Week 3 Discussion
In this week’s discussion you will be exploring energy and how it’s captured, released, and used by all living creatures. For your primary post, respond to one of the following three topics and address all of the questions. Also, please reply to at least one fellow student on any topic.
Topic 1 : The phytoplankton that brought Earth to life. Review the video (1)* about the “phytoplankton that brought Earth to life” from the link given below. In this clip, Penny Chisholm discusses a tiny phytoplankton called Prochlorococcus. Based on that video, address the following:
Topic 2 [article]: Snails that don’t eat. A recent article by JoAnna Klein (2)* describes a partnership between the snail Gigantopelta chessoia and a chemosynthetic bacterium. The bacterium is called an “endosymbiont†because it lives inside the snail.
Topic 3 [article]: Exercise and mitochondria. Exercise is generally known to have many beneficial effects on our bodies at several different levels. Some studies have examined the effects of exercise at the level of muscle cells. Read the press release by Cell Press (3)*.
References (in Strayer Writing Standards format).
AND RESPOND TO THIS POST:
Sylve
RE: Week 3 Discussion
Good Afternoon Professor Sherif and classmates,
Snails that don’t eat.
(a) Describe the partnership between Gigantopelta chessoia and its endosymbiont.
There is a symbiotic bacterium in Gigantopelta chessoia and also an engorged esophageal gland.
Gigantopelta chessoia is a newly discovered species in genus Gigantopelta. Therefore, its
endosymbiont is the manifestation of endosymbiont bacteria that exist in the esophageal gland.
(b) What is most surprising to you about this situation?
I am surprised that the digestive system of snail stops to grow when it reaches a particular body
length.
(c) Explain how this relates to this week’s lessons.
The information presented in the article related to this week’s lessons because the
metamorphosis in which the snail goes through is similar to other living organisms. For instance,
shallow water corals can survive in water even though there is no sun.