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AAT Bioquest

Does photosynthesis occur in bacteria?

Posted August 25, 2022


Answer

Photosynthesis occurs only in some bacteria such as cyanobacteria, which is a diverse group of cyanobacteria. They are also known as blue-green bacteria. 

In higher-order plants, photosynthesis occurs in the chloroplast. Bacteria do have chloroplasts. However, cyanobacteria possess the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll in flattened sac-like structures called thylakoids, which are present in the cytoplasm. The presence of chlorophyll allows cyanobacteria to perform photosynthesis and produce the energy they need from sunlight and carbon dioxide. 

Additional resources

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