Biology:Organotroph

Short description: Organism that obtains energy from organic substrates

An organotroph is an organism that obtains hydrogen or electrons from organic substrates. This term is used in microbiology to classify and describe organisms based on how they obtain electrons for their respiration processes. Some organotrophs such as animals and many bacteria, are also heterotrophs. Organotrophs can be either anaerobic or aerobic.

Antonym: Lithotroph, Adjective: Organotrophic.

History

The term was suggested in 1946 by Lwoff and collaborators.

See also

• Autotroph
• Chemoorganotroph
• Primary nutritional groups

References

• Michael Allaby. "organotroph." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999, Retrieved 2012-03-30 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-organotroph.html
• The Prokaryotes - A Handbook on the Biology of Bacteria 3rd Ed., Vol 1, CHAPTER 1.4, Prokaryote Characterization and Identification 7, Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/doc/9724380/1The-Prokaryotes-A-Handbook-on-the-Biology-of-Bacteria-3rd-Ed-Vol-1
• Respiration in aquatic ecosystems Paul A. Del Giorgio, Peter J. leB. Williams, Science, 2005, Retrieved 2012-04-24 from https://books.google.com/books?id=pD5RUDW1m7IC&pg=PP1
• Holmes, Andrew J.; Tujula, Niina A.; Holley, Marita; Contos, Annalisa; James, Julia M.; Rogers, Peter; Gillings, Michael R. (April 2001). "Phylogenetic structure of unusual aquatic microbial formations in Nullarbor caves, Australia". Environmental Microbiology 3 (4): 256–264. doi:10.1046/j.1462-2920.2001.00187.x. PMID 11359511. 
• Jones, J. Gwynfryn; Davison, William; Gardener, Steven (1984). "Iron reduction by bacteria: range of organisms involved and metals reduced". FEMS Microbiology Letters 21: 133–136. doi:10.1111/j.1574-6968.1984.tb00198.x. 

External links

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