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ratus, endoplasmic reticulum and riboso- 2. Again, assume that all these im-
me—somehow evolved inside the main possible events actually took place and
cell. And thus plant cells came into be- that the cells claimed to be the forerun-
ing. ners of chloroplasts were swallowed by
This thesis is nothing more than a the main cell. We now face another
figment of the imagination. Indeed, it problem: the blueprint for all the orga-
has been criticized in many respects by nelles in the cell is encoded in DNA. If
many scientists regarded as authorities the main cell is to use as organelles other
on the subject—D. Lloyd 141 , Gray and cells it has engulfed, then it needs to ha-
Doolittle 142 and Raff and Mahler, for ve the information concerning them co-
example. ded in its DNA beforehand. Indeed, the
The fact on which the endosymbiosis DNA of the swallowed cells would have
thesis is based is that the chloroplasts in- to possess information regarding the ma-
side the cell have their own DNA separa- in cell. Such a thing is of course impos-
te from that of the main cell. Based on sible. No living thing carries genetic in-
that distinction, it is claimed that mitoc- formation for an organ it does not pos-
hondria and chloroplasts were once in- sess. It is impossible for the DNA of the
dependent cells. Yet when chloroplasts main cell and that of the engulfed cells
are examined in detail, the invalidity of to have later adapted to one another.
this claim becomes apparent. 3. Within the cell, there is enormous
The points that invalidate the en- harmony. Chloroplasts do not act inde-
dosymbiosis thesis are as follows: pendently of the cell to which they be-
1. If chloroplasts had really once be- long. In addition to being dependent on
en swallowed by a larger cell when they the main DNA in protein synthesis, the
were living independently, as is claimed, chloroplasts do not make the decision to
then the only one result would have been multiply themselves. In any one cell,
their digestion and use as food by the there are more than one chloroplast and
main cell. Even if we assume that the mitochondrion. Just as with other orga-
main cell did mistakenly absorb these nelles, their numbers rise or fall in line
cells instead of food, its enzymes would with cell activity.
have digested them. Naturally, evolutio- The fact that these organelles contain
nists may try to gloss over this point by their own separate DNA is of particular
claiming that the digestive enzymes had benefit when it comes to replication. As
disappeared. But this is a manifest con- the cell divides, the chloroplasts also se-
tradiction. If the digestive enzymes had parate in two, thus doubling their num-
vanished, then the main cell would have bers, so that cell division takes place
died for lack of nourishment. more quickly and orderly.

THE EVOLUTION IMPASSE I