Inorganic Material

[DavidJames]

Hello,

 

Does anyone know if there is any known living organism that consumes inorganic material as its only source of nutrition in today's world. I've heard it said that inorganic material had to be the only likely source of nutrition available to the first living cell, eons ago.

 

Thanks, David James

[StringJunky]

Hello,

 

Does anyone know if there is any known living organism that consumes inorganic material as its only source of nutrition in today's world. I've heard it said that inorganic material had to be the only likely source of nutrition available to the first living cell, eons ago.

 

Thanks, David James

 

Chemoautotrophs (or chemotrophic autotroph), (Gr: Chemo (χημία) = chemical, auto (αὐτός) = self, troph (τροφιά) = nourishment) in addition to deriving energy from chemical reactions, synthesize all necessary organic compounds from carbon dioxide. Chemoautotrophs use inorganic energy sources, such as hydrogen sulfide, elemental sulfur, ferrous iron, molecular hydrogen, and ammonia. Most are bacteria or archaea that live in hostile environments such as deep sea vents and are the primary producers in such ecosystems. Evolutionary scientists believe that the first organisms to inhabit Earth were chemoautotrophs that produced oxygen as a by-product and later evolved into both aerobic, animal-like organisms and photosynthetic, plant-like organisms.[citation needed] Chemoautotrophs generally fall into several groups: methanogens, halophiles, sulfur oxidizers and reducers, nitrifiers, anammox bacteria, and thermoacidophiles.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemotroph

[LawfulBlade]

Hello,

 

Does anyone know if there is any known living organism that consumes inorganic material as its only source of nutrition in today's world. I've heard it said that inorganic material had to be the only likely source of nutrition available to the first living cell, eons ago.

 

Thanks, David James

 

If by only source of nutrition, you mean that they have no source of carbon, then, no, that doesn't exist. All living things require carbon in their diets, as they, their proteins that they create, and all of their offspring, will be carbon-based as well.

 

Many things (collectively called lithotrophs) can readily consume inorganic compounds, however, and some extremophiles can only live in inorganic evironments, like the boiling sulfur springs at Yellowstone. One such thing, an archaea called Thermus aquaticus, has attained fame as being the creator of an enzyme used in pcr, so you may already be familiar with them.

 

Not sure if you've done this, but I think this question will gather more answers if you repost it in the biology section. Microbiologists work a lot with archaea, and they're of interest to geneticists as well, as well as anyone using pcr.

[Moontanman]

There is a bacterium that evolved in the 20th century to eat nylon, is what you are asking?

[hypervalent_iodine]

There is a bacterium that evolved in the 20th century to eat nylon, is what you are asking?

 

Nylon is an organic compound, synthetic polymer though it may be.

[Greg Boyles]

Hello,

 

Does anyone know if there is any known living organism that consumes inorganic material as its only source of nutrition in today's world. I've heard it said that inorganic material had to be the only likely source of nutrition available to the first living cell, eons ago.

 

Thanks, David James

 

Not true. A soup of sugars, amino acids and DNA etc existed before any cells formed.

 

The nly thing missing was oxygen and so the first cells had to use oxidants other than oxygen, e.g. inorganic sulfur compounds etc,

[John Cuthber]

What about plants?

The only carbon source they need is CO2 and that's generally considered to be inorganic.

The other things like sulphate, phosphate nitrate (or ammonia) etc are not organic.

[insane_alien]

i believe there have been bacteria discovered in deep veins of rock that have been uncovered by deep mines in south africa.

[DavidJames]

What about plants?

The only carbon source they need is CO2 and that's generally considered to be inorganic.

The other things like sulphate, phosphate nitrate (or ammonia) etc are not organic.

 

Okay. This sounds good. I guess we must rely on conjecture though, since there are numerous different answers.

Thanks Dave

 

i believe there have been bacteria discovered in deep veins of rock that have been uncovered by deep mines in south africa.

 

I'm not so sure this would show anyone that they were being sustained by nutrition from the rock though.

Thanks Dave

 

Not true. A soup of sugars, amino acids and DNA etc existed before any cells formed.

 

The nly thing missing was oxygen and so the first cells had to use oxidants other than oxygen, e.g. inorganic sulfur compounds etc,

 

 

DNA existed before any cells formed? Is this an absolute fact, or conjecture?

Okay then, regarding sulfur compounds etc, you're saying that the cells consumed these?

 

Thanks, Dave

 

Nylon is an organic compound, synthetic polymer though it may be.

 

So, I guess the 20th century bacterium that is sustained by nylon would be a moot issue, if nylon is an organic compound, right?

 

David

[hypervalent_iodine]

It is only moot so far as the question in the OP goes. All in all, something can can sustain itself on nylon is pretty impressive as a biological entity, though I myself am not terribly familiar with this particular example.

 

Okay. This sounds good. I guess we must rely on conjecture though, since there are numerous different answers.

Thanks Dave

 

Not really. It is a fact that there are organisms that survive off CO₂ and that CO₂ is, for all intents and purposes, an inorganic substrate. The same may be said with the other examples John Cuthber listed.

 

Okay then, regarding sulfur compounds etc, you're saying that the cells consumed these?

 

Hyperthermophillic bacteria (specifically, lithotrophs) are known for this, as in this article. (Note that to read the full article you'll need access or a credit card. The abstract should be sufficient for this purpose).

 

Also of note is this wiki article on lithotrophs.

[Moontanman]

Sorry, I should have included a link...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nylon-eating_bacteria

[DavidJames]

It is only moot so far as the question in the OP goes. All in all, something can can sustain itself on nylon is pretty impressive as a biological entity, though I myself am not terribly familiar with this particular example.

 

 

 

Not really. It is a fact that there are organisms that survive off CO₂ and that CO₂ is, for all intents and purposes, an inorganic substrate. The same may be said with the other examples John Cuthber listed.

 

 

 

Hyperthermophillic bacteria (specifically, lithotrophs) are known for this, as in this article. (Note that to read the full article you'll need access or a credit card. The abstract should be sufficient for this purpose).

 

Also of note is this wiki article on lithotrophs.

 

Y'al are great. I wonder if there is any information available regarding the hyperthermophillic bacteria being used to nutritionally sustain themselves through cannibalizing each other, thereby expanding their metabolic abilities.