Definition

An organism that cannot produce certain necessary substances for growth and metabolism due to genetic changes.

Example

The auxotroph required specific nutrients that its wild-type counterpart could produce on its own.

Conversation

Did you hear about the new bacteria strain they discovered at the lab?

No, what’s special about it?

It's an auxotroph, which means it can't make certain nutrients anymore.

That's interesting! I wonder how that affects its growth.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Auxotroph is formed from "auxo-" (from Greek "auxein", meaning to grow or increase) and "troph" (from Greek "trophe", meaning nourishment or food). The word describes an organism that requires additional nutrients for growth, as it cannot synthesize them on its own.

Memory Tip

Think of 'growing' ('auxo-') and needing 'nourishment' ('troph') to remember that an auxotroph is an organism that needs extra nutrients to grow.

Visually Confused Words