The Creation of a Photosynthetic Animal

The Creation of a

Photosynthetic Animal

Group A17Brandon Coogler, Kari Lien, Danesh

Shamsi

Organism Backgrounds Consumer - Elysia chlorotica (Sea Slug)

Born as a heterotroph

Develops the ability to be autotrophic

Can survive up to 10 months without

eating due to developed autotrophic

nature

Producer – Vaucheria litorea (Algae Species) Autotrophic

Gives chloroplasts to Elysia chlorotica

Rumpho M E et al. J Exp Biol 2011http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/mmg_disp.cfm?med_id=68806&from=mmg

Important Concepts The process of Endosymbiosis

The occurrence of Kleptoplasty

Horizontal Gene Transfer: Referred to as HGT

Nuclear DNA

Transcriptome

(Freeman 2011)

The Process

Rumpho M E et al. J Exp Biol 2011

Life Cycle of Elysia chlorotica

Process of Endosymbiosis and Kleptoplasty

DataProtein Category Total Number of Slug Transcript

Read Matches

Photosystem I Reaction Center

1556

Photosystem II Reaction Center

4574

RubBisCO 48

Cytochrome Synthesis 896

Chlorophyll Synthesis 215

ATP Synthesis or Binding 363

Table 1. Sample of Sea Slug Transcriptome Read Matches (Chloroplast-Encoded Transcripts)

Table 2. Sample of Algal Nuclear-Encoded Transcripts Identified in E. chlorotica TranscriptomeProtein Identity E. chlorotica / V. litorea Sequence

Matches

Phosphoribulokinase 90/90

Light Harvesting Complex Protein

90/90

Transketolase 90/90

Cellulase 2 90/90 and 85/85Pierce et al. 2011

Discussion Chloroplasts are retained through digestion

(kleptoplasty) However, that is not all that is retained.

Data from the transcriptome shows that Algal nuclear genes are retained in Elysia chlorotica individuals This occurs by HGT

These transferred nuclear genes allow for necessary protein production to support chloroplasts (kleptoplasts)

This establishes a symbiotic relationshipPierce et al. 2011Rumpho M E et al. J Exp Biol 2011

ConclusionElysia chlorotica can support chloroplasts inside their body by producing the necessary proteins due to horizontal gene transfer; this shows that horizontal gene transfer can drastically affect the way an organism lives, behaves and functions due to alterations in protein synthesis.

http://www.jayhosler.com/jshblog/?p=334

Works CitedCurtis, Nicholas E., and Ray Martinez. "Research Areas." US NSF. University of South Florida, 2009. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. <http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/mmg_disp.cfm?med_id=68806>.

Freeman, Scott, and Healy Hamilton. Biological Science. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2011. Print.

Hosler, Jay. "The Field Guide to Super Powers #1: The Parasite and Elysia Chlorotica." Drawing Flies. N.p., 17 Mar. 2010. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. <http://www.jayhosler.com/jshblog/?p=334>.

Mary E. Rumpho, Karen N. Pelletreau, Ahmed Moustafa, and Debashish Bhattacharya, 2011. The making of a photosynthetic animal. J. Exp. Biol. 214: 303-311.

Pierce SK, Fang X, Schwartz JA, Jiang X, Zhao W, Curtis NE, Kocot KM, Yang B, Wang J. 2012. Transcriptomic evidence for the expression of horizontally transferred algal nuclear genes in the photosynthetic sea slug, Elysia chlorotica. Mol Biol Evol. 29(6):1545-56.