Question Details

This is analogous to mesosomes of bacteria

Options

A

Golgi apparatus of eukaryotes

B

Mitochondria of eukaryotes

C

Lysosomes of eukaryotes

D

None of these

Correct Answer :

Mitochondria of eukaryotes

Solution :

The correct option is Mitochondria of eukaryotes.

To understand why this is correct, we need to compare the structural and functional characteristics of bacterial mesosomes with the organelles found in eukaryotic cells.

1. What are Mesosomes?
Mesosomes are specialized, folded invaginations of the plasma membrane found in bacterial (prokaryotic) cells. They play a crucial role in increasing the surface area of the plasma membrane, which helps the cell perform various cellular functions efficiently.

2. Functional Similarity to Mitochondria:
In aerobic bacteria, mesosomes contain respiratory enzymes and are the primary sites for cellular respiration, electron transport, and ATP (adenosine triphosphate) generation. Eukaryotic cells lack mesosomes but possess a dedicated double-membraned organelle called the mitochondrion. The inner membrane of the mitochondrion is folded into structures called cristae, which contain respiratory chain complexes and generate ATP, just like the mesosomes do in bacteria.

3. Evolutionary Connection:
According to the endosymbiotic theory, eukaryotic mitochondria evolved from ancestral aerobic prokaryotes that were engulfed by a host cell. Because of this shared evolutionary origin, many respiratory functions that occur across the cell membrane (and mesosomes) in prokaryotes are compartmentalized inside the mitochondria in eukaryotes.

Therefore, mesosomes of bacteria are functionally analogous to the mitochondria of eukaryotes, as both are responsible for cellular respiration and energy production.

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