Nutrients

Definition

Nutrients are substances that provide the essential elements required for growth, energy, and cellular function. In prokaryotes, nutrients are crucial for metabolic processes and maintaining cellular activities.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Prokaryotes obtain nutrients from their environment through various methods, including absorption and active transport.
2. Nutrients like carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur are critical for the metabolic pathways of prokaryotes.
3. Some prokaryotes can fix atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form through a process called nitrogen fixation.
4. Autotrophic prokaryotes produce their own nutrients using light (photoautotrophs) or chemical reactions (chemoautotrophs).
5. Heterotrophic prokaryotes obtain nutrients by consuming organic molecules from other organisms.

Review Questions

• What are the main types of nutrients necessary for prokaryotic metabolism?
• How do autotrophic and heterotrophic prokaryotes differ in nutrient acquisition?
• What role does nitrogen fixation play in the nutrient cycle of some prokaryotes?

Related terms

Metabolism: The set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms to convert nutrients into energy and building blocks for cells.

Nitrogen Fixation: A process by which certain prokaryotes convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, making it accessible for biological use.

Autotrophs: Organisms that produce their own food from inorganic substances using light or chemical energy.