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A chemotroph is an organism that obtains energy by the oxidation of electron donors in their environments. [1] These molecules can be organic (chemoorganotrophs) or inorganic (chemolithotrophs). The chemotroph designation is in contrast to phototrophs, which use photons. Chemotrophs can be either autotrophic or heterotrophic.
Venenivibrio stagnispumantis gains energy by oxidizing hydrogen gas.. In biochemistry, chemosynthesis is the biological conversion of one or more carbon-containing molecules (usually carbon dioxide or methane) and nutrients into organic matter using the oxidation of inorganic compounds (e.g., hydrogen gas, hydrogen sulfide) or ferrous ions as a source of energy, rather than sunlight, as in ...
A lithoautotroph is an organism that derives energy from reactions of reduced compounds of mineral (inorganic) origin. [1] Two types of lithoautotrophs are distinguished by their energy source; photolithoautotrophs derive their energy from light, while chemolithoautotrophs (chemolithotrophs or chemoautotrophs) derive their energy from chemical reactions. [1]
Chemoorganotrophs are organisms which use the chemical energy in organic compounds as their energy source and obtain electrons or hydrogen from the organic compounds, including sugars (i.e. glucose), fats and proteins. [2] Chemoheterotrophs also obtain the carbon atoms that they need for cellular function from these organic compounds.
Photoautotrophs are organisms that can utilize light energy from sunlight and elements (such as carbon) from inorganic compounds to produce organic materials needed to sustain their own metabolism (i.e. autotrophy). Such biological activities are known as photosynthesis, and examples of such organisms include plants, algae and cyanobacteria.
When animals and fungi consume plants, they use cellular respiration to break down these stored carbohydrates to make energy available to cells. [2] Both animals and plants temporarily store the released energy in the form of high-energy molecules, such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), for use in various cellular processes. [3]
The energy is captured as a proton motive force for use by the cell. The key enzymes involved in this reaction are the hydrogenases , which cleave molecular hydrogen and feed its electrons into the electron transport chain , where they are carried to the final acceptor, O 2 , extracting energy in the process.
Fermentation is another process by which cells can extract energy from glucose. It is not a form of cellular respiration, but it does generate ATP, break down glucose, and produce waste products. Fermentation, like aerobic respiration, begins by breaking glucose into two pyruvate molecules.