As matter decomposes within a medium in which a saprotroph is residing, the saprotroph breaks such matter down into its composites. •
Proteins are broken down into their
amino acid composites through the breaking of peptide bonds by
proteases. •
Lipids are broken down into
fatty acids and
glycerol by
lipases. Optimal conditions refers to several conditions which optimise the growth of saprotrophic organisms, such as; • Presence of water: 80–90% of the mass of the fungi is water, and the fungi require excess water for absorption due to the evaporation of internally retained water. • Presence of
oxygen: Very few saprotrophic organisms can endure anaerobic conditions as evidenced by their growth above media such as water or soil. • Neutral-acidic
pH: The condition of neutral or mildly acidic conditions under pH 7 are required. • Low-medium temperature: The majority of saprotrophic organisms require temperatures between , with optimum growth occurring at . The majority of nutrients taken in by such organisms must be able to provide carbon, proteins, vitamins and, in some cases,
ions. Due to the carbon composition of the majority of organisms, dead and organic matter provide rich sources of disaccharides and
polysaccharides such as
maltose and
starch, and of the monosaccharide
glucose. ==See also==