The mitosome has been detected only in anaerobic or microaerophilic eukaryotes which do not have fully developed mitochondria, and hence do not have the capability of gaining energy from mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation.[2] The functions of mitosomes, while varied, have not yet been well characterized,[2] but they may be associated with sulfate metabolism and biosynthesis of phospholipids and Fe–S clusters.[2][6][8][9] Mitosomes, like other MROs, likely evolved from mitochondria,[3][10] based on similarities in structure, function, and biochemical signaling pathways,[3][4][5][6][10] and may have convergently evolved across eukaryote lineages.[2][9]
^ abBakatselou C, Beste D, Kadri AO, Somanath S, Clark CG (2003). "Analysis of genes of mitochondrial origin in the genus Entamoeba". The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology. 50 (3): 210–214. doi:10.1111/j.1550-7408.2003.tb00119.x. PMID12836878. S2CID85169619.
^Tovar J, León-Avila G, Sánchez LB, Sutak R, Tachezy J, van der Giezen M, et al. (November 2003). "Mitochondrial remnant organelles of Giardia function in iron-sulphur protein maturation". Nature. 426 (6963): 172–176. Bibcode:2003Natur.426..172T. doi:10.1038/nature01945. PMID14614504. S2CID4402808.
^ abDolezal P, Makki A, Dyall SD (2019). "Protein Import into Hydrogenosomes and Mitosomes". In Tachezy J (ed.). Hydrogenosomes and Mitosomes: Mitochondria of Anaerobic Eukaryotes. Microbiology Monographs. Vol. 9. Cham: Springer International Publishing. pp. 31–84. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-17941-0_3. ISBN978-3-030-17941-0.