Journal of Biochemistry Research

Secondary Metabolism

            Secondary metabolism (also called special metabolism) is a term for metabolic pathways and low molecular metabolic products that are not absolutely necessary for the survival of organisms. These molecules are produced by certain cells that do not need these metabolites alone, but can benefit the whole body. In nature, secondary metabolism is expected to help the body become more competitive for nutrition with other organisms, either through its ability to conserve and purify important nutrients, or by killing competing organisms. The body does not have to produce secondary metabolites when growing under normal laboratory conditions. Examples of products are antibiotics, pigments and fragrances. The term primary metabolism is sometimes used to distinguish non-secondary ("normal") metabolism. Secondary metabolites are produced by many microbes, plants, fungi, and animals that usually live in dense habitats where chemical protection is a better choice than physical flight. It is very difficult to distinguish between primary and secondary metabolites because intermediates and primary and secondary metabolic pathways often overlap. An example is sterol, which is a product of secondary metabolism and at the same time forms the basis of cell structure.

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