SAM meristematic cells of Arabidopsis and most likely other plants,
because these cells give rise to the floral meristem (Fig. 1C), the germ
lines, and ultimately—and most importantly—the female gametes.
In Arabidopsis and many other species, the female gametes are
responsible for the exclusive transmission of all of their chondriome
to the newly formed zygote and thus to the new generations.16,17
In this context, the presence of such a homogenizing mechanism in
SAM cells is critically important for preserving the stability of the
mitochondrial traits that have to be passed on to future gametes and
embryos, i.e., to prevent speciation.
Thus, our hypothesis (Fig. 1C) postulates that mitochondrial
reticulation starts as soon as the embryo germinates and produces a