Metabolite Metabolites are the intermediates and products of metabolism. The term metabolite is generally limited to small molecules.
Summary
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- 1 Features
- 2 Main metabolite
- 3 Secondary metabolite
- 4 Sources
characteristics
It is the set of anabolic and catabolic chemical processes and reactions by which a metabolite obtains the energy and nutrients it needs to live and reproduce. The specific metabolic characteristics of a metabolite constitute the main criterion for determining its ecological role , its responsibility in biogeochemical cycles and its utility in industrial processes .
Main metabolite
A major metabolite is directly involved in normal growth, development, and reproduction. The Alcohol is an example of a primary metabolite produced in large scale by the microbiological industry.
Secondary metabolite
A secondary metabolite is not directly involved in these processes, but it generally has an important ecological function. Examples include antibiotics and pigments.
Some antibiotics use primary metabolites as precursors, such as actinomycin which is created from the main metabolite tryptophan .
