Why is there DNA in the mitochondria?

gdec1

"It codes for key components of our energy production system, i.e., it is a piece of coded information in the mitochondria the purpose of which is to extract energy from food molecules suspended in the cytoplasm outside the nucleus." http://www.ramsdale.org/dna1.htm Jul 15 06, 6:25 AM

zbeckabee

McGruff--Looks like I'm your sister!!! From gdec1's link: "Mitochondrial DNAs from 147 people, drawn from five geographic populations, have been analyzed by restriction mapping. All these mitochondrial DNAs stem from one woman who is postulated to have lived about 200,000 years ago..." Jul 15 06, 7:06 AM

Arpeggionist

It is supposed by many a respectale scientist that mitochondria were once life forms in their own right, and when one fused with another cell, the two life forms developped a symbiotic relationship that resulted eventually in the evolution and development of multicellular life - thus making mitochondrial DNA a remnant of the "good ol' days" when they were independent beings on their own. Jul 15 06, 2:40 PM

McGruff

How come Mom never told me about you? Jul 15 06, 4:13 PM

zbeckabee

She was afraid you'd want to keep me. Jul 15 06, 6:59 PM