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Mitochondria are able to produce their own
Explanation
Mitochondria are semi-autonomous organelles that possess their own genetic material, known as mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) [1][2]. This mtDNA contains the necessary information to encode specific components of the organelle, including ribosomal RNAs, transfer RNAs, and several essential polypeptides [1][2]. Consequently, mitochondria have their own internal protein synthesis machinery, including mitoribosomes, which allows them to produce some of their own proteins independently of the cell's nuclear DNA [1][3][4]. While they rely on the import of many proteins from the cytoplasm for their growth and function, their ability to perform intraorganellar translation is a defining characteristic [2]. They do not produce a nucleus, as they are organelles within a eukaryotic cell, nor do they produce chloroplasts, which are distinct organelles found in plants. Digestive enzymes are primarily associated with lysosomes rather than mitochondrial synthesis.
Sources
- [1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4099522/
- [2] https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(16)31231-4
- [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK26828/
- [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK9905/