The ____ Hypothesis States That Mitochondria and Chloroplasts Evolved from Bacteria

Question

The ____ hypothesis states that mitochondria and chloroplasts evolved from bacteria.  
A) invagination
B) exosymbiont
C) membrane folding
D) captured bacteria
E) endosymbiont

Accepted Answer

The endosymbiont hypothesis proposes that mitochondria and chloroplasts were once free-living bacteria that were engulfed by a larger host cell billions of years ago. This idea is supported by evidence such as the similar size and shape of bacteria and these organelles, their ability to replicate independently within cells, and the presence of their own DNA.