U.S. scientists have found a species of sea slug capable of general energy from sunlight like plants.

LiveScience said, Sidney Pierce - a biologist at the University of South Florida, USA - with colleagues studied slug Elysia chlorotica in about 20 years. In an article posted on Science NewsHe declared this species of slug be able to produce chlorophyll - things to help the trees turn light into energy through photosynthesis reaction.

According to Pierce, it looks like the sea slug was “stolen” the genetic make chlorophyll (chlorophyll) from algae - their food. Thanks to the new gene, sea snails capable of conducting photosynthesis process as plants.

“We can create molecules contain energy without you eat anything. This is the first time we discovered metazoans capable of chlorophyll, “Pierce declared.

Sea slug Elysia chlorotica general self-energy through the reaction of plant photosynthesis.

Sea slug that lives in mangrove swamps in the U.S. and Canada. In addition to “steal” the gene capable of creating chlorophyll, they stole the chloroplasts - the tiny parts of cells of algae - to perform photosynthesis. Chloroplasts using chlorophyll to turn sunlight into energy. Chloroplasts through the slug Elysia chlorotica not need to eat and still grow.

“We started in the sea slug and keep them in tanks throughout the months. If exposed to light for 12 hours a day, they can live without food, “Pierce since.

To ensure that flood sea slug actually make chlorophyll, not just stealing chlorophyll available from algae, the researchers put a radioactive substance into the body are marked. They found that sea slug is not only incorporated into the genetic material, but the gene transfer was best for children, grandchildren.

The next generation of sea slug retain their ability to produce chlorophyll, though they can only perform photosynthesis reaction after eating a sufficient amount of algae to get the chloroplast - things that they do not themselves produce.

Achievement of the slug Elysia chlorotica really a period analysis, but scientists have not understood them best genes they need to how.

“These figures show that sea slug DNA from one species into another species. The mechanism of penetration is still a mystery, “Pierce commented.