Salvato in:
Dettagli Bibliografici
Autori principali: Vital, Xochitl G, Cruz, Sónia, Simões, Nuno, Cartaxana, Paulo, Mascaró, Maite
Natura: Artículo científico
Lingua:en
Pubblicazione: The Journal of experimental biology 2026
Soggetti:
Accesso online:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41480678/
Tags: Aggiungi Tag
Nessun Tag, puoi essere il primo ad aggiungerne!!
_version_ 1868266105525501952
author Vital, Xochitl G
Cruz, Sónia
Simões, Nuno
Cartaxana, Paulo
Mascaró, Maite
author_facet Vital, Xochitl G
Cruz, Sónia
Simões, Nuno
Cartaxana, Paulo
Mascaró, Maite
Vital, Xochitl G
Cruz, Sónia
Simões, Nuno
Cartaxana, Paulo
Mascaró, Maite
collection PubMed - marine biology
contents The photoacclimation state of stolen chloroplasts affects the light preferences in the photosynthetic sea slug Elysia crispata. Vital, Xochitl G Cruz, Sónia Simões, Nuno Cartaxana, Paulo Mascaró, Maite Gastropoda Animals Chloroplasts Acclimatization Light Photosynthesis Photosynthetic sacoglossan sea slugs sequester the chloroplasts of the algae they feed upon and keep these organelles functional in the cells of their ramified digestive system. Whether the stolen chloroplasts - kleptoplasts - influence animal behavioural responses towards light is uncertain. To address this matter, we: (1) determined the light preferences of the photosynthetic sea slug Elysia crispata when offered different light spectra (450, 517, 520-650 and 665 nm) and intensities (60, 180, 425 and 1400 µmol photons m-2 s-1); and (2) established whether the light intensity preferences of E. crispata were different when fed algae acclimated to low (40 µmol photons m-2 s-1) and high irradiance (425 µmol photons m-2 s-1). Sea slugs were collected from a coral reef in the Gulf of Mexico and transported to the laboratory to perform controlled experiments. During trials, sea slugs exhibited marked exploratory behaviour. However, results show that E. crispata avoids red light (665 nm) and prefers low irradiance (60 µmol photons m-2 s-1), showing that both light spectrum and intensity are relevant to their behaviour. Furthermore, sea slugs increased their selection for high irradiance after being fed algae acclimated to high light. These results support our hypothesis that the acclimation state of the acquired kleptoplasts affects sea slug behaviour towards light. Light perception and photobehaviour in photosynthetic sea slugs seem to depend not only on animal photoreceptors, but also on a communication network between the endosymbiotic chloroplasts and the animal host.
format Artículo científico
id pubmed_41480678
institution PubMed
language en
publishDate 2026
publisher The Journal of experimental biology
record_format pubmed
spellingShingle The photoacclimation state of stolen chloroplasts affects the light preferences in the photosynthetic sea slug Elysia crispata.
Vital, Xochitl G
Cruz, Sónia
Simões, Nuno
Cartaxana, Paulo
Mascaró, Maite
Gastropoda
Animals
Chloroplasts
Acclimatization
Light
Photosynthesis
The photoacclimation state of stolen chloroplasts affects the light preferences in the photosynthetic sea slug Elysia crispata. Vital, Xochitl G Cruz, Sónia Simões, Nuno Cartaxana, Paulo Mascaró, Maite Gastropoda Animals Chloroplasts Acclimatization Light Photosynthesis Photosynthetic sacoglossan sea slugs sequester the chloroplasts of the algae they feed upon and keep these organelles functional in the cells of their ramified digestive system. Whether the stolen chloroplasts - kleptoplasts - influence animal behavioural responses towards light is uncertain. To address this matter, we: (1) determined the light preferences of the photosynthetic sea slug Elysia crispata when offered different light spectra (450, 517, 520-650 and 665 nm) and intensities (60, 180, 425 and 1400 µmol photons m-2 s-1); and (2) established whether the light intensity preferences of E. crispata were different when fed algae acclimated to low (40 µmol photons m-2 s-1) and high irradiance (425 µmol photons m-2 s-1). Sea slugs were collected from a coral reef in the Gulf of Mexico and transported to the laboratory to perform controlled experiments. During trials, sea slugs exhibited marked exploratory behaviour. However, results show that E. crispata avoids red light (665 nm) and prefers low irradiance (60 µmol photons m-2 s-1), showing that both light spectrum and intensity are relevant to their behaviour. Furthermore, sea slugs increased their selection for high irradiance after being fed algae acclimated to high light. These results support our hypothesis that the acclimation state of the acquired kleptoplasts affects sea slug behaviour towards light. Light perception and photobehaviour in photosynthetic sea slugs seem to depend not only on animal photoreceptors, but also on a communication network between the endosymbiotic chloroplasts and the animal host.
title The photoacclimation state of stolen chloroplasts affects the light preferences in the photosynthetic sea slug Elysia crispata.
topic Gastropoda
Animals
Chloroplasts
Acclimatization
Light
Photosynthesis
url https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41480678/