Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

prototroph

noun

/ˈprəʊtəʊtrɒf/

Definition

An organism that can synthesize all its own amino acids and vitamins from simple inorganic substances.

Examples

Many bacteria are classified as prototrophs because they can grow on minimal media with just simple inorganic salts.
Prototrophic strains were used in the experiment to understand metabolic pathways.

Meaning

Prototrophs are organisms that do not require any pre-formed organic compounds for growth because they can produce all necessary organic compounds from inorganic sources.