A bacterium that is unable to grow on minimal medium is said to be:
A)allotrophic.
B)autotrophic.
C)auxotrophic.
D)heterotrophic.
E)prototrophic.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A bacterium that is unable to grow on minimal medium (medium with minimal nutrients) is said to be auxotrophic. This means that the bacterium cannot synthesize all the necessary biomolecules required for its survival and growth. It needs some specific nutrients or growth factors from the environment for its growth, which are not present in minimal medium. Autotrophic bacteria can synthesize all of their required biomolecules from simple inorganic sources like CO2 and N2. Heterotrophic bacteria can use complex organic compounds as a source of carbon and energy. Allotrophic and prototrophic are not terms used in microbiology.

A Bacterium That Is Unable to Grow on Minimal Medium