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Multiple Choice
What does the endosymbiotic theory propose?
A
Prokaryotic cells evolved from eukaryotic cells through a process of simplification.
B
Mitochondria and chloroplasts originated from free-living prokaryotes that were engulfed by ancestral eukaryotic cells.
C
All organelles in eukaryotic cells originated from the same ancestral prokaryotic cell.
D
Eukaryotic cells evolved from a fusion of multiple prokaryotic cells.
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1
The endosymbiotic theory is a scientific theory that explains the origin of certain organelles in eukaryotic cells, specifically mitochondria and chloroplasts.
According to this theory, mitochondria and chloroplasts originated from free-living prokaryotes that were engulfed by ancestral eukaryotic cells.
These engulfed prokaryotes formed a symbiotic relationship with the host eukaryotic cell, providing it with additional capabilities such as energy production and photosynthesis.
Over time, these prokaryotes became integral parts of the eukaryotic cell, evolving into the organelles we recognize today as mitochondria and chloroplasts.
The evidence supporting this theory includes similarities in DNA sequences, double membranes, and the fact that mitochondria and chloroplasts replicate independently within the cell, similar to prokaryotic cells.