living things
Learn about this topic in these articles:
dependence on organic compounds
- In chemical compound: Organic compounds
…that can be described as living have a crucial dependence on organic compounds. Foodstuffs—namely, fats, proteins, and carbohydrates—are organic compounds, as are such vital substances as hemoglobin, chlorophyll, enzymes, hormones, and vitamins.
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genetic code
- In genetic code
…to diverge slightly in certain organisms and in the mitochondria of some eukaryotes. Nevertheless, these differences are rare, and the genetic code is identical in almost all species, with the same codons specifying the same amino acids. The deciphering of the genetic code was accomplished by American biochemists Marshall W.…
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vitamin requirements
- In vitamin: Requirements in living things
Vitamin requirements vary according to species, and the amount of a vitamin required by a specific organism is difficult to determine because of the numerous factors (e.g., genetic variation, relative proportions of other dietary constituents, environmental stresses). Although there is not uniform agreement…
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