According to the endosymbiotic theory, it was adaptive for the larger host cell to keep the engulfed cell alive, rather than digesting it as food because ________.
A) the engulfed cell provided the host cell with adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
B) the engulfed cell provided the host cell with carbon dioxide
C) the engulfed cell allowed the host cell to metabolize glucose
D) the host cell was able to survive anaerobic conditions with the engulfed cell alive

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The engulfed cell, which evolved into a mitochondrion, provided the host cell with ATP, a critical energy molecule, making the relationship mutually beneficial and a key factor in the evolution of eukaryotic cells according to the endosymbiotic theory.

According to the Endosymbiotic Theory, It Was Adaptive for the Larger