Question
The diversity of living organisms has evolved tremendously over millions of years. Though scientists cannot explain every step of evolution, they are often able to propose mechanisms by which the evolution of specific structures or characteristics could have occurred.
Which of the following statements describes how mitochondria are believed to have evolved?
A bacteriophage was engulfed by a large bacterium, and the two formed a symbiotic relationship.
An anaerobic virus was engulfed by a large bacterium, and the two formed a symbiotic relationship.
An aerobic bacterium was engulfed by a eukaryotic cell, and the two formed a symbiotic relationship.
A photosynthetic bacterium was engulfed by a eukaryotic cell, and the two formed a symbiotic relationship.
Which of the following statements describes how mitochondria are believed to have evolved?
A bacteriophage was engulfed by a large bacterium, and the two formed a symbiotic relationship.
An anaerobic virus was engulfed by a large bacterium, and the two formed a symbiotic relationship.
An aerobic bacterium was engulfed by a eukaryotic cell, and the two formed a symbiotic relationship.
A photosynthetic bacterium was engulfed by a eukaryotic cell, and the two formed a symbiotic relationship.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The statement that best describes how mitochondria are believed to have evolved is:
**An aerobic bacterium was engulfed by a eukaryotic cell, and the two formed a symbiotic relationship.**
This theory is known as the endosymbiotic theory, which posits that mitochondria originated from free-living aerobic bacteria that were engulfed by ancestral eukaryotic cells. Over time, this association became mutually beneficial, leading to the evolution of modern eukaryotic cells with mitochondria.
**An aerobic bacterium was engulfed by a eukaryotic cell, and the two formed a symbiotic relationship.**
This theory is known as the endosymbiotic theory, which posits that mitochondria originated from free-living aerobic bacteria that were engulfed by ancestral eukaryotic cells. Over time, this association became mutually beneficial, leading to the evolution of modern eukaryotic cells with mitochondria.