Re: Gene transfer - Elysia crispata

May 5, 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
There aren't a lot of answers yet to the questions you and Philip have asked. I think it is fair to say that as genomes get sequenced it is becoming obvious that genes have been transferred all over the place among species. It probably occurs a lot in nature-but it probably doesn't work (in a functional sense) most of the time. Not only does the gene have to get from the nucleus of one organism to the other, but it needs to get integrated into the genome correctly, expressed, translated, etc. Furthermore, the protein produced needs to get to the right place, folded appropriately, inserted into the correct organelle, etc. -- All very tall orders for a gene and its product in a foreign cytoplasm, I think. There are several mechanisms around to get the genes moved. For example, we think (with out much evidence) that retroviruses may be involved in the Elysia instance, but there are certainly other well-known possibilities for transfer mechanisms. I'm hesitant to say much more specific yet about Elysia -- it may be the result that those species with the longest-lived chloroplast symbiosis have a relatively large number of transferred genes - but maybe they just have less demanding chloroplasts. Somebody needs to do a fair amount of sequencing to answer your questions, Bill, and not knowing fundamental issues like what slug is eating which algae makes it tough - which is why everybody should tune into the Forum.

Skip

Pierce@chuma1.cas.usf.edu

Pierce, S., 2003 (May 5) Re: Gene transfer - Elysia crispata. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/9856

Factsheet

Elysia clarki

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