1. The ability of an organism to synthesize all necessary organic compounds from inorganic substances, requiring only basic nutrients such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and minerals.
Usage: biology; microbiology; technical term

Examples

• Plants exhibit prototrophy by converting sunlight and inorganic nutrients into organic compounds.
• Many bacteria demonstrate prototrophy, allowing them to grow on minimal media without added amino acids.
• Prototrophy is a key characteristic that distinguishes autotrophic organisms from heterotrophic ones.
• Scientists study prototrophy in microorganisms to understand metabolic pathways.
• A prototrophic strain can survive on a basic growth medium, unlike auxotrophic mutants.