The apicomplexans have gone through extensive evolutionary reduction, in which the apicoplast has retained some genetic capabilities from an ancestral chloroplast in order to
A) allow only for phototrophic dark reactions.
B) produce low levels of ATP as backup metabolism.
C) fix carbon dioxide only.
D) absorb blue/green light only.
E) participate in fatty acid metabolism.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The apicoplast participates in fatty acid metabolism and is thought to have originated from an ancestral chloroplast that was retained during evolutionary reduction. This allows the apicomplexans to perform their metabolic functions using a combination of host-derived and endosymbiont-derived enzymes.

The Apicomplexans Have Gone Through Extensive Evolutionary Reduction, in Which