Re: Elysia crispata and algal genes

May 3, 2003
From: Skip Pierce

Note added 30 May 2006: This is most probably Elysia clarki, a new species which was previously considered a colour form of E. crispata

Hi Bill
In answer to your question, the transferred genes have become part of the slug genome, so they do not need to be reaquired in each generation - they are already there waiting for the chloroplasts to appear as the juvenile slugs begin to feed. Actually, reacquiring in each generation could be a daunting task, because it would have to happen in every cell (well at least in those where the plastids reside), in every slug, in every generation. Be much more effective to have the gene in the germ cells. We have some fanciful ideas about how the initial gene transfer might have occurred (via retrovirus), but we do not yet have any direct evidence for that. We are pleased that you and your students found the work interesting.

Skip

pierce@chuma1.cas.usf.edu

Pierce, S., 2003 (May 3) Re: Elysia crispata and algal genes. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/9842

Thanks Skip,
The reason I asked is that although this is the obvious solution, it does raise a few interesting questions of its own. For example are the transferred algal genes specific to the species of algae that E. crispata feeds on or are they 'basal' or what you might call 'root' genes that can work for the chloroplasts of other related algae? Why I ask is that, as you know, there are a number of sacoglossans with similar well-developed plastid symbioses. If the symbioses have evolved independently in each case then lateral gene transfer must have occurred a number of times. Alternatively, if all the sacoglossans are related and have arisen from an 'ancestor' in which a unique lateral gene transfer event took place, then all the species arising from that ancestor would need to still be eating the ancestor's food plant, or the transferred algal genes would need to be basic enough to operate the plastids of the different species of algae the descendent sacoglossan species now eat. It's certainly an exciting field.
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (May 3). Comment on Re: Elysia crispata and algal genes by Skip Pierce. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/9842

Factsheet

Elysia clarki

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