In some forms of
photosynthetic bacteria, a chromatophore is a pigmented(coloured), membrane-associated
vesicle used to perform photosynthesis. They contain different coloured pigments.
Chromatophores contain
bacteriochlorophyll pigments and carotenoids.
In
purple bacteria, such as ''
Rhodospirillum rubrum'', the light-harvesting proteins are intrinsic to the chromatophore membranes. However, in
green sulfur bacteria, they are arranged in specialised
antenna complexes called
chlorosomes.
References
Photosynthesis
Organelles
{{bacteria-stub