Endosymbiotic gene transfer

Endosymbiotic gene transfer is the movement of genes from an intracellular symbiont into its host cell’s genome. It has contributed to the reduced genomes of mitochondria and chloroplasts and to the integration of these organelles into eukaryotic cells.

Organelle DNA: DNA found in cellular organelles, including mitochondria and chloroplasts. Mitochondrial and chloroplast genes provide the sequences that can be transferred to the nucleus.
Endosymbiotic theory: The theory that some eukaryotic organelles originated as free-living organisms engulfed by ancestral cells. It explains why organelles retain genes related to their bacterial ancestors.
Mitochondrial genome: The DNA genome retained within mitochondria. Its small size reflects extensive gene loss and transfer during mitochondrial evolution.
Horizontal gene transfer: The movement of genetic material between organisms outside parent-to-offspring inheritance. Endosymbiotic transfer is a specialized form of horizontal gene transfer across a host–symbiont relationship.
Organelle-to-nucleus gene transfer: The movement of genetic material from a mitochondrion or chloroplast into the nuclear genome. This is the best-studied form of endosymbiotic gene transfer.
Mitochondrial evolution: The evolutionary history of mitochondria, including their origin from bacterial ancestors. Mitochondrial gene transfer accumulated during the organelle's integration into eukaryotic cells.
Chloroplast genome: The DNA genome retained within chloroplasts and related plastids. Its remaining genes are a fraction of the ancestral endosymbiont's genetic repertoire.
Endosymbiotic gene transfer in plants: The movement of DNA among plastids, mitochondria, and nuclei in plant cells. Plant cells show frequent exchange among organelle and nuclear genomes, raising questions about transfer rates.
DNA repair: Cellular processes that detect and correct damage to DNA. Repair of nuclear breaks can incorporate DNA fragments released by organelles.
Chloroplast evolution: The evolutionary history of chloroplasts and related plastids from photosynthetic bacterial ancestors. Plastid gene transfer accompanied the evolution of photosynthetic eukaryotes.

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