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Review
. 2021 Jun 15;22(12):6398.
doi: 10.3390/ijms22126398.

Molecular Physiology of Anaerobic Phototrophic Purple and Green Sulfur Bacteria

Ivan Kushkevych  1 , Jiří Procházka  1 , Márió Gajdács  2   3 , Simon K-M R Rittmann  4 , Monika Vítězová  1
Affiliations
Review

Molecular Physiology of Anaerobic Phototrophic Purple and Green Sulfur Bacteria

Ivan Kushkevych et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

There are two main types of bacterial photosynthesis: oxygenic (cyanobacteria) and anoxygenic (sulfur and non-sulfur phototrophs). Molecular mechanisms of photosynthesis in the phototrophic microorganisms can differ and depend on their location and pigments in the cells. This paper describes bacteria capable of molecular oxidizing hydrogen sulfide, specifically the families Chromatiaceae and Chlorobiaceae, also known as purple and green sulfur bacteria in the process of anoxygenic photosynthesis. Further, it analyzes certain important physiological processes, especially those which are characteristic for these bacterial families. Primarily, the molecular metabolism of sulfur, which oxidizes hydrogen sulfide to elementary molecular sulfur, as well as photosynthetic processes taking place inside of cells are presented. Particular attention is paid to the description of the molecular structure of the photosynthetic apparatus in these two families of phototrophs. Moreover, some of their molecular biotechnological perspectives are discussed.

Keywords: anaerobes; anoxygenic bacteria; detoxification; hydrogen sulfide; molecular mechanisms of photosynthesis; water environment.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The colonies of purple sulfur bacteria of Lamprocystis genus [11].
Figure 2
Figure 2
The morphological diversity of some phototrophic purple bacteria [11].
Figure 3
Figure 3
Schematic comparison of the dsr gene region arrangement found in Allochromatium vinosum with another species of phototrophs (data from Frigaard and Dahl, 2009 [46]).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Schematic distribution of Dsr proteins in the Allochromatium vinosum cell. This scheme is based on sequence analysis of dsr coding genes and on available biochemical information (data from Dahl, 2008 [66]).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Model of a possible arrangement of a photosynthetic unit (LH1 and LH2 are localized around the reaction center (RC). (a) LH1 + RC Rhodospirillum rubrum growing at high light inten-sities, (b) LH1 + RC + LH2 Rhodopseudomonas palustris growing at low light intensities, (c) LH1 + RC + LH2 Rhodopseudomonas palustris growing at high light intensities, (d) LH1 + RC + LH2 Al-lochromatium minutissimum growing at low light intensities (data from Solovev and Erokhin, 2008 [86]).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Schematic structure of the photosynthetic apparatus of green sulfur bacteria (the scheme modified from Dostál, 2014 [91].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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