[Campbell Biology P.646] Based on the information provided, particularly concerning chlorara... | Practice Question

Based on the information provided, particularly concerning chlorarachniophytes and their nucleomorph, how many distinct genomes are expected to be present within a single cell of a chlorarachniophyte?

  • A: 2 (Host nucleus, Plastid)
  • B: 3 (Host nucleus, Host mitochondria, Plastid)
  • C: 4 (Host nucleus, Host mitochondria, Nucleomorph, Plastid)
  • D: 5 (Host nucleus, Host mitochondria, Nucleomorph, Plastid, Remnant alga mitochondria)

Explanation

A chlorarachniophyte is a product of secondary endosymbiosis, where a eukaryotic host cell engulfed a green alga also a eukaryote . Therefore, the chlorarachniophyte cell would contain: 1. The host's nuclear genome. 2. The host's mitochondrial genome. 3. The nucleomorph, which is the vestigial nucleus of the engulfed green alga. 4. The plastid derived from the green alga's chloroplast , which contains its own genome.