Question

Microorganisms give rise to...

1. Mitochondria (Not sure about this one. We learned about endosymbiosis and how the mitochondria may have started out as a microbe that over time became integrated into cells, but I'm not sure if that counts)

2. DNA (I think this is a choice because microorganisms have DNA!)

3. Microorganisms (I think this is a choice because microorganisms reproduce and thus give rise to other microorganisms)

4. Proteins (I feel like this should be one because the microbes contain DNA and the genetic code is conserved for all lifeforms)

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY. There may be more than one answer

My musings are in italics- and I could be way off base. This question confuses me although it is likely very simple.

Thanks for the guidance

Answer 1

Ans. The phrase “give rise to” means “form, produce, generate, etc.”.

For the given sentence, the meaning is more meaningful when the “give rise to” means “produce independent entities” because the phrase actually means so.

# Therefore, correct option is – 3. Microorganisms give rise to 3. microorganisms.

Microorganisms give rise to microorganisms through reproduction.

# Option 1. Incorrect. No doubt, mitochondria evolves from aerobic, heterotrophic bacteria during early periods of evolution. However, the same statement is NOT true for present tense. Nowadays, microorganisms don’t form mitochondria – it happened only during evolution of eukaryotes.

That is –

“Microorganisms gave rise to mitochondria” is true BUT Microorganisms give rise to mitochondria” is false.

# Option 2, 4. Incorrect. Microorganisms produce or form DNA and Protein. However, the DNA and protein molecules do not act as independent (self-sustaining) entities (say, microorganisms). So, these options are incorrect.

Note for options 2, 4: If the phrase “give rise to” is considered in generalized terms meaning equivalent to “produce or form”, both the options are true because microorganisms produce DNA and protein.