Mitochondrial Origin Mystery Essay Example

📌Category: Biology, Genetics, Science
📌Words: 815
📌Pages: 3
📌Published: 14 June 2021

Abstract:

Mitochondria are found in virtually every cell in the body and play an important role in their function. The powerhouses of cells, provide energy for biochemical reactions and other cellular processes. Mitochondria use the chemical energy contained in the food we consume to generate energy for cells.(4)

The Theory of Endosymbiosis is the belief that some membrane bound organelles including the mitochondria were bacteria in the past, evolved into what they are today. As well as that they lost their cell wall and other organelles since they weren’t benefit within the host cell. Lynn Margulis was the scientist behind this theory. (6) First and foremost, Scientists may draw a connection between mitochondria and bacteria based on their appearance alone. Mitochondria resemble the rod-shaped bacilli bacteria in their plump, jellybean-like form. The average bacillus is between 1 and 10 microns long, and both plant and animal cells' mitochondria are in the same range. (3) The hypothesis that primitive eukaryotic cells engulfed bacterial cells and formed mutually beneficial relationships is supported by these superficial observations. Furthermore, the ribosomes in Mitochondria are similar to those found in other bacteria. Antibiotics, which are used to destroy bacteria, often damage mitochondria.

Introduction: 

Mitochondria are a part of the cells that manufacture the energy, which is the ATP. In other words, the cell wouldn't exist if there are not any mitochondria. They absorb about 90% of the oxygen within the body and are chargeable for energy production and cell regulation (Schapira & Gegg, 2011). To make it more intense, if the mitochondria start to degenerate then uptake of oxygen is lost leading to depletion of oxygen to the brain. Since Mitochondria has similar DNA to plastids (double membrane organelles found in most eukaryotic cells that are responsible for manufacturing and storing food)  and most prokaryotes then this suggests that Mitochondria evolved from prokaryotes into the cell’s cytoplasm by endocytosis. This thought was developed by Lynn Margulis in 1967. (6)

Analysis:

Mitochondria, unlike all other organelle except chloroplasts, tend to derive exclusively from other mitochondria. They have their own circular DNA, similar to bacteria, as well as their own transcriptional and translational machinery(The process of converting DNA to RNA is known as transcription, and the process of converting RNA to proteins is known as translation). Mitochondrial ribosomes and transfer RNA molecules, as well as membrane elements, are identical to those found in bacteria.

Moreover, mitochondria and bacteria have many similarities in reactions and ways of reproducing. An example would be  Mitochondria and Bacteria share the same way of dividing and reproducing which is Binary fission. Mitochondria doesn’t reproduce with the cell. 

Table of Comparison:

Features of mitochondria

Features shared with bacteria

Features shared with Eukaryotic organelles

Binary Diffusion

Yes

Yes

Circular Dna

Yes

No

Own Ribosomes

Yes

No

Two membranes 

Yes

Yes

Results:

To begin with, all protein synthesis takes place within ribosomes, which are spherical structures found in the cell. Mitochondria have their own ribosomes, which they use to produce the proteins they need. The composition of mitochondrial ribosomes tends to be more similar to bacterial ribosomes than to eukaryotic cell ribosomes, according to microscopic and chemical studies.(5)

Bacteria reproduce by fission, as seen in the table above; when a bacterium reaches a predetermined size, it pinches itself in the center, resulting in two species. Mitochondria reproduce themselves in eukaryotic cells in a similar way. The nucleus, or command center of the cell, instructs the cell to generate organelles, normally before a cell divides; however, only mitochondria and plant chloroplasts replicate themselves.(1)

Mitochondria have inner and outer membranes, with the inner membrane consisting of folds called cristae, according to the table. Mesosomes, which resemble cristae, are folds in bacterial cell membranes. These folds are where energy is generated. Proteins and fatty substances found in the inner mitochondrial membrane are similar to those found in the bacterial plasma membrane. (3)

Finally, DNA is used by both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells to bear the code for protein production. If eukaryotic cells carry double-stranded DNA in the shape of a twisted ladder known as a helix, bacteria carry their DNA in circular loops known as plasmids.(2) Mitochondria have their own DNA, which they use to produce proteins independently of the rest of the cell; mitochondria, like bacteria, combine their DNA into loops. All this is known as the Endosymbiosis Theory developed by Lynn Margulis.(6)

Conclusion:

The Endosymbiosis Theory, developed by Lynn Margulis, holds that certain membrane-bound organelles, such as mitochondria, were once bacteria that developed into what they are now. (6) Furthermore, the ribosomes in Mitochondria are similar to those found in other bacteria. If eukaryotic cells carry double-stranded DNA in the shape of a twisted ladder known as a helix, bacteria carry their DNA in circular loops known as plasmids.Mitochondria, like bacteria, bear their own DNA to produce their own proteins, independent of the rest of the cell. Mitochondria have DNA that is similar to bacteria and produce ribosomes in a similar way to bacteria, which supports the theory that mitochondria originated from prokaryotes.

Resources:

1.“UCSB Science Line.” UCSB SCIENCE LINE, scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=3242. Accessed 15 Apr. 2021.      

2. “ Origin of Mitochondria --Endosymbiosis Theory.” Rice University, www.ruf.rice.edu/%7Ebioslabs/studies/mitochondria/mitorigin.html.. Accessed 22 Apr. 2021.

3.  Dinh, Ho-Diep. “What Features Do Mitochondria and Bacteria Share?” Sciencing, 2 Mar. 2019, sciencing.com/features-mitochondria-bacteria-share-11399115.html. Accessed 22 Apr. 2021.

4. “Mitochondria.” Genome.Gov, www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Mitochondria#:%7E:text=Mitochondria%20are%20membrane%2Dbound%20cell,called%20adenosine%20triphosphate%20(ATP). Accessed 22 Apr. 2021.

5.  “ Molecular Expressions Cell Biology: Mitochondria.” Molecular Expressions, micro.magnet.fsu.edu/cells/mitochondria/mitochondria.html.. Accessed 22 Apr. 2021.

6. “ Cells Living in Cells.” Ask A Biologist, askabiologist.asu.edu/explore/cells-living-in-cells.. Accessed 25 Apr. 2021.

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