First Evidence That Some Insects May Rely On Photosynthesis 107
tedlistens writes "The idea that aphids may use photosynthesis, as plants do, is based on the recent finding that the bugs are able to synthesize pigments called carotenoids. These pigments are common and necessary for many animals (for non-photosynthesis uses, like maintaining a healthy immune system), but the animal must consume them from outside sources. So far, only plants, algae, fungi, and bacteria are known to be able to synthesize carotenoids themselves, and, in all of those organisms, carotenoids are a key part of photosynthesis. While the co-author of the study, published in Nature's open-access journal Scientific Reports, cautions that more research is needed before we can determine if aphids are photosynthesizing like non-animals, it still could be one of the more remarkable findings in biology in recent memory, and may hold promise for helping address humanity's food crisis."
Re:Coral Symbiosis (Score:5, Interesting)
Isn't this insect doing something like this coral symbiosis [wikipedia.org]?
Before I popped open the article, I figured it was going to be another one of those symbiont cases, or at the most one of those kleptoplasty cases (where the organism integrates and uses ingested chloroplasts). Turns out it's much more interesting -- the aphid apparently has it's own carotenoid synthesis pathways, and (it is hypothesized) can use it to reduce NAD+ for the purposes of pumping protons to drive ATP synthesis.
It's not a full photosynthesis pathway like plants have. They won't be able to get as much energy, nor can they fix CO2 to make organic substrates. But it is their own endogenous system that's at work (although parts of that system may have been obtained through horizontal gene transfer).
Re:What food crisis? (Score:5, Interesting)
Exactly.
"According to the World Resources Institute, global per capita food production has been increasing substantially for the past several decades."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_security [wikipedia.org]
Corals... hard and soft... (Score:4, Interesting)
Many coral and soft coral species do it as well -- some using symbionts, some directly -- and they are animals, not vegetable.
Re:Old Man's War (Score:4, Interesting)
There was a novella called "The Green Leopard Plague" that goes into the idea of humans that photosynthesize humans in more detail.
Other posters have pointed out that we don't have a food production problem; we have a food distribution problem. The novel points out the main advantage of wide-spread photosynthesis: no dictator would be able to hold his people hostage through their food supply. There would no longer be any benefit to screwing with normal food distribution if a person could meet their base metabolic needs by sitting outside.