Biologists believe that eukaryotic cells evolved from prokaryotes through which process?

• A. Transduction
• B. Binary fission
• C. Endosymbiosis
• D. Conjugation

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of endosymbiosis: Endosymbiosis is a theory that explains how eukaryotic cells may have evolved from prokaryotic cells. It suggests that certain organelles, such as mitochondria and chloroplasts, originated as free-living bacteria that were engulfed by ancestral eukaryotic cells.
2. Identify the key features of eukaryotic cells: Eukaryotic cells are characterized by having a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, which are absent in prokaryotic cells.
3. Explore the evidence supporting endosymbiosis: Mitochondria and chloroplasts have their own DNA, which is similar to bacterial DNA, and they replicate independently of the cell. This supports the idea that they were once independent prokaryotic organisms.
4. Compare endosymbiosis with other processes: Transduction, binary fission, and conjugation are processes related to prokaryotic cells. Transduction involves the transfer of DNA between bacteria via viruses, binary fission is a method of asexual reproduction in prokaryotes, and conjugation is the transfer of genetic material between bacterial cells.
5. Conclude why endosymbiosis is the correct answer: Endosymbiosis specifically addresses the evolution of eukaryotic cells from prokaryotic ancestors by incorporating them as organelles, which is not explained by transduction, binary fission, or conjugation.