Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

> Chickens are very good reactors for turning carbohydrates into protein.

The remnant wiring from my chemistry and biology classes tells me this is impossible. Did a little digging and no animal seems capable of this feat.[1] Chickens are fed a mix of cheap grains, like wheat and corn that are ~16% protein.[2] What they are is efficient at turning this protein into body mass/eggs.

[1] https://www.quora.com/Is-there-an-organism-that-can-convert-...

[2] my backyard chickens



In the UK a popular plant based "meat" is Quorn. I believe that is grown by an organism that is fed glucose. The glucose is predigested maize starch. So perhaps not a single organism but two to make it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusarium_venenatum


You still need a nitrogen source. They are using the glucose energy to turn nitrogen (ammonia in this case) into protein.


I'm not sure I agree with your wording, ie use "glucose energy to turn nitrogen into protein". Proteins are made up of amino acids which are made from carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen atoms. The glucose not only provides energy to the process but also carbon, oxygen and nitrogen. In fact, this is a very common process in plants.

Note: The comment I originally responded to appears to have changed their wording from "living organism" to animal. Although curiously this might not be correct either. For example, humans synthesize some “nonessential amino acids” from glucose (eg glucose → pyruvate → alanine). It's possible similar amino acid pathways can be combined into a protein completely synthesized by the human body. It also seems very likely that this happens in other animals.

https://www.quora.com/Can-the-human-body-turn-excess-glucose...


Sure it's an oversimplification, I excluded everything else glucose provides besides energy, but glucose alone cannot produce protein.

Nitrogen source is rarely the most expensive BOM component for cell culture/fermentation, so it's all kind of moot.


I made a typo above when I said glucose provides nitrogen that should be hydrogen.




Consider applying for YC's Winter 2026 batch! Applications are open till Nov 10

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: