Kleptoslug

Project

This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. 949880).

Photosynthesis is generally considered an asset exclusive to algae and plants. However, some sea slugs of the order Sacoglossa are able to steal functional chloroplasts from their algal food sources. The mechanism is called kleptoplasty and the acquired chloroplasts are termed kleptoplasts. Some species retain photosynthetically active kleptoplasts for several months that persist without access to algal gene products and despite the release of potentially dangerous metabolites, including reactive oxygen species. KleptoSlug will try to unravel the cellular mechanisms supporting the sequestration and maintenance of functional chloroplasts inside metazoan cells and determine the host benefits of harboring kleptoplasts.

Graphical abstract of the project Kleptoslug.
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The Tropical sea slug Elysia crispata inhabits mangrove areas and coral reefs and can reach up to 15 cm in size. It sequesters functional chloroplasts from a variety of macroalgae.
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The sea slug Elysia crispata feeding on the macroalga Bryopsis plumosa.
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The sea slug Placida dendritica retains short-term, non-functional kleptoplasts that allow the sea slug to blend with the environment and avoid predation.
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The sea slug Elysia viridis sequesters and maintains functional chloroplasts acquired from green algae (e.g. Codium and Bryopsis). Photo credit: Alexander Sommer
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The Temperate sea slug Elysia viridis feeding on the macroalga Codium tomentosum.
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The Mediterranean sea slug Elysia timida. This slug is monophagous, feeding and acquiring chloroplasts exclusively from the macroalga Acetabularia acetabulum. Photo credit: João Encarnação.