True or False: Loss of the cell wall is required for the endosymbiotic theory.

The endosymbiotic theory proposes that certain organelles within eukaryotic cells originated as free-living prokaryotes that were engulfed by ancestral eukaryotic cells. A key aspect of this theory is that the engulfed prokaryotes must lose their ability to survive independently, which includes the loss of their cell wall. In the context of the theory, the loss of the cell wall allows for the establishment of a symbiotic relationship with the host cell, allowing the engulfed prokaryote to become a permanent part of the host's cellular machinery.

By losing the cell wall, these engulfed prokaryotes can interact more effectively with the host cell, share resources, and contribute to cellular processes such as energy production. Thus, in the context of the endosymbiotic theory, the statement that the loss of the cell wall is required aligns with the idea that successful endosymbiosis leads to a functional integration of the engulfed organism into the host, transforming it into an organelle such as a mitochondrion or chloroplast.