The cnidarian–dinoflagellate symbiosis is of huge importance as it underpins the success of coral reefs, yet we know very little about how the host cnidarian and its dinoflagellate endosymbionts communicate with each other to form a functionally integrated unit. Here, we review the current knowledge of interpartner molecular signaling in this symbiosis, with an emphasis on lipids, glycans, reactive species, biogenic volatiles, and noncoding RNA. We draw upon evidence of these compounds from recent omics-based studies of cnidarian–dinoflagellate symbiosis and discuss the signaling roles that they play in other, better-studied symbioses. We then consider how improved knowledge of interpartner signaling might be used to develop solutions to the coral reef crisis by, for example, engineering more thermally resistant corals.

刺胞动物-甲藻共生非常重要，因为它支撑着珊瑚礁的成功，但我们对宿主刺胞动物及其甲藻内共生体如何相互交流以形成一个功能整合的单元知之甚少。在这里，我们回顾了这种共生中伙伴间分子信号传导的当前知识，重点是脂质、聚糖、活性物质、生物挥发物和非编码 RNA。我们从最近对刺胞动物 - 鞭毛藻共生的基于组学的研究中得出这些化合物的证据，并讨论它们在其他更深入研究的共生中发挥的信号作用。然后，我们考虑如何利用对伙伴间信号的改进知识来开发珊瑚礁危机的解决方案，例如，通过设计更耐热的珊瑚。