Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Anatomy of Chloroplasts01:08

The Anatomy of Chloroplasts

Green algae and plants, including green stems and unripe fruit, harbor specialized organelles called chloroplasts to carry out photosynthesis. They coordinate both stages of photosynthesis — the light-dependent reactions and the light-independent reactions. The light-dependent reactions use sunlight to release oxygen and produce chemical energy in the form of ATP and NADPH, and the light-independent reactions capture CO2 and use ATP and NADPH to produce sugar.
Structure of Chloroplasts
A...
Eukaryotic Evolution01:24

Eukaryotic Evolution

The endosymbiont theory is the most widely accepted theory of eukaryotic evolution; however, its progression is still somewhat debated. According to the nucleus-first hypothesis, the ancestral prokaryote first evolved a membrane to enclose DNA and form the nucleus. Conversely, the mitochondria-first hypothesis suggests that the nucleus was formed after endosymbiosis of mitochondria.
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...
Plasmodesmata02:32

Plasmodesmata

The organs in a multicellular organism’s body are made up of tissues formed by cells. To work together cohesively, cells must communicate. One way that cells communicate is through direct contact with other cells. The points of contact that connect adjacent cells are called intercellular junctions.
Plasmodesmata01:20

Plasmodesmata

In a multicellular organism, cells must communicate to work together in a coordinated manner. One way that cells communicate is through direct contact with other cells. The points of contact that connect adjacent cells are called intercellular junctions.
Intercellular junctions are a feature of fungal, plant, and animal cells. However, different types of junctions are found in different kinds of cells. Intercellular junctions found in animal cells include tight junctions, gap junctions, and...
Comparing Mitochondrial, Chloroplast, and Prokaryotic Genomes02:16

Comparing Mitochondrial, Chloroplast, and Prokaryotic Genomes

The present-day mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes have retained some of the characteristics of their ancestral prokaryotes and also have acquired new attributes during their evolution within eukaryotic cells. Like prokaryotic genomes, mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes neither bind with histone-like proteins nor show complex packaging into chromosome-like structures, as observed in eukaryotes. Unlike mitotic cell divisions observed in eukaryotic cells, mitochondria and chloroplasts...
Overview of Protists01:27

Overview of Protists

Protists are diverse eukaryotic microorganisms that lack the specialized tissues of plants and animals and the chitinous cell walls of fungi. Their early divergence within Eukarya resulted in structural, functional, and ecological diversity. They are classified into supergroups such as Archaeplastida, Excavata, Amoebozoa, Rhizaria, Alveolata, and Stramenopiles, determined through genetic analysis and structural similarities.Structural and Functional AdaptationsProtists have various adaptations...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Chromoplasts of Tropaeolum majus L.: Isolation and characterization of lipoprotein elements.

Planta·2014
Same author

Composition and molecular structure of chromoplast globules of Viola tricolor.

Plant cell reports·2013
Same author

Structure, composition, and distribution of plastid nucleoids in Narcissus pseudonarcissus.

Planta·2013
Same author

Chromoplasts of Palisota barteri, and the molecular structure of chromoplast tubules.

Planta·2013
Same author

[Evolution of cells].

Die Naturwissenschaften·1996
Same author

Plastid DNA from Pyrenomonas salina (Cryptophyceae): physical map, genes, and evolutionary implications.

Current genetics·1992
Same journal

Assessing variability of endosymbiotic ciliates (Litostomatea, Trichostomatia) using 18S rDNA and ITS region.

European journal of protistology·2026
Same journal

Toward a clarified taxonomy of Parentocirrus hortualis (Ciliophora, Hypotrichia): an integrative analysis of ontogenesis, ultrastructure, morphology, and molecular phylogeny.

European journal of protistology·2026
Same journal

Collaria spinifila sp. nov.: A new species of myxomycete from the urban environment of Shanghai, China.

European journal of protistology·2026
Same journal

Distribution patterns of microbial communities along the environmental gradients in the Yangtze River estuary.

European journal of protistology·2026
Same journal

Iron availability modulates ferric reduction oxidase (FRO) gene expression in the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium pacificum.

European journal of protistology·2026
Same journal

Pentapharsodinium ocelliferum sp. nov. (Ensiculiferaceae, Dinophyceae), a novel armored dinoflagellate with an eyespot from the Philippines.

European journal of protistology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 16, 2026

Visualizing Stromule Frequency with Fluorescence Microscopy
08:27

Visualizing Stromule Frequency with Fluorescence Microscopy

Published on: November 23, 2016

Symbiogenetic evolution of complex cells and complex plastids.

P Sitte1

  • 1Institut für Biologie II, Zellbiologie, Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.

European Journal of Protistology
|December 1, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Mitochondria and plastids originated from prokaryotic cells through symbiosis, a process called intertaxonic combination (ITC). This theory explains eukaryotic cell evolution and complex plastid development in algae.

More Related Videos

Cell-cell Fusion of Genome Edited Cell Lines for Perturbation of Cellular Structure and Function
07:30

Cell-cell Fusion of Genome Edited Cell Lines for Perturbation of Cellular Structure and Function

Published on: December 7, 2019

Plastoglobule Lipid Droplet Isolation from Plant Leaf Tissue and Cyanobacteria
10:35

Plastoglobule Lipid Droplet Isolation from Plant Leaf Tissue and Cyanobacteria

Published on: October 6, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 16, 2026

Visualizing Stromule Frequency with Fluorescence Microscopy
08:27

Visualizing Stromule Frequency with Fluorescence Microscopy

Published on: November 23, 2016

Cell-cell Fusion of Genome Edited Cell Lines for Perturbation of Cellular Structure and Function
07:30

Cell-cell Fusion of Genome Edited Cell Lines for Perturbation of Cellular Structure and Function

Published on: December 7, 2019

Plastoglobule Lipid Droplet Isolation from Plant Leaf Tissue and Cyanobacteria
10:35

Plastoglobule Lipid Droplet Isolation from Plant Leaf Tissue and Cyanobacteria

Published on: October 6, 2022

Area of Science:

  • Cellular Evolution
  • Symbiosis
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Eukaryotic cells (eucytes) contain mitochondria and plastids, believed to originate from prokaryotic cells (protocytes) via endosymbiosis.
  • The Serial Endosymbiont Theory (SET) posits that complex eukaryotic cells arose from stable symbiotic relationships between different cell types.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the role of intertaxonic combination (ITC) as a progressive force in evolution.
  • To detail the evolution of complex plastids as an example of repeated ITC.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of rRNA and protein sequence data to support endosymbiotic origins.
  • Phylogenetic reconstruction of complex plastids in specific algal groups.

Main Results:

  • Intertaxonic combination (ITC) is proposed as a third major evolutionary mechanism alongside mutation and recombination.
  • Complex plastids, with 3-4 membranes, are identified as likely remnants of eukaryotic endosymbionts.
  • The phylogeny of complex plastids in cryptomonads and Chlorarachnion has been elucidated.

Conclusions:

  • The Serial Endosymbiont Theory (SET) provides a framework for understanding eukaryotic cell origins.
  • Intertaxonic combination (ITC), including repeated events, is crucial for understanding evolutionary pathways, particularly in the development of complex plastids.