Examples of inorganic molecule in the following topics:
-
- Chemotrophs are a class of organisms that obtain their energy through the oxidation of inorganic molecules, such as iron and magnesium.
- Chemoautotrophs are able to synthesize their own organic molecules from the fixation of carbon dioxide.
- The energy required for this process comes from the oxidation of inorganic molecules such as iron, sulfur or magnesium.
- Chemoheterotrophs, unlike chemoautotrophs, are unable to synthesize their own organic molecules.
- They do, however, still obtain energy from the oxidation of inorganic molecules like the chemoautotrophs.
-
- These unicellular algae commonly reside in the endoderm of tropical cnidarians such as corals, sea anemones, and jellyfish, where they translocate products of photosynthesis to the host and in turn receive inorganic nutrients (e.g.
- Under normal conditions, symbiont and host cells exchange organic and inorganic molecules that enable the growth and proliferation of both partners.
-
- Hyperthermophiles live in dark regions of the oceans and use chemosynthesis to produce biomass from single carbon molecules.
- In biochemistry, chemosynthesis is the biological conversion of one or more carbon molecules (usually carbon dioxide or methane) and nutrients into organic matter using the oxidation of inorganic molecules (e.g. hydrogen gas, hydrogen sulfide) or methane as a source of energy.
- Many microorganisms in dark regions of the oceans also use chemosynthesis to produce biomass from single carbon molecules.
- In the rare sites at which hydrogen molecules (H2) are available, the energy available from the reaction between CO2 and H2 (leading to production of methane, CH4) can be large enough to drive the production of biomass.
-
- Inorganic nutrients are elements or simply molecules that are made of elements other than carbon and hydrogen.
- Oxygen is an important component of both organic and inorganic compounds.
-
- A lithotroph is an organism that uses an inorganic substrate (usually of mineral origin) to obtain reducing equivalents for use in biosynthesis (e.g., carbon dioxide fixation) or energy conservation via aerobic or anaerobic respiration.
- Known chemolithotrophs are exclusively microbes; no known macrofauna possesses the ability to utilize inorganic compounds as energy sources.
- These molecules can be organic (chemoorganotrophs) or inorganic (chemolithotrophs).
- The electron acceptor can be oxygen (in aerobic bacteria), but a variety of other electron acceptors, organic and inorganic, are also used by various species.
- Other lithotrophs are able to directly utilize inorganic substances, e.g., iron, hydrogen sulfide, elemental sulfur, or thiosulfate, for some or all of their energy needs.
-
- Cofactors can be considered "helper molecules" that assist in biochemical transformations .
- Cofactors are either organic or inorganic.
- Some sources also limit the use of the term "cofactor" to inorganic substances.
- Cofactors can be divided into two broad groups: organic cofactors, such as flavin or heme, and inorganic cofactors, such as the metal ions Mg2+, Cu+, Mn2+, or iron-sulfur clusters.
- This means that each ATP molecule is recycled 1,000 to 1,500 times daily.
-
- In the present day biosphere, the most common electron donors are organic molecules.
- Organisms that use organic molecules as an energy source are called organotrophs.
- Some prokaryotes can use inorganic matter as an energy source.
- This type of metabolism must logically have preceded the use of organic molecules as an energy source.
- Just as there are a number of different electron donors (organic matter in organotrophs, inorganic matter in lithotrophs), there are a number of different electron acceptors, both organic and inorganic.
-
- During phase 1 of this cycle, the CO2 molecule is incorporated into one of two 3-phosphoglycerate molecules (3-PGA).
- Once 3-PGA is formed, one of two molecules formed continues into the reduction phase (phase 2).
- The intermediate of this product is the conversion of NADPH to NADP+ and an inorganic phosphate ion.
- The inorganic phosphate ion is often a result of regulatory metabolic processes.
- It is important to note that these intermediates or products (inorganic phosphate, NADP+ and ADP) processed by phase 2 are often regenerated back into the cycle.
-
- Sulfur oxidation involves the oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds, inorganic sulfur, and thiosulfate to form sulfuric acid.
- Sulfur is an important part of many enzymes and antioxidant molecules such as glutathione and thioredoxin.
- Sulfur oxidation involves the oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds such as sulfide (H2S), inorganic sulfur (S0), and thiosulfate (S2O2−3) to form sulfuric acid (H2SO4).
- Generally, the oxidation of sulfide occurs in stages, with inorganic sulfur being stored either inside or outside of the cell until needed.
- Winogradsky referred to this form of metabolism as inorgoxidation (oxidation of inorganic compounds).
-
- In anaerobic respiration, a molecule other than oxygen is used as the terminal electron acceptor in the electron transport chain.
- Instead, molecules such as sulfate (SO42-), nitrate (NO3-), or sulfur (S) are used as electron acceptors.
- These molecules have a lower reduction potential than oxygen; thus, less energy is formed per molecule of glucose in anaerobic versus aerobic conditions.
- Other inorganic electron acceptors include the reduction of Manganic ion (Mn4+) to manganous (Mn2+), Selenate (SeO42−) to selenite (SeO32−) to selenium (Se), Arsenate (AsO43−) to arsenite (AsO33-), and Uranyl (UO22+) to uranium dioxide (UO2)
- A molecule other than oxygen is used as the terminal electron acceptor in anaerobic respiration.