Diversification of a conserved cholesterol binder drives functional replacement of cholesterol with symbiont-produced sterols in corals living in nutrient-poor environments.

Macropinocytosis, the process of non-specific endocytosis, is a major gateway for large volumes of surrounding medium and nanoparticles to coral cells.

Scalar irradiance microsensor measurements performed inside the tissue of living corals show that absorption and fluorescence emission by host pigments produce dramatic spectral alterations in the light environment experienced by the symbionts.

Coral symbiotic alga is capable of degrading the own cell wall components by cellulase-related enzymes and releasing sugars as a simple and autonomous environmental response, even when the host-derived signals are not present.

Algae living inside corals provide sugars for their host by digesting their own cell walls.