prototroph
/ˈproʊtəˌtroʊf/
noun
- An organism that can make all the nutrients it needs from simple substances, without requiring special organic compounds from its environment.
- Many bacteria are prototrophs that can grow on a simple mixture of minerals and sugar.
- A prototroph does not need vitamins or amino acids added to its food.
- In the lab, scientists compare prototrophs to auxotrophs to study genetic mutations.
Antonyms