Thermal Shock Induces Host Proteostasis Disruption and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in the Model Symbiotic Cnidarian <i>Aiptasia</i>

Coral bleaching has devastating effects on coral survival and reef ecosystem function, but many of the fundamental cellular effects of thermal stress on cnidarian physiology are unclear. We used label-free liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry to compare the effects of rapidly (33.5 °C, 24 h) and gradually (30 and 33.5 °C, 12 days) elevated temperatures on the proteome of the model symbiotic anemone <i>Aiptasia</i>. We identified 2133 proteins in <i>Aiptasia</i>, 136 of which were differentially abundant between treatments. Thermal shock, but not acclimation, resulted in significant abundance changes in 104 proteins, including those involved in protein folding and synthesis, redox homeostasis, and central metabolism. Nineteen abundant structural proteins showed particularly reduced abundance, demonstrating proteostasis disruption and potential protein synthesis inhibition. Heat shock induced antioxidant mechanisms and proteins involved in stabilizing nascent proteins, preventing protein aggregation and degrading damaged proteins, which is indicative of endoplasmic reticulum stress. Host proteostasis disruption occurred before either bleaching or symbiont photoinhibition was detected, suggesting host-derived reactive oxygen species production as the proximate cause of thermal damage. The pronounced abundance changes in endoplasmic reticulum proteins associated with proteostasis and protein turnover indicate that these processes are essential in the cellular response of symbiotic cnidarians to severe thermal stress