Question map
Which one of the following groups of cellular organelles contains DNA?
Explanation
In eukaryotic cells, DNA is primarily located within the nucleus, where it is organized into chromosomes and serves as the blueprint for inheritance [3]. However, certain organelles also possess their own independent genetic material, known as organellar DNA [2]. Mitochondria contain mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which is typically small and circular, resembling bacterial DNA [2]. Similarly, chloroplasts in plant cells contain chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) [3]. These organelles are thought to have originated from free-living prokaryotes through endosymbiosis, explaining why they maintain their own genomes and replication machinery [3]. Other cellular components mentioned in the options, such as Golgi bodies, ribosomes, and the plasma membrane, do not contain DNA; ribosomes are involved in protein synthesis using RNA, and the Golgi apparatus is part of the endomembrane system for protein modification.
Sources
- [3] https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-biology/heredity/non-mendelian-genetics/a/mitochondrial-and-chloroplast-dna-inheritance
- [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organellar_DNA
- [1] Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: How do Organisms Reproduce? > 7.1 DO ORGANISMS CREATE EXACT COPIES OF THEMSEL THEMSELVES? > p. 113