Cells' Powerhouses Were Once Energy Parasites: study upends current theories of how mitochondria began

Source: University of Virginia
Date Published: October 16, 2014
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141016165955.htm

Summary:
This article provides an alternative theory to the current theories. U.Va. biologist Martin Wu suggested that the current theories -- all claiming that the relationship between the bacteria and the host cell at the very beginning of the symbiosis was mutually beneficial -- are likely wrong. Instead, he believed that the relationship likely was antagonistic -- that the bacteria were parasitic and only later became beneficial to the host cell by switching the direction of the ATP transport. He reconstructed the gene content of mitochondrial ancestors, he predicted it to be a parasite that actually stole energy in the form of ATP from its host. He also identified many human genes that are derived from mitochondria may contribute to several diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. This study has the potential to change the way we think about how mitochondria began.

Relevance:
This article is related to what we are learning these days because mitochondria is a part of a cell. Mitochondria is important to us because it provides energy to our cells. But the study in this article uncovered the real identity of the ancestor of the mitochondria. This article also talks about the symbiosis relationship, which we learned in unit 1. It stated in the article that the idea of the relationship between the bacteria and the host cell at the very beginning was mutualism was wrong. Instead, it is parasitism.