Which of the following is true about how mitochondria were acquired by host cells? (1 point)

Question

Responses

A mitochondria cell’s membrane folded outward, creating a larger cell around itself.
A mitochondria cell’s membrane folded outward, creating a larger cell around itself.

The cell’s membrane folded inward, creating a pocket within itself called the mitochondria.
The cell’s membrane folded inward, creating a pocket within itself called the mitochondria.

A bacteria cell was engulfed into a host cell through the process of phagocytosis.
A bacteria cell was engulfed into a host cell through the process of phagocytosis.

A eukaryotic cell gave up its mitochondria to another cell through phagocytosis.
A eukaryotic cell gave up its mitochondria to another cell through phagocytosis.

Answer 1

The correct response is:

A bacteria cell was engulfed into a host cell through the process of phagocytosis.

This describes the endosymbiotic theory, which posits that mitochondria originated from free-living bacteria that were engulfed by ancestral eukaryotic cells. Over time, these bacteria and their host cells developed a mutualistic relationship, leading to the permanent incorporation of the bacteria into the host cell as organelles.