top of page
Maths and Science tuition made easy, one-to-one home tuition
Maths and Science tuition made easy, one-to-one home tuition
The Academy of Sciences theacademyofsciences.co.uk
Did you know?
Biology
The origins of mitochondria
The theory known as endosymbiosis was first proposed by the Boston University Biologist Lynn Margulis in the 1960's. This theory proposes that mitochondria evolved from ancient bacteria. Ancient aerobic prokaryotes were engulfed by other bacterial cells that were able to survive and both benefited from the relationship. This led to the evolution of the eukaryotic cell. Mitochondria are well known for being the site of aerobic respiration.
Evidence
7 µm
- Mitochondria (typically 7 µm) are similar in size to prokaryotic cells.
- All the DNA is found inside the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell but mitochondria are the only membrane bound organelles, in animal cells, that have their own DNA.
- Both bacteria and mitochondria have DNA in the form of a loop.
- Both bacteria and mitochondria have a 70S ribosome, whereas eukaryotic cells have 80S ribosomes.
- The shape of mitochondria are rod like similar to rod shaped bacteria.
bottom of page