Ava Fonss, Editor-in-Chief
@afonsscourant
The ability to perform photosynthesis is often considered the great divide between the plant and animal kingdoms. In the natural world, plants are classified as producers—harnessing the energy of the sun to synthesize their own energy with the help of carbon dioxide and other inorganic molecules. Animals, on the other hand, are classified as consumers—depending on the consumption of other living organisms for their energy. However, there is one special sea slug that defies this norm.
Elysia Chlorotica, commonly referred to as the “solar-powered sea slug,” is a small, bright green slug that resides along the East Coast of the United States in salt marshes and other shallow waters. This organism incorporates chloroplasts from Vaucheria Litorea, an alga it consumes, into its own highly-branched digestive tract. While this provides the slug with an emerald green color and veiny, leaf-like appearance, it also allows the organism to survive in areas where food is scarce by relying on the energy produced by its chloroplasts.
This slug’s symbiotic relationship with Vaucheria Litorea has been the source of much scientific investigation. While scientists don’t yet completely understand how the slug is able to utilize its chloroplasts without help from specialized algal proteins, many studies have suggested that the organism may have the ability to incorporate segments of Vaucheria Litorea’s DNA into its very own genome. This would explain how the slug is capable of synthesizing the proteins required to keep its chloroplasts functioning properly.
Elysia Chlorotica’s ability to perform photosynthesis is a compelling natural phenomenon, but it also has the potential to drive advancements in scientific research and innovation. Through studying how the sea slug is able to maintain and utilize functional chloroplasts, scientists and engineers may be able to develop new, nature-inspired ways to capture and store solar energy. Additionally, research into the organisms’s photosynthetic capabilities can allow evolutionary biologists to develop a more clear understanding of how environmental pressures drive unique adaptations.
