Types of metabolite

Authors Avatar by serhad1234hotmailcouk (student)

Distinction 2

A primary metabolite is a kind of metabolite that is directly involved in normal growth, development, and reproduction. A common example of primary metabolite is alcohol which is produced by microbiologists in labs. Ethanol is another example of primary metabolism

Secondary metabolites are organic compounds that are not directly involved in the normal growth, development, or reproduction of an organism. Pigments and antibiotics are both common examples of secondary metabolisms.

Look at the time the two different types are produced, why do you think it’s important for scientists to know what kind of metabolite a product is?

Primary metabolites are a really important component in maintaining normal physiological processes. These Primary metabolites usually produced during the growth phase as a result of energy metabolism, and are deemed essential for proper growth. Some examples of primary metabolites include alcohols such as ethanol, lactic acid, and certain amino acids.

Join now!

Secondary metabolites are organic compounds that are produced by the modifying primary metabolite synthases. Unlike primary metabolites, secondary metabolites are not really important in growth, development, and reproduction. They are formed during the end or near the stationary phase of growth. Secondary metabolites play an important role in ecological function, like the defence mechanism by serving as antibiotics and by producing pigments. However, some secondary metabolites can be important to scientists in the lab and some examples of these types of secondary metabolites are atropine and antibiotics such as erythromycin and bacitracin.

It is important for a scientist to know ...

This is a preview of the whole essay