It’s not easy being green? Elysia chlorotica begs to differ…
Chloroplasts are traditionally found in plants and algae. They are
responsible for photosynthesis. E. chlorotica defies convention by being
the only animal that is able to photosynthesize by itself. It steals
chloroplasts and photosynthesis-related genes from algae. By doing so,
the leaf-shaped sea slug is able to replicate the photosyn
thetic chemical pathway in its own body.
Scientists have discovered that a single meal of chloroplasts is enough
for the slug to integrate the organelles into its body, allowing it to
sustain itself for the rest of its yearlong life. At first, it was
thought that the slug simply took chlorophyll from the algae.
However, research has shown that the chlorophyll (The most common form)
was produced by the slug itself. The researcher, Sidney Pierce, used
radioactive tracers to demonstrate that the slug produced its own
chlorophyll. This is the first example of an animal that can make
chlorophyll. The act of stealing chloroplasts and incorporating it into
the slug’s own body is known as ‘kleptoplasty’.
Chloroplasts
require a constant supply of chlorophyll and other compounds to
photosynthesize. In algae, the nucleus of each cell replenishes these
compounds. Evidence shows that the slugs do not get these materials from
the algae, but manufacture them independently. Even unhatched E.
chlorotica, which have never eaten algae before, possess algal
photosynthetic genes.
Gene transfer in microbes is common. However, this is the only example of gene transfer between multicellular kingdoms!
Read all about it: http://bit.ly/6EsyvG
Image source: http://bit.ly/s1poks
It’s not easy being green? Elysia chlorotica begs to differ…
Chloroplasts are traditionally found in plants and algae. They are responsible for photosynthesis. E. chlorotica defies convention by being the only animal that is able to photosynthesize by itself. It steals chloroplasts and photosynthesis-related genes from algae. By doing so, the leaf-shaped sea slug is able to replicate the photosyn
Chloroplasts are traditionally found in plants and algae. They are responsible for photosynthesis. E. chlorotica defies convention by being the only animal that is able to photosynthesize by itself. It steals chloroplasts and photosynthesis-related genes from algae. By doing so, the leaf-shaped sea slug is able to replicate the photosyn
thetic chemical pathway in its own body.
Scientists have discovered that a single meal of chloroplasts is enough for the slug to integrate the organelles into its body, allowing it to sustain itself for the rest of its yearlong life. At first, it was thought that the slug simply took chlorophyll from the algae.
However, research has shown that the chlorophyll (The most common form) was produced by the slug itself. The researcher, Sidney Pierce, used radioactive tracers to demonstrate that the slug produced its own chlorophyll. This is the first example of an animal that can make chlorophyll. The act of stealing chloroplasts and incorporating it into the slug’s own body is known as ‘kleptoplasty’.
Chloroplasts require a constant supply of chlorophyll and other compounds to photosynthesize. In algae, the nucleus of each cell replenishes these compounds. Evidence shows that the slugs do not get these materials from the algae, but manufacture them independently. Even unhatched E. chlorotica, which have never eaten algae before, possess algal photosynthetic genes.
Gene transfer in microbes is common. However, this is the only example of gene transfer between multicellular kingdoms!
Read all about it: http://bit.ly/6EsyvG
Image source: http://bit.ly/s1poks
Scientists have discovered that a single meal of chloroplasts is enough for the slug to integrate the organelles into its body, allowing it to sustain itself for the rest of its yearlong life. At first, it was thought that the slug simply took chlorophyll from the algae.
However, research has shown that the chlorophyll (The most common form) was produced by the slug itself. The researcher, Sidney Pierce, used radioactive tracers to demonstrate that the slug produced its own chlorophyll. This is the first example of an animal that can make chlorophyll. The act of stealing chloroplasts and incorporating it into the slug’s own body is known as ‘kleptoplasty’.
Chloroplasts require a constant supply of chlorophyll and other compounds to photosynthesize. In algae, the nucleus of each cell replenishes these compounds. Evidence shows that the slugs do not get these materials from the algae, but manufacture them independently. Even unhatched E. chlorotica, which have never eaten algae before, possess algal photosynthetic genes.
Gene transfer in microbes is common. However, this is the only example of gene transfer between multicellular kingdoms!
Read all about it: http://bit.ly/6EsyvG
Image source: http://bit.ly/s1poks
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