Endosymbionts and mitochondrial origins

Abstract

The possibility is put forth that the mitochondrion did not originate from an endosymbiosis, 1–2 billion years ago, involving an aerobic bacterium. Rather, it arose by endosymbiosis in a much early, anaerobic period, and was initially a photosynthetic organelle, analogous to the modern chloroplast. This suggestion arises from a reconsideration of the nature of endosymbiosis. It ex-plains the remarkable diversity in mitochondrial information storage and processing systems.