endosymbiosis

noun

en·do·sym·bi·o·sis ˌen-dō-ˌsim-bī-ˈō-səs

-bē-

: symbiosis in which a symbiont dwells within the body of its symbiotic partner

endosymbiont

ˌen-dō-ˈsim-bī-ˌänt

-bē-

noun

endosymbiotic

ˌen-dō-ˌsim-bī-ˈä-tik

-bē-

adjective

Examples of endosymbiosis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web While this is the first time endosymbiosis has been found in vertebrates, it's been observed in lots of other living things, like the nitrogen-fixing bacteria that live on the roots of some plants. —

Valerie Ross, Discover Magazine, 5 Apr. 2011 Understanding the mechanisms that stabilize symbiotic relationships could provide valuable insights into the first eukaryotes, which seem to have evolved from ancient endosymbiosis. —

Quanta Magazine, 7 June 2021 If future studies confirm these findings, this mechanism might have significance beyond the context of endosymbiosis. —

Quanta Magazine, 7 June 2021 The first endosymbiosis occurred when a prokaryote—a single-cell organism without a nucleus—engulfed a bacterium, producing the first eukaryotic cell about 1.7 billion years ago. —

Viviane Callier, Smithsonian, 23 Oct. 2019 So the easiest solution is often for cells with dissimilar abilities and complementary needs to merge, explains John McCutcheon, an endosymbiosis researcher at the University of Montana. —

Quanta Magazine, 3 Oct. 2019 Researchers call this type of evolutionary merger between two eukaryotes a secondary endosymbiosis. —

Viviane Callier, Smithsonian, 23 Oct. 2019 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'endosymbiosis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.