Team investigated the chemical’s interaction with symbiotic microorganisms that inhabit coral reefs.
Researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) successfully conceived and tested a portable device, DISCO, that performed the first in situ measurements of a highly reactive type of oxygen, known as superoxide, which may play an integral role in the health of coral reefs. Their findings were published as an early view article on Oct. 29 in the journal of Environmental Science and Technology.
Superoxide is a reactive chemical that is a byproduct within all respiring and photosynthesizing organisms. This unstable form of oxygen, or reactive oxygen species (ROS), is prone to stealing or giving electrons. As a consequence, superoxide has been known to catalyze chemical reactions that can lead to cancer and other diseases—one of the many reasons today’s diets stress incorporating antioxidant-rich foods, such as blueberries, nuts or dark chocolate. However, in many organisms, including corals, the nature of superoxide may be more complicated.
“It used to be that [superoxide] was only considered toxic,” says WHOI marine chemist Colleen Hansel, a coauthor of the study. “But we know now that it’s used for a lot of beneficial processes. In fungi, plants and even animals, superoxide is important for an organism’s immune response [for example]. That [logic] hasn’t really transferred over into marine life yet.”
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