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Name: Samantha
Status: Student
Age: 15
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: December 2004
Question:
Some microbiologists would say that the existence of life on this planet relies on the relationship between mitochondra and chloroplasts. could you please explain why they think this?


Replies:
I would say because photosynthesis (which provides oxygen) happens in chloroplasts (and also (but also photosynthetic bacteria) and cellular respiration takes place in mitochondria. But that is the simple answer.

vanhoeck

The chloroplast is where energy from sunlight is first incorporated into the chemical bonds of glucose. Mitochondria are where most of the energy inherent in the chemical bonds of glucose is converted to ATP by means of the electron transport chain. The resulting ATP is used to drive all synthetic reactions in all cells.

Ron Baker, Ph.D.


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