate different cell populations in stony corals. This protocol includes: (1) the separation of coral tissues from the skeleton, (2) creation of a single cell suspension, (3) labeling the coral cells using various markers for flow cytometry, and (4) gating and cell sorting strategies. This method will enable researchers to work on corals at the cellular level for analysis, functional assays, and gene expression studies of different cell populations.

Introduction

Coral reefs are one of the most important ecosystems on Earth. They facilitate biodiversity by providing critical habitats for fish and invertebrates and are crucial for sustaining anthropogenic communities by providing food and economic livelihood through tourism¹. As the key builder of coral reefs, the coral animal (Phylum: Cnidaria) also aids coastal communities by creating large calcium carbonate frameworks that mitigate wave and storm damage².

Corals as adults are sessile animals that host a wide array of endosymbiotic partners, including viruses, archaea, bacteria, protists, fungi, and m....

Protocol

1. Dissociation of tissues from coral skeleton via airbrush and compressor

NOTE: Perform steps on ice and protect hands with gloves.

1. Assemble the airbrush kit by connecting the air compressor, hose, and airbrush (Figure 2). Set the pressure gauge between 276−483 kPa.
   NOTE: The recommended compressor and air hose used for this study was preset to a maximum pressure of 393 kPa. Use outside of this 276-483 kPa range may result in either inadequate cell removal from the skeleton or rupture of the cell membranes. This range may differ for each species and may require a viability test. A viab....

Results

Overall, this protocol is useful because it facilitates the identification and collection of live coral cell populations that can be used for functional analyses. The workflow started with the mechanical separation of coral tissues from the underlying calcium carbonate skeleton (Figure 1). This is one of the most important initial steps because improper technique results in high cell mortality and can create large amounts of debris. Enzymatic separation is no.......

Discussion

This protocol was adapted from Rosental et al.¹⁸ and developed for the identification and isolation of P. damicornis cells. The methodology focuses on the process of filtering samples to remove debris, nonviable cells, and Symbiodiniaceae-hosted cells through the examination of cell intrinsic factors, including relative cell size, relative cell granularity, cell autofluorescence, and the presence of intact cellular membranes. These techniques can be applied to other coral species. However.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Airbrush Kit & Compressor	TCP Global	ABD KIT-H-SET	Paasche H Series Single-Action Siphon Feed Airbrush Kit with Master TC-20 Compressor & Air Hose
BD FACSAria II	BD	644832
Bone Cutters	Bulk Reef Supply	205357	Oceans Wonders Coral Stony Bone Cutter
Cell Strainer	Corning	352340	40 um; BD Falcon; individually wrapped; sterile; nylon
CellRox Green	Life Technologies	C10444	2.5 mM in DMSO; Excitation/Emission: 485/520 nm
Collection bag	Grainger	38UV35	Reloc Zippit 6"L x 4"W Standard Reclosable Poly Bag with Zip Seal Closure, Clear; 2 mil Thickness
DAPI	Invitrogen	D1306	10mg in H2O; Excitation/Emission: 358/461 nm
Fetal Calf Serum	Sigma-Aldrich	F2442-100ML	Heat-inactivated at 57 °C for 30 minutes
Hemacytometer	Sigma-Aldrich	Z359629	Bright-Line Hemacytometer
HEPES Buffer	Sigma-Aldrich	H0887
LysoTracker Deep Red	Life Technologies	L12492	1mM in DMSO; Absorption/Emission: 647/668 nm
Microcentrifuge tubes	VWR	87003-294	1.7 mL
Phophate Buffered Saline (PBS)	Gibco	70011-044	pH 7.4; 10X
Round-bottom tubes	VWR	352063	5 mL Polypropylene Round-Bottom Tube
Syringe	BD	309628	1 mL BD Luer-Lok Syringe sterile, singe use polycarbonate