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A kleptoprotein is a protein which is not encoded in the
A kleptoprotein is a protein which is not encoded in the genome
In the fields of molecular biology and genetics, a genome is all the genetic information of an organism. It consists of nucleotide sequences of DNA (or RNA in RNA viruses). The nuclear genome includes protein-coding genes and non-coding ge ...
of the organism which uses it, but instead is obtained through diet from a prey organism. Importantly, a kleptoprotein must maintain its function and be mostly or entirely undigested, drawing a distinction from proteins that are digested for nutrition, which become destroyed and non-functional in the process.
This phenomenon was first reported in the bioluminescent fish ''Parapriacanthus
''Parapriacanthus'' is a genus of sweepers native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. ''Parapriacanthus'' are bioluminescent, with ventral light organs for counter-illumination. ''Parapriacanthus'' luciferase is a kleptoprotein, ob ...
'', which has specialized light organs adapted towards counter-illumination
Counter-illumination is a method of active camouflage seen in marine animals such as firefly squid and midshipman fish, and in military prototypes, producing light to match their backgrounds in both brightness and wavelength.
Marine animals of ...
, but obtains the luciferase
Luciferase is a generic term for the class of oxidative enzymes that produce bioluminescence, and is usually distinguished from a photoprotein. The name was first used by Raphaël Dubois who invented the words ''luciferin'' and ''luciferase'', ...
enzyme within these organs from bioluminescent ostracods, including '' Cypridina noctiluca'' or ''Vargula hilgendorfii
''Vargula hilgendorfii'', sometimes called the sea-firefly and one of three bioluminescent species known in Japan as umi-hotaru (海蛍), is a species of ostracod crustacean. It is the only member of genus '' Vargula'' to inhabit Japanese wate ...
''.
See also
*Kleptoplasty
Kleptoplasty or kleptoplastidy is a symbiosis, symbiotic phenomenon whereby plastids, notably chloroplasts from algae, are sequestered by host organisms. The word is derived from ''Kleptes'' (κλέπτης) which is Greek language, Greek for thie ...
References
{{biology-stub Biology Proteins