autotrophic organism

In the world of biofuels, 2010 is officially the year of the autotrophic organism as dozens of companies and academic laboratories race to transform algae into a source of viable green energy, according to "Algae Biofuels Production Technologies Worldwide" by leading industrial market research firm SBI Energy.

This is the first evidence indicating that an endobiotic autotrophic organism may parasitize its animal host.

"Unlike for example green algae that engage in photosynthesis and thus belong to autotrophic organisms, these heterotrophic microorganisms were true predators that gained energy by hunting and devouring other algae and bacteria," according to van Maldegem.

As such it is the core network for ecological biochemistry as well as for autotrophic organisms since all large-scale ecological systems go through an autotrophic primary trophic level.

Star anise, star aniseed, or Shikimic acid, a primary feedstock used to create the anti-flu drug Tamiflu, is produced by most autotrophic organisms, but star anise is the industrial source.

Essentially, the energy input required for growing the autotrophic organisms is sunlight.