Mote's International Coral Gene Bank
Coral reefs are experiencing unprecedented die-offs worldwide, and it’s critical to restore them with resilient and genetically diverse corals that have the best chances to survive and reproduce. However, scientists can only do that if our native corals don’t disappear first. To protect the living treasure of coral genetic diversity, Mote has created a unique, large-scale, land-based, living coral gene bank where dozens of coral genotypes (genetic varieties) of at least 30 species can be stored in triplicate.
Mote’s International Coral Gene Bank, created during 2020-2021, is housed in hurricane-resistant infrastructure and contains four separate life-support systems, so if one system fails, corals supported by other systems will be preserved. The Gene Bank’s four systems have room for up to 500 mature parent corals or 15,000 small coral fragments. The facility provides precision control of temperature, chemistry, water level, lighting and more, to keep the corals happy and healthy. Mote’s Gene Bank will also help produce new coral offspring through its dedicated laboratory for controlled, year-round, coral sexual reproduction—a key step to infuse fresh genetic diversity into the science-based coral reef restoration Mote is spearheading. With over 1,600 genotypes, Mote has one of the largest single collections of living coral genetic diversity in existence. Our gene bank vision began with a focus on corals endemic to Florida and U.S. jurisdictions of the Caribbean, and it is now expanding to include coral genetic diversity from reefs around world.
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