Chemoorganotrophs are
organismsIn biology, an organism is any living system . In at least some form, all organisms are capable of response to stimuli, reproduction, growth and development, and maintenance of homeostasis as a stable whole...
which use
organic compoundAn organic compound is any member of a large class of chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon. For historical reasons discussed below, a few types of compounds such as carbonates, simple oxides of carbon and cyanides, as well as the allotropes of carbon, are considered inorganic...
s as their
energyIn physics, energy is a scalar physical quantity that describes the amount of work that can be performed by a force, an attribute of objects and systems that is subject to a conservation law...
source. These organic chemicals include
glucoseGlucose , a monosaccharide also known as - grape sugar, blood sugar, or corn sugar, is a very important carbohydrate in biology. The living cell uses it as a source of energy and metabolic intermediate...
and
acetateAn acetate, or ethanoate, is either a salt or ester of ethanoic acid.In chemistry, the abbreviation Ac refers to the acetyl group. The anion and the functional group may be written as −OAc and AcO−, or OAc respectively...
. All
animalsAnimals are a major group of mostly multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously...
are chemoorganotrophs, as are
fungiA fungus is any member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. The Fungi are classified as a kingdom that is separate from plants, animals and bacteria...
,
protozoaProtozoa or Cornelius protozoans Protozoa or Cornelius protozoans Protozoa or Cornelius protozoans (from Greek πρῶτον proton "first" and ζῷα zoa "animals"; singular protozoon; (the word "protozoan" is originally an adjective, used as a noun) are microorganisms classified as unicellular eukaryotes....
and some
bacteriaThe bacteria are a large group of unicellular microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
. Indeed, most
heterotrophA Heterotroph is an organism that uses organic carbon for growth. This contrasts with autotrophs, such as plants, which are able to directly use sources of energy, such as light to produce organic substrates from inorganic carbon dioxide.- Ecology :Heterotrophs are known as consumers in food...
s are chemoorganotrophs. However, chemolithotrophs instead use
inorganic compoundTraditionally, inorganic compounds are considered to be of a mineral, not biological, origin. Complementarily, most organic compounds are traditionally viewed as being of biological origin...
s as a source of energy.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Chemoorganotroph'
Start a new discussion about 'Chemoorganotroph'
Answer questions from other users
|
Chemoorganotrophs are
organismsIn biology, an organism is any living system . In at least some form, all organisms are capable of response to stimuli, reproduction, growth and development, and maintenance of homeostasis as a stable whole...
which use
organic compoundAn organic compound is any member of a large class of chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon. For historical reasons discussed below, a few types of compounds such as carbonates, simple oxides of carbon and cyanides, as well as the allotropes of carbon, are considered inorganic...
s as their
energyIn physics, energy is a scalar physical quantity that describes the amount of work that can be performed by a force, an attribute of objects and systems that is subject to a conservation law...
source. These organic chemicals include
glucoseGlucose , a monosaccharide also known as - grape sugar, blood sugar, or corn sugar, is a very important carbohydrate in biology. The living cell uses it as a source of energy and metabolic intermediate...
and
acetateAn acetate, or ethanoate, is either a salt or ester of ethanoic acid.In chemistry, the abbreviation Ac refers to the acetyl group. The anion and the functional group may be written as −OAc and AcO−, or OAc respectively...
. All
animalsAnimals are a major group of mostly multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously...
are chemoorganotrophs, as are
fungiA fungus is any member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. The Fungi are classified as a kingdom that is separate from plants, animals and bacteria...
,
protozoaProtozoa or Cornelius protozoans Protozoa or Cornelius protozoans Protozoa or Cornelius protozoans (from Greek πρῶτον proton "first" and ζῷα zoa "animals"; singular protozoon; (the word "protozoan" is originally an adjective, used as a noun) are microorganisms classified as unicellular eukaryotes....
and some
bacteriaThe bacteria are a large group of unicellular microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
. Indeed, most
heterotrophA Heterotroph is an organism that uses organic carbon for growth. This contrasts with autotrophs, such as plants, which are able to directly use sources of energy, such as light to produce organic substrates from inorganic carbon dioxide.- Ecology :Heterotrophs are known as consumers in food...
s are chemoorganotrophs. However, chemolithotrophs instead use
inorganic compoundTraditionally, inorganic compounds are considered to be of a mineral, not biological, origin. Complementarily, most organic compounds are traditionally viewed as being of biological origin...
s as a source of energy.