Anavex Life Sciences Corp (AVXL)

[falconer66a]

Mitochondria Not From Viruses

...mitochondria are posited to have come from viruses....

No, not possible. Mitochondria have structures and complex biochemistries never found in viruses, including membranes and complicated enzymes and multi-stage chemical reaction sequences (metabolic in nature).

Viruses are rather simple structures, merely a protein coat and an enclosed RNA or DNA sequence. By themselves, unlike mitochondria, virions (single, discrete virus particles) are unable to replicate or mediate chemical reactions. They must first enter a host cell, where the viral DNA or RNA overrides the innate nucleic acids of the cell. With their nucleic acids, viruses highjack the metabolic and protein synthesis machinery of host cells, directing them to replicate the viruses.

However, it is now presumed, from the seminal work and writings of Lynn Margulis (National Medal of Science, William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement, Darwin-Wallace Medal), that mitochondria originated in archaic, early bacteria; the endosymbiont hypothesis. This insight accounts, then, for distinct mitochondrial DNA and metabolism, which is different from the cellullar DNA of the organism.

The genesis of viruses is a continuing biological uncertainty; a topic too detailed (and not useful) to elaborate upon here.