metabolites

(noun)

Metabolites are the intermediates and products of metabolism. The term metabolite is usually restricted to small molecules. Metabolites have various functions, including fuel, structure, signaling, stimulatory and inhibitory effects on enzymes, catalytic activity of their own (usually as a cofactor to an enzyme), defense, and interactions with other organisms (e.g. pigments, odorants, and pheromones).

Related Terms

Examples of metabolites in the following topics:

  • Primary and Secondary Metabolites

    • Metabolites can be categorized into both primary and secondary metabolites.
    • Primary metabolites are involved in growth, development, and reproduction of the organism.
    • The primary metabolite is typically a key component in maintaining normal physiological processes; thus, it is often referred to as a central metabolite.
    • Secondary metabolites are typically organic compounds produced through the modification of primary metabolite synthases.
    • Secondary metabolites do not play a role in growth, development, and reproduction like primary metabolites do, and are typically formed during the end or near the stationary phase of growth.

  • Polyketide Antibiotics

    • Polyketides are secondary metabolites produced from bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals.
    • Polyketides are secondary metabolites produced from bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals.
    • Unlike primary metabolites, the absence of secondary metabolites does not result in immediate death, but rather in long-term impairment of the organism's survivability, fecundity, or aesthetics, or perhaps in no significant change at all.
    • Secondary metabolites are often restricted to a narrow set of species within a phylogenetic group.
    • Humans use secondary metabolites as medicines, flavorings, and recreational drugs.

  • Metabolomics

    • Metabolomics is the scientific study of chemical processes involving metabolites.
    • METLIN contained over 10,000 metabolites and tandem mass spectral data.
    • Metabolites are the intermediates and products of metabolism.
    • In plant-based metabolomics, it is common to refer to "primary metabolites," which are directly involved in growth, development and reproduction, and "secondary metabolites," which are indirectly involved in growth, development and reproduction.
    • These measurements may be digitized spectra, or a list of metabolite levels.

  • Inhibiting Essential Metabolite Synthesis

    • An antimetabolite is a chemical that inhibits the use of a metabolite, a chemical that is part of normal metabolism.
    • An antimetabolite is a chemical that inhibits the use of a metabolite, a chemical that is part of normal metabolism.
    • Such substances are often similar in structure to the metabolite that they interfere with, such as antifolates that interfere with the use of folic acid.

  • Nonribosomal Peptide Antibiotics

    • Nonribosomal peptides (NRP) are a class of peptide secondary metabolites which can function as antibiotics.
    • Nonribosomal peptides (NRP) are a class of peptide secondary metabolites, usually produced by microorganisms like bacteria and fungi.

  • Clostridial and Propionic Acid Fermentation

    • Acetic acid is equally a co-metabolite of the organic substrates' fermentation (sugars, glycerol, lactic acid, etc.) by diverse groups of microorganisms which produce different acids: Propionic bacteria (propionate + acetate), Clostridium (butyrate + acetate), Enterobacteria (acetate + lactate), Hetero-fermentative bacteria (acetate, propionate, butyrate, valerate, etc.)
    • In this reaction, the intermediary metabolites produced are metabolized to acetate, hydrogen, and carbonic gas by the three main groups of bacteria—homoacetogens, syntrophes, and sulphoreductors.
    • Acetic acid is equally a co-metabolite of the organic substrates' fermentation (sugars, glycerol, lactic acid, etc.) by diverse groups of microorganisms, which produce different acids:

  • Ergot Poisoning

    • Alkaloids are produced within various organisms as a secondary metabolite.
    • Secondary metabolites are most commonly produced in plants as a defense system.

  • Organ Toxicity

    • The liver is an important site for the breakdown of most metabolites in the body, and is referred to as the "metabolic clearing house" of the body.
    • If they are compromised, this leads to further accumulation of potentially toxic metabolites further damaging organs in the body.

  • Mechanisms of Resistance

    • Environmentally-mediated antimicrobial resistance is affected by the environment's chemical and physical properties such as pH, anaerobic conditions, cation concentrations (calcium, magnesium), and thymine-thymidine content (available metabolites and nutrients).

  • Overview of Gram-Positive Bacteria and Actinobacteria

    • Actinobacteria are well-known as secondary metabolite producers and are hence of high pharmacological and commercial interest.