https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.14530
Microbial transformation of a compound (that is normally unable to support cell replication) in the requisite presence of a transformable cosubstrate that supports cell replication.
Note: The mechanisms of cometabolism considered likely in most cases involve an enzyme or enzymes that change the substrate to a product or products not further transformed by other enzymes (dead-end metabolites).
See also: cooxidation, secondary substrate metabolism