Shinzato C, Khalturin K, Inoue J, Zayasu Y, Kanda M, Kawamitsu M, Yoshioka Y, Yamashita H, Suzuki G, Satoh N.

Mol Biol Evol. 2020 Sep 2:msaa216 doi:10.1093/molbev/msaa216

Eighteen coral genomes reveal the evolutionary origin of Acropora strategies to accommodate environmental changes.

“Our data suggest that the Acropora common ancestor originated and survived in warm environments during the mid–late Cretaceous and the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum.” “[cystathionine ß-synthase] was lost in the common ancestor of the Acroporidae.” “Our analysis shows that DMSP lyase [DiMethlySulfonioProprionate lyase] gene expansions occurred first in the common ancestor of Acropora and again after divergence of the basal clade.”