Researchers Uncover 'Treasure Trove' of Bioactive Molecules in Coral Reefs

UC Santa Barbara marine biologist Rebecca Vega Thurber leads team that found previously unknown metabolites with potential for new drugs and other products

Apr. 17, 2026 at 9:26pm

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A highly structured abstract painting in soft, earthy tones of green, blue, and ochre, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex microbial diversity and hidden bioactive potential of coral reef ecosystems.An abstract visualization of the vast, untapped microbial diversity and bioactive potential locked within coral reef ecosystems, now threatened by climate change.Santa Barbara Today

Researchers have found that coral reefs are home to a vast array of previously unknown bioactive metabolites - small biomolecules that have the biotechnological potential to provide the basis for new drugs and a host of other products. The research team, led by UC Santa Barbara marine biologist Rebecca Vega Thurber, studied 32 archipelagos and took 58,000 samples during the 2016-2018 Tara Pacific expedition, the first research voyage of this scale to examine these fragile ecosystems.

Why it matters

This discovery adds a wealth of possibilities for finding and synthesizing important products, using the bioactive molecules these bacteria produce as a result of their metabolisms. Small compounds the bacteria use to grow, communicate, defend themselves and adapt could be converted for a variety of purposes, from medicine to industry. However, this potential exists in fragile ecosystems at the front lines of ocean warming, which has already bleached many coral reef systems in the Pacific.

The details

The expedition's research dove into various aspects of the coral reef microbiome - the many, diverse microorganisms that live in and around corals. Thurber's team was especially interested in the bacteria associated with these reefs. Taking a genomic approach, the researchers examined the bacteria found in two types of stony coral and one type of fire coral. The team reconstructed more than 13,000 metagenome-assembled microbial genomes from reef-building coral samples taken during the expedition, and found that 90% of what they discovered had never been found before - a total of 3,700 new bacteria.

  • The 2016-2018 Tara Pacific expedition was the first research voyage of this scale to examine coral reef ecosystems.
  • The expedition team studied 32 archipelagos and took a total of 58,000 samples.

The players

Rebecca Vega Thurber

A UC Santa Barbara marine biologist who was one of the scientists on the Tara Pacific expedition and is a co-author of a paper in the journal Nature.

Tara Pacific

A two-year scientific exploration of the coral reefs of the Pacific Ocean.

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What they’re saying

“There's a huge treasure trove of genomic potential.”

— Rebecca Vega Thurber, UC Santa Barbara marine biologist

“The mission was to try to characterize the total biodiversity that existed on these pretty unexplored reefs and open water systems.”

— Rebecca Vega Thurber, UC Santa Barbara marine biologist

“Ninety percent of what we found had never been found before. That's a total of 3,700 new bacteria we discovered through this approach.”

— Rebecca Vega Thurber, UC Santa Barbara marine biologist

What’s next

The researchers looked at just three species of coral out of hundreds, raising the question: 'What could we discover if we looked at all corals?'

The takeaway

This discovery of a vast array of previously unknown bioactive molecules in coral reefs highlights the immense potential these fragile ecosystems hold for new drug discoveries and other biotechnological applications. However, it also underscores the urgent need to conserve coral reefs as they face the devastating impacts of climate change.