Evolution Of Mitochondria

The main function of the mitochondria is to convert fuel into a form of energy the cell can use. Specifically, the mitochondria is where pyruvate --derived from glucose-- is converted into ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) through cellular respiration. Cellular respiration involves four stages: glycolysis, the grooming phase, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. The final two stages listed occur in the mitochondria.

According to Darwin and his theory on evolution, organisms are presented with nature’s challenge of environmental change. Those that possess the characteristics of adapting to such challenges are successful in leaving their genes behind and ensuring that their lineage will continue. It is natural selection, where nature can perform tiny to mass sporadic experiments on its organisms, and the results can be interesting from extinction to significant changes within a species.

Mitochondrion function is to produce energy from sugar. This is parallel to a restaurant inside a hospital. The employees eat (carbohydrates) from the hospital restaurant and then their bodies convert it to energy.

Mitochondria, dubbed the ‘powerhouse of the cell’, are a type of organelle present in most human cells. Their primary function is to generate Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), the cell’s principal source of chemical energy. Unlike most other organelles, mitochondria store their own set of genetic material, distinct from the DNA situated in a cell’s nucleus. Although this ‘mitochondrial genome’ represents only 0.1% of a cell’s genetic information, it often plays a significant role in development.

According to Dr. James Krupa of The University of Kentucky “evolution is the foundation upon which all biology rests.” In biology, evolution is the genetic change in characteristics over generations and is dependent on the process of natural selection. ‘The theory of evolution is based on the idea that all species are related and gradually change over time’ (Genome Campus, 2017). Genetic variation is vital to evolution as it affects the physical characteristics or phenotypes of morphology. Natural Selection is affected by environmental factors that act upon a population and result in the mutation of organism through offspring. These mutations enable individuals to adapt to their environments in order to survive, find food, avoid predators and

Evolution is the idea of a living organism adapting or mutating to gain beneficial physiological, psychological and structural features. The genetic makeup of all living things is constantly changing, due to DNA replication errors or outside factors, some of these changes impact drastically on the organism changing it for the better or worse. Typically when an organisms genetic code is changed for the better and it reproduces and outlives its unchanged counterparts this process is called evolution.

Mitochondria are important because they allow our bodies to function by converting oxygen that we breathe in and the nutrients we ingest from food to energy we can use in the form of ATP (Adenosine triphosphate). This is done through aerobic respiration (requires oxygen), without the many mitochondria we have in our body we would not have sufficient energy from anaerobic respiration for our metabolic requirements. (Link its importance to its other functions- what would happen if it could not perform its functions e.g. lack of regulation of apoptosis and cancer- links to essays overall argument).

Evolution is a change in a population and is usually seen as a slow process, but the pace of evolution can be rapid. In this lab, two of the forces of evolution was tested natural selection and genetic drift. In natural selection, 60 beans were used, 15 of each of 4 different kinds of beans. For genetic drift 48 beans were used, 12 of each of 4 different kinds of beans. The exercises was repeated up to 10 generations. Maintaining the frequency of each variety of the beans from the end of one generation to the start of the next generation the population was rebuilt to 60 beans for the natural selection exercise and 48 beans for the genetic drift. By the end of the 10th generation, changes were seen in both forces of evolution. This shows that

The mitochondria has been known as the powerhouse of the cell. What does that even mean? Well, what it means that the mitochondria does all of the cell energy conversion. It takes nutrients from the cell and transforms it into viable ATP. ATP, molecule adenosine triphosphate, is the energy that cells can use. The process in turning nutrients into ATP is called ATP Synthase. The first part of ATP synthase is an ending of cellular respiration. The mitochondria plays a small but large role in the cell. The structure of the mitochondria plays a huge part of cellular respiration. Mitochondrial structure has two membranes an inner and an outer. Inside the inner membrane you have the matrix and the cristae. The first part of cellular respiration is glycolysis, it is made outside of the mitochondria in a gel like fluid called the cytoplasm. Next, is the citric acid cycle, also known as the Krebs cycle, named after the German researcher Hans Krebs, goes in through the outer membrane. Enzyme Acetyl CoA enters and combines the two carbon groups with another four carbon groups. The result is six carbon molecules citrate, which are acidic. The next part in the Krebs cycle is that the hydrogen atoms are stripped and produce NADH molecules. The final Krebs step is; ADP is transferred to ATP the succinate is oxidized forming another four carbon molecule. The two hydrogen carbons react and their electrons transform from FAD to FADH2. The Krebs cycle makes only about 4 ATP and in the

The mitochondria is known as the “power house” of a cell that functions at the site of respiration. Within the inner membrane, ATP synthesis occurs which provides energy to the cell and it other parts. Without function of a mitochondria, a cell would die; it has no energy to repair itself, has no energy to transport molecules across the membrane, transport nutrients, send signals to other cells, or any other processes. Metabolism, release of energy, movement, or forming new nucleotides would not occur simply because energy is not available.

Biological evolution is an ongoing process defined as ‘descent with modification’. Theories of evolution are founded upon the central concept that all life on Earth has a common ancestor. By the transformation of species throughout time, including changes within a species and the origin of new species, this ancestor gave life to the diversity of organisms seen today (Losos, 2015). This diversity includes changes in gene frequency between generations, or the descent of various species from a common ancestor over many generations (Museum of Paleontology). The fundamental model of evolution is deduced from fossil records and evolutionary change (natural selection), and inferred by the examination of phylogeny. Therefore, evolution is summarised

Mitochondrion’s most important job is to produce energy through cellular respiration. Mitochondria does this by taking in nutrients from the cell itself, breaking it down and then turning it into energy. Then, the energy gathered is utilised by the cell to carry out various functions, hence this organelle is also known as the ‘powerhouse’ of the cell. Its purpose is to keep the cell full of energy.

Function: Mitochondria contain enzymes which are involved in respiration. It is where ATP is produced consequently from the result of aerobic respiration; producing energy. Mitochondria are also used for metabolism which involves a lot of energy. Also it experiences chemical reactions and releases many hormones such as glycogen and insulin around the body which also requires a lot of energy. In addition to this, mitochondria are also involved in protein synthesis.

Generally, cells are known to be homoplasmic – all copies of the mitochondrial DNA (there are thousands in a cell) are identical and not mutated. In pathogenic conditions, cells are known to be heteroplasmic; that is, some copies of the mitochondrial DNA are normal while others are mutated.

Mitochondria are double membrane bound organelles that are essential for producing 95% of our cells energy in the form of ATP1. We have around a hundred to a thousand of these organelles present in each of our cells and they are unique to other organelles in that they contain their own DNA1. But why is this? And how has this benefited the cell in evolutionary terms? Mitochondria are most commonly thought of as the ‘power house’ of the cell due to ATP production being their main function however they have also evolved with many other abilities. I plan to focus how the mitochondria came about and how its structure and function have changed. As mitochondria have many functions I will be looking specifically into mitochondria’s roles in ATP production