An Endangered Natural Pharmacy Hidden in Coral: Hundreds of Reef-Dwelling Microbes Reveal Untapped Potential

Lifting the lid on unknown coral microbiomes living in the Pacific ocean

Reef-building coral colonies serve as structured habitats for diverse microbiomes, forming a hidden reservoir of taxonomic, genetic and chemical diversity (photo supplied by the author). Shinichi Sunagawa, Fourni par l'auteurFor decades, we have thought of coral reefs as the “rainforests of the sea:” vibrant, complex ecosystems full of fish, sponges, and coral. However, our recent findings suggest we’ve been overlooking a crucial part of this pi…

An endangered natural pharmacy hidden in coral: Hundreds of reef-dwelling microbes reveal untapped potential

Coral reefs are teeming with life: they are home to over a third of all marine animal and plant species on Earth, despite covering less than one percent of the ocean floor. However, this immense diversity is under threat from rising ocean temperatures. Since the 1950s, half of the world's coral population has already disappeared.

Coral microbiomes as reservoirs of unknown genomic and biosynthetic diversity

Coral reefs are marine biodiversity hotspots that provide a wide range of ecosystem services1. They are reservoirs of bioactive metabolites, many produced by microorganisms associated with reef invertebrate hosts2. However, for the keystone species of coral reefs—the reef-building corals—we still lack a systematic assessment of their microbially encoded biosynthetic potential and the molecular resources at stake due to the alarming decline in re…

Rare Coral Reef Ecosystems: Nature’s Vanishing Pharmacy

Coral reefs represent some of the most biologically rich ecosystems on our planet, occupying less than one percent of the seafloor yet supporting more than a third of all marine animal and plant species known to science. These vibrant underwater cities are not only critical habitats but also reservoirs of immense genetic and biochemical diversity. […]

An endangered natural pharmacy hidden in coral reefs

25.02.2026 - Researchers at ETH Zurich have identified hundreds of microbial species living among corals. These microbes produce a variety of substances with untapped potential for medicine and biotechnology, making the reef ecosystem even more valuable than previously recognised. .