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. Different from an organotroph is a lithotroph, an organism which obtains its electrons from inorganic substrates.
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 Archived 2009-01-31 at the Wayback Machine 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. Bibcode:2001EnvMi...3..256H. 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.
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