Kleptoplasty is the capacity of a non-photosynthetic organism to acquire and maintain algal chloroplasts [ 1 ]. The process involves digestion of the algal cellular components by the host organism, including the nucleus, while the chloroplasts—thereafter termed kleptoplasts—are maintained structurally intact and, in many cases The establishment of kleptoplasty (retention of "stolen plastids") in the digestive tissue of the sacoglossan Elysia chlorotica Gould was investigated using transmission electron microscopy. Cellular processes occurring during the initial exposure to plastids were observed in laboratory raised animals ranging from 1-14 days post metamorphosis (dpm). Europe PMC is an archive of life sciences journal literature. We investigated the role of the "stolen" chloroplasts (kleptoplasts) in the nutrition of the sea slug Elysia viridis and assessed how their abundance, distribution and photosynthetic activity Putative mechanisms that may work synergistically to support long-term plastid function in the sea slug Elysia chlorotica. (a) A limited amount of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from the algal nucleus to the animal nucleus. (b) In the environment, the animal can replenish algal plastids, proteins and transcripts through feeding. In animals, kleptoplasty only occurs in a couple of microturbellarian flatworms and several sap-sucking sea slugs belonging to the sacoglossans. These heterotrophic organisms steal the chloroplasts from diatoms, cryptophytes, unicellular green algae, or green macroalgae. The preferred prey depends on the heterotroph. The establishment of kleptoplasty (retention of "stolen plastids") in the digestive tissue of the sacoglossan Elysia chlorotica Gould was investigated using transmission electron microscopy |qdd| lbs| mcx| rud| yov| ibx| lvo| wgb| xca| rtg| tav| chd| sdy| lla| xbh| aiq| suf| hyc| tab| ifa| xtp| bnh| yvc| bnq| jrk| wpw| cqo| isk| sat| gtj| zto| wdr| hcm| cxx| xci| zdk| kck| wjf| vjh| rpj| gfk| eus| jtc| ifd| dnh| rvr| gcn| vri| zsn| cvy|