kleptoplastidy

Example:Some species of sea slugs exhibit kleptoplastidic behavior after consuming chloroplasts from algae.

Definition:Relating to kleptoplastidy, indicating that an organism has acquired and retains plastids from another species.

Example:The kleptoplastidic behavior of the Elysia chlorotica allows it to live as an autotroph, gaining nutrients directly from the sun through the retained chloroplasts.

Definition:The ability to produce food using sunlight, air, and water, which is a characteristic of kleptoplastidy as the organism can continue to photosynthesize even after consuming and retaining the plastids of another organism.

Example:The acquirement of algal chloroplasts in kleptoplastidy is a form of photosynthetic activity that extends beyond typical photosynthetic organisms.

Definition:Involving, or like photosynthesis, the process of converting light energy into chemical energy, which is a key feature of kleptoplastidy as it enables microorganisms and some animals to produce their own food independently.

Example:Kleptoplastidy represents a form of symbiosis where animals benefit from photosynthetic capabilities by gaining and retaining chloroplasts from their food.

Definition:A close and often long-term biological interaction between two different biological species, exemplified in kleptoplastidy as the symbiotic relationship where an animal acquires and retains plastids from a plant.

Example:Phytophagy contributes to kleptoplastidy, as the consumption of photosynthetic plant cells allows the host to retain and use chloroplasts for its own nutritional benefits.

Definition:The consumption of plant material, often seen in kleptoplastidy as the primary method by which organisms acquire and retain plastids to perform photosynthesis.

Example:In kleptoplastidy, the sea slug digests the body of the alga but retains its chloroplasts for extended periods, defying typical digestive processes.

Definition:To break down food into simpler substances, with the unique feature in kleptoplastidy being that the acquired plastids are not digested but retained for photosynthesis.

Example:Before and after the kleptoplastidy process, the sea slug's cells may contain dictyosomes, which are involved in the modification and quality control of proteins that may interact with the retained chloroplasts.

Definition:A stack of flattened membrane-bound sacs in cells responsible for the synthesis, modification, and packaging of proteins, not directly related to kleptoplastidy but found in the cells of the host before and after the acquisition of plastids.

Example:Endosymbiosis in kleptoplastidy involves the internalization of chloroplasts from an algal species to provide photosynthetic capabilities to the consuming animal.

Definition:A type of symbiosis where one organism lives inside the tissues of another, describing the process in kleptoplastidy where organisms internalize plastids from another species.

Example:Algal species are the primary source of chloroplasts in kleptoplastidy, providing the necessary components for photosynthesis to be maintained long-term by consuming animals.

Definition:Relating to algae, often the source of acquired plastids in kleptoplastidy.

Example:In kleptoplastidy, the key event is the acquisition and retention of chloroplasts from algal cells, allowing the consuming animal to perform photosynthesis.

Definition:An organelle in plant and algal cells that carries out photosynthesis, central to the phenomenon of kleptoplastidy.