1. An organism, especially a microorganism or mutant, that cannot synthesize one or more essential compounds and therefore requires them to be supplied in the growth medium.
Usage: technical; biology; microbiology

Examples

• The laboratory cultured an auxotroph that could not produce its own amino acids.
• Researchers used auxotrophs to study metabolic pathways in bacteria.
• An auxotroph requires supplemental nutrients that wild-type organisms can synthesize independently.
• The mutation created an auxotroph dependent on external biotin for survival.
• Auxotrophs are valuable tools in genetic research and strain development.