Could you please explain what this is asking of me?:Compare at least two characteristics of mitochondria to prokaryotic cells and explain how this relates to the endosymbiotic theory. - I'm lost at the part of "two characteristics of mitochondria to prokaryotic cells".

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anonymous · Answer

I think they are driving at the endosymbiont theory which states that at some point in the far past proteobacteria were taken into eukaryotic cells. The bacteria provided energy for the eukaryote and the bacteria got some advantages too - hence the term "symbiosis". So if you can find ways in which mitochondria are like bacteria then you are away to a good start. Here's another hint - bacteria and mitochondria are similar in size. There's a good page on Wikipedia you might have a look at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endosymbiont_theory