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

Eukaryotic Evolution01:24

Eukaryotic Evolution

43.4K
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...
43.4K
Eukaryotic Compartmentalization01:37

Eukaryotic Compartmentalization

19.5K
One of the distinguishing features of eukaryotic cells is that they contain membrane-bound organelles, such as the nucleus and mitochondria, that carry out specialized functions. Since biological membranes are only selectively permeable to solutes, they help create a compartment with controlled conditions inside an organelle. These microenvironments are tailored to the organelle's specific functions and help isolate them from the surrounding cytosol.
For example, lysosomes in the animal...
19.5K
Eukaryotic Compartmentalizations01:46

Eukaryotic Compartmentalizations

182.3K
One of the distinguishing features of eukaryotic cells is that they contain membrane-bound organelles, such as the nucleus and mitochondria, that carry out specialized functions. Since biological membranes are only selectively permeable to solutes, they help create a compartment with controlled conditions inside an organelle. These microenvironments are tailored to the organelle's specific functions and help isolate them from the surrounding cytosol.
For example, lysosomes in the animal cells...
182.3K
Eukaryotic Compartmentalization01:46

Eukaryotic Compartmentalization

28.3K
28.3K
Comparing Mitochondrial, Chloroplast, and Prokaryotic Genomes02:16

Comparing Mitochondrial, Chloroplast, and Prokaryotic Genomes

17.4K
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...
17.4K
Mitochondria01:37

Mitochondria

21.2K
Mitochondria are eukaryotic cellular organelles that are known to produce energy through a process called oxidative phosphorylation. Besides their primary function, mitochondria are involved in various cellular processes, including cell growth, differentiation, signaling, metabolism, and senescence. Age-related changes cause a decline in mitochondrial quality and integrity due to increased mitochondrial mutations and oxidative damage. Thus, aging can severely impact mitochondrial functions,...
21.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

GTRspmix: Capturing Heterogeneity of Exchangeabilities Across Sites to Improve Protein Phylogenetics.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Professional Academies: The Duty to Lead.

Microbial biotechnology·2026
Same author

Modeling Site-and-Branch-Heterogeneity with GFmix.

Systematic biology·2026
Same author

Photosymbiosis: When heterotrophs turn green.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same author

IQ-TREE 3: phylogenomic inference software using complex evolutionary models.

Molecular biology and evolution·2026
Same author

Living together: evolutionary and ecological dimensions of protist endosymbiosis.

microLife·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 21, 2026

Purification of Mitochondria from Yeast Cells
10:39

Purification of Mitochondria from Yeast Cells

Published on: August 24, 2009

25.9K

A Eukaryote without a Mitochondrial Organelle.

Anna Karnkowska1, Vojtěch Vacek2, Zuzana Zubáčová2

  • 1Department of Parasitology, Charles University in Prague, Prague 12843, Czech Republic; Department of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 00478, Poland.

Current Biology : CB
|May 18, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study reveals the first eukaryote, Monocercomonoides, lacking any mitochondria. Its essential iron-sulfur cluster pathway was replaced by a bacterial system, showing mitochondria are not vital for all eukaryotes.

More Related Videos

Analysis of the Expression and Complexes Assembly of the Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Proteins in the Fission Yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe
08:07

Analysis of the Expression and Complexes Assembly of the Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Proteins in the Fission Yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Published on: May 2, 2025

1.1K
Author Spotlight: Decoding Mitochondrial Aging
08:48

Author Spotlight: Decoding Mitochondrial Aging

Published on: June 30, 2023

5.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 21, 2026

Purification of Mitochondria from Yeast Cells
10:39

Purification of Mitochondria from Yeast Cells

Published on: August 24, 2009

25.9K
Analysis of the Expression and Complexes Assembly of the Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Proteins in the Fission Yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe
08:07

Analysis of the Expression and Complexes Assembly of the Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Proteins in the Fission Yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Published on: May 2, 2025

1.1K
Author Spotlight: Decoding Mitochondrial Aging
08:48

Author Spotlight: Decoding Mitochondrial Aging

Published on: June 30, 2023

5.0K

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Eukaryotic Genomics
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Mitochondria are considered essential organelles in all studied eukaryotes.
  • The iron-sulfur cluster assembly pathway is thought to be universally conserved in eukaryotes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the genome of the microbial eukaryote Monocercomonoides sp.
  • To determine the presence and function of mitochondria in this organism.
  • To understand the evolutionary implications of mitochondrial loss in eukaryotes.

Main Methods:

  • Genome sequencing of Monocercomonoides sp.
  • Bioinformatic analysis to identify hallmark mitochondrial proteins.
  • Phylogenetic analysis to infer evolutionary history.

Main Results:

  • Monocercomonoides lacks all hallmark mitochondrial proteins.
  • The organism utilizes a cytosolic sulfur mobilization system (SUF) from bacteria for iron-sulfur cluster assembly.
  • Phylogenetic data suggest secondary loss of the mitochondrion.

Conclusions:

  • Monocercomonoides is the first identified eukaryote completely lacking mitochondria.
  • This finding demonstrates that mitochondria are not absolutely essential for eukaryotic cell viability.
  • Lateral gene transfer from bacteria played a role in adapting to mitochondrial loss.