Summary
One of the most citated characteristics of eukaryotic cells are mitochondria and in the case of phototrophic cells, the plastids. These organelles are of eubacterial origin and contain a remnant genome. Here, we present hypotheses concerning the origin of the first mitochondrium-harboring cell and show the evolution of primary, secondary and tertiary plastids. Furthermore we discuss models explaining why plastids have to maintain their own genome.