What are metabolites?
Microorganisms live in a world of chemical signals. They use small molecular weight compounds, known as metabolites, to regulate their own growth and development, to encourage other organisms beneficial to them and suppress organisms that are harmful. To control competitors, microbes produce antibiotics, such as penicillin, streptomycin and erythromycin, antifungals, such as nystatin, amphotericin and cycloheximide, antiprotozoan metabolites including monensin, salinomycin and trichostatins and herbicides like herbicidin and bialophos. To reduce predation by larger organisms they produce nematocides, such as the avermectins and paraherquamide, and insecticides such as the milbemycins, piericidins and spinosads. To encourage plants and animals they produce growth stimulants and metabolites that inhibit pathogens.
