The chloroplast of red algae retains certain pigments that have been lost in green algal chloroplasts.The evolutionary significance of this is that
A) red algae are cyanobacteria.
B) neither green algae nor red algae can be classified as protists.
C) the genes encoding these pigments originate from the archaeal heterotroph that engulfed the chloroplast.
D) the genes encoding these pigments are of a proteobacterial origin.
E) the genes encoding these pigments are of cyanobacterial origin.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The retention of pigments in red algae chloroplasts suggests that the chloroplasts have an evolutionary origin from cyanobacteria. Therefore, the genes encoding these pigments are likely to be of cyanobacterial origin.

The Chloroplast of Red Algae Retains Certain Pigments That Have