Which one of the following cell organelles contains DNA?

Which one of the following cell organelles contains DNA?

Golgi apparatus
Mitochondrion
Lysosome
Endoplasmic reticulum
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2020
Eukaryotic cells contain their primary genetic material in the nucleus in the form of chromosomes. However, some organelles within the cytoplasm also contain their own DNA. These include mitochondria, which are responsible for cellular respiration, and in plant cells, chloroplasts, which are responsible for photosynthesis. This organellar DNA is distinct from nuclear DNA and is typically circular, resembling bacterial DNA.
Out of the options provided, only the mitochondrion contains its own DNA (mtDNA). The Golgi apparatus is involved in modifying, sorting, and packaging proteins and lipids. Lysosomes contain digestive enzymes. The Endoplasmic reticulum is involved in protein and lipid synthesis and transport. None of these latter organelles contain DNA.
The presence of DNA in mitochondria and chloroplasts supports the endosymbiotic theory, which proposes that these organelles originated from free-living prokaryotes that were engulfed by early eukaryotic cells.
Exit mobile version