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Wordabulary

endosymbiosis

Pronunciation
Noun C1 Advanced

Quick answer

A relationship in which one organism lives inside the cells of another, to the point that the two become mutually dependent, as is believed to have happened with mitochondria.

"The theory of endosymbiosis suggests mitochondria were once free-living bacteria absorbed by an ancestral cell."

Test yourself

Which word fits the gap? "The theory of _____ suggests mitochondria were once free-living bacteria absorbed by an ancestral cell."

Answer: endosymbiosis

In your own words, what does "endosymbiosis" mean?

A relationship in which one organism lives inside the cells of another, to the point that the two become mutually dependent, as is believed to have happened with mitochondria.

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