Biodegradation and metabolism of unusual carbon compounds by anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria.

Anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria play an important role in anaerobic nutritional cycles. The most readily used and widely studied carbon sources for growth of these bacteria are organic acids and a few carbohydrates. In this review we survey the growing knowledge on the metabolism of a number of other carbon sources, particularly polymers (starch, poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates)), aromatic compounds (natural and xenobiotic), one-carbon compounds, alcohols, aliphatic hydrocarbons and higher fatty acids, and their influence on various cellular activities of purple non-sulfur bacteria. We also discuss the possible exploitations in various biotechnological processes of this group of microorganisms while metabolizing unusual carbon compounds.