Fundamentals of Microbiology

2.4.3 Photoheterotrophs

Photoheterotrophs use light as a source of energy but cannot convert carbon dioxide to sugar; rather, they use organic compounds, such as alcohols, fatty acids, other organic acids, and carbohydrates, as sources of carbon. They are anoxygenic. Among the photoheterotrophs are the green nonsulfur bacteria, such as Chloroflexus, and purple nonsulfur bacteria, such as Rhodopseudomonas.