Taxonomy and Physiology of Phototrophic Purple Bacteria and Green Sulfur Bacteria

Anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria have always attracted scientists because of their coloration and ability to perform photosynthesis in the absence of air and without producing oxygen. Despite this common feature of these bacteria, variation in morphological, physiological and molecular properties, including molecular structures of the photosynthetic pigments and the photosynthetic apparatus, is great. This chapter will give a short introduction into the diversity of green sulfur and phototrophic purple bacteria, list some important properties of the species, and indicate important physiological features.