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Photosynthesizing Sea Slugs Steal Genes From Algae

Posted by samzenpus on from the living-like-a-plant dept.

An anonymous reader writes For decades, scientists have puzzled over how a certain sea slug acquires the ability to photosynthesize after ingesting algae. An advanced imaging technique now confirms that the slugs are literally stealing genes from the algae. It's considered the first example of horizontal gene transfer in a multicellular organism.

3 of 74 comments (clear)

  1. GMO by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Holy crap, they're GMO! I demand they be labeled as such right now!

  2. It's not stealing... by sacrilicious · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... it's copyright infringement.

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    - First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then ???, then profit.
  3. Maybe not on slashdot by wbr1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    But I know many multicellular intelligent organisms that have engaged in horizontal gene transfer. Many of them probably shouldn't have.

    --
    Silence is a state of mime.