Question

Without mitochondria, does Monocercomonoides still carry out all the basic functions of life?

Answer 1

Hi

As we have studied that Mitochondria is an organelle that is considered to be the power house of the cell. It is the main site where production of energy along with its supply to other organelles occur. All eukaryotic organisms contain mitochondria in their cells, however, Monocercomonoides are a newly discovered group of organisms which are eukaryotic but can happily live without the presence of mitochondria because they dont contain it in their cells.

It is believed that in Monocercomonoides, the  iron-sulfur cluster assembly pathway is replaced by cytosolic sulfur mobilization system (SUF)  pathway due to which the organism is able to easily carry out all its life processes. Evolutionary studies have also shown that previously these organisms had mitochondria but lost it during evolutionary processes.

Hope it helps!