12 Difference Between Primary And Secondary Metabolites With Examples

Plant growth regulators can be classified as both primary and secondary metabolites due to their role in plant growth and development.

What are Primary Metabolites?

Primary metabolites are microbial products produced continuously during the exponential phase of growth and are involved in primary metabolic processes such as respiration and photosynthesis. They include intermediates and end-products of anabolic metabolism, which are used by the cell as building blocks for essential macromolecules (e.g. amino acids, nucleotides) or are converted to coenzymes (e.g. vitamins). Industrially, the most significant primary metabolites are amino acids, nucleotides, vitamins, solvents and organic acids. Many of these metabolites are manufactured by microbial fermentation and isolation instead of chemical synthesis because the fermentations are economically competitive and produce biologically useful isomeric forms.

Facts About Primary Metabolites

• Primary metabolites are small chemical compounds that are directly involved in the growth, development and reproduction of living organisms.
• These are found in most cells throughout the body and are also termed central metabolites.
• Primary metabolites are usually produced in relatively large quantities and can easily be extracted from the plants.
• Metabolites are same in all plant species.
• Primary metabolites are a part of the basic molecular structure of an organism.
• Primary metabolites are highly useful in metabolic process of organisms as some act as a substrate for these processes, while others act as catalysts.
• Examples of primary metabolites include Alcohol, amino acids, nucleotides, antioxidants, organic acids, vitamins and polyols.
• Primary metabolites are formed during the growth phase which is also known as trophophase.
• Primary metabolites are directly involved in growth, development and reproduction.
• Primary metabolites are divided into two groups; primary essential metabolites and primary metabolic end products.
• Primary metabolites are not active in the defense mechanism.

What Are Secondary Metabolites?

Secondary metabolites are organic compounds which are not directly involved in the normal growth, development or reproduction of the organism. Secondary metabolites usually produced by fungi, bacteria or plants and have an important ecological function. Secondary metabolites are derived by pathways in which primary metabolites are involve. Therefore, secondary metabolites are considered as the end products of primary metabolites. Environmental factors does influence the production of secondary metabolites though the regulation of the formation of secondary metabolites is more complex and differs from that of primary metabolites.

Common examples of secondary metabolites include:  Pigments, alkaloids, drugs, essential oils, antibiotics, egort alkaloids, nucleosides, quinolines, peptides, phenazines, naphthalenes, terpenoieds, lectins, polymeric substances and lectins.

Facts About Secondary Metabolites

• Secondary metabolites are organic compounds produced by bacteria, fungi or plants which are not directly involved in the normal growth, development or reproduction of the organism.
• Secondary metabolites are produced in small quantities and their extraction from the plant is difficult.
• Metabolites are unique in different plant species.
• Secondary metabolites are not part of the basic molecular structure of an organism.
• The absence of secondary metabolites does not show any significant change in metabolism.
• Secondary metabolites are species-specific and thus are different in different organisms.
• Examples of primary metabolites, pigments, alkaloids, drugs, essential oils, antibiotics, egort alkaloids, nucleosides, quinolines, peptides, phenazines, naphthalenes, terpenoieds, lectins, polymeric substances and lectins.
• Secondary metabolites are formed during stationary phase which is also known as idiophase.
• Secondary metabolites play a role in ecological functions such as serving as antibiotics and producing pigments.
• Secondary metabolites are active against foreign invaders and might be involved as a defense mechanism.

Difference Between Primary And Secondary Metabolites In Tabular Form

Summary

What is the main difference between primary and secondary metabolites?

A primary metabolite is a small chemical compound that is directly involved in the growth, development and reproduction in living organism.

 Secondary metabolites are organic compounds which are not directly involved in the normal growth, development or reproduction of the organism.