An anaerobic prokaryote engulfs a prokaryote capable of using oxygen to produce energy. The anaerobe could now perform

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When an anaerobic prokaryote engulfs a prokaryote capable of using oxygen to produce energy, it can potentially integrate the engulfed prokaryote's capabilities into its own system. This is thought to be a key step in the evolution of eukaryotic cells, where ancestral eukaryotic cells engulfed aerobic bacteria, leading to the development of mitochondria. Thus, the anaerobic prokaryote could begin to perform aerobic metabolism, utilizing oxygen to produce energy more efficiently. This scenario does not directly imply the acquisition of photosynthesis, which involves the conversion of light energy into chemical energy, nor does it suggest that the anaerobe would continue to perform only anaerobic metabolism.

An Anaerobic Prokaryote Engulfs a Prokaryote Capable of Using Oxygen