Coral chemical signatures A comparison of resistant (left) and bleached (right) corals.(Photo credit: Ty Roach) The researchers discovered chemical signatures in the corals’ biology or biomarkers, that are present in organisms that were most resistant to the bleaching. This previously hidden insight could help researchers and conservationists better restore and protect reefs around the world. “Usually, we think of biomarkers as signatures of disease, but this could be a signature of health,” said Robert Quinn, an assistant professor in MSU’s Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. “This could help us restore reefs with the most resistant stock.” Corals are symbiotic communities, where coral animal cells build homes for algae that provide them energy and create their colors. When corals bleach, however, the algae are lost and leave behind bleached skeletons that are susceptible to disease and death.