Dimethylsulfoniopropionate in reef corals

Measures on freshly removed and homogenized polyp tissue indicate that Montipora verrucosa, Pocillopora damicornis, and Porites compressa contain 100-170 mu mol dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP). ml(-1) cellular volume of zooxanthellae. The zooxanthellae of reef corals thus appear to contain relatively high amounts of DMSP, similar to those in free-living dinoflagellates. Direct measures on pieces of coral show that the species studied contain 1-3 mmol DMSP . m(-2) of living surface area. DMSP is the principal precursor of dimethylsulfide (DMS), a gas implicated in climate regulation. Releases of DMS from reefs-as during aerial exposure, bleaching events, or other physiological stresses-could potentially be great enough to affect local climate.