Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Stagnant reservoirs and pools of rain water eventually turn a tinge of green.
This phenomenon is generally the result of rampant algae and moss growth.
Another force is at work here.
A bizarre microorganism invisible to the naked eye.
Euglena.
Euglena is both the common name and genus name for this group of single-celled organisms which have both plant and animal characteristics.
Euglena use chlorophyll to produce sugars by photosynthesis, like plants, and are able to change shape and move with a single flagellum, like animals.
Euglena’s cell division is also quite characteristic, making it a rather mysterious creature.
While euglena have been a popular research subject for many years, there is still much about their ecology that we do not understand.
For example, they have a tendency to gather in light, but run away from ultraviolet and blue light.
It makes perfect sense that they gather in light to produce energy by photosynthesis, and try to avoid damaging ultraviolet light.
So, where is this sensor kept?
Euglena have a red colored feature called an eyespot.
At first it was thought that this was a light sensor until extensive observations revealed that this red eyespot was actually blocking light in order to establish the direction of light entering the real light sensor.
Recent studies have clarified the ultraviolet activation mechanism of the light sensor on a protein level, an important discovery expected to assist with the clarification of neurological functions.
That doesn’t mean all mysteries, however, have been solved.
Under a microscope, euglena can be observed avoiding dark regions, rather than gathering in patches of light.
This points to the existence of a sensor for measuring the intensity of visible light in addition to the already identified ultraviolet sensor.
The red eyespot is in the spotlight once again as this light intensity sensor.
The eyespot acts like sunglasses, pointing in the direction of direct sunlight in order to stop excess light from entering the ultraviolet sensor.
In other words, euglena use the eyespot to gauge the light’s direction and move into and out of the sun depending on the amount of ultraviolet light present.
Various proteins with different functions work harmoniously inside a single cell to increase the chance of survival.
Now that we have discoverd these primitive sensors, one question still remains.
How did euglena develop such a precise mechanism to begin with?
Humans do not have such refined sensors with which to measure the natural world.
However, humankind posses the power of analysis, one that goes beyond our natural limitations.
The protection of this diverse and beautiful earth through the analysis of nature is a mission that has been entrusted to humankind.