Abstract
The order of the Rhodospirillales, commonly known as the photosynthetic or more adequately as the phototrophic bacteria, comprises prokaryotes that are able to cover their energy requirements by coupling to light-dependent electron transport processes. In contrast to the plant-type photosynthesis not only of plants but also of cyanobacteria, the photosynthesis of phototrophic bacteria does not evolve oxygen and is dependent on anaerobiosis or, at least, largely reduced oxygen partial pressures. Apart from these physiological characteristics, the phototrophic bacteria comprise organisms of rather different properties (see Table I for the classification of phototrophic bacteria referred to in this chapter). Based on the distribution of different bacteriochlorophyll derivatives contained in the photosynthetic apparatus, two suborders can be distinguished (Truper and Pfennig, 1978). The first suborder of the Rhodospirillineae, i.e., the purple bacteria, comprises organisms that exhibit either bacteriochlorophyll a or b. This suborder contains two families, the Rhodospirillaceae (formerly Athiorhodaceae) and the Chromatiaceae (formerly Thiorhodaceae), which differ from each other by their inability and ability, respectively, to grow on sulfide (exceptions are known). The second suborder, the Chlorobiineae, comprises all of the phototrophic bacteria that produce bacteriochlorophyll c, d, or e, in addition to minor quantities of bacteriochlorophyll a.
Published Version
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