Question

1. which of the following statements best supports the claim that certain organelles within eukaryotic cells evolved from free - living prokaryotic cells?

(a) the cytoplasm of both eukaryotes and prokaryotes is surrounded by a plasma membrane.
(b) eukaryotes and prokaryotes both contain ribosomes, but the ribosomes of eukaryotes are more complex in structure than those of prokaryotes.
(c) eukaryotes exchange segments of internal membranes between the endoplasmic reticulum and golgi apparatus, but prokaryotes have no such internal membranes.
(d) some organelles contain their own dna that is more similar to prokaryotic dna in structure and function than to the eukaryotic dna found in the cells nucleus.

Explanation:

The endosymbiotic theory suggests that some organelles (like mitochondria and chloroplasts) within eukaryotic cells evolved from free - living prokaryotes. One of the evidences is that these organelles have their own DNA. This DNA is more similar to prokaryotic DNA in structure and function than to the eukaryotic DNA found in the cell's nucleus. Option (D) directly addresses this key evidence related to organelle DNA similarity to prokaryotic DNA, which supports the claim of organelle evolution from free - living prokaryotes.

Answer:

D. Some organelles contain their own DNA that is more similar to prokaryotic DNA in structure and function than to the eukaryotic DNA found in the cell's nucleus.