C. fumago chloroperoxidase is also a dehaloperoxidase: oxidative dehalogenation of halophenols

We have examined the H2O2-dependent oxidative dehalogenation of 2,4,6-trihalophenols and p-halophenols catalyzed by Caldariomyces fumago chloroperoxidase (CCPO). CCPO is significantly more robust than other peroxidases and can function under harsher reaction conditions, and so its ability to dehalogenate halophenols could lead to its use as a bioremediation catalyst for aromatic dehalogenation reactions. Optimal catalysis occurred under acidic conditions (100 mM potassium phosphate solution, pH 3.0). UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry clearly identified the oxidized reaction product for CCPO-catalyzed dehalogenation of 2,4,6-trihalophenols as the corresponding 2,6-dihalo-1,4-benzoquinones. This reaction has previously been reported for two His-ligated heme-containing peroxidases (see Osborne, R. L.; Taylor, L. O.; Han, K. P.; Ely, B.; Dawson, J. H. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 2004, 324, 1194-1198), but this is the first example of a Cys-ligated heme-containing peroxidase functioning as a dehaloperoxidase. The relative catalytic efficiency (turnover number) of CCPO reported herein is comparable to that of horseradish peroxidase (Ferrari, R. P.; Laurenti, E.; Trotta, F. J. Biol. Inorg. Chem. 1965, 4, 232-237). The mechanism of dehalogenation has been probed using p-halophenols as substrates. Here the major product is a dimer with 1,4-benzoquinone as the minor product. An electron-transfer mechanism is proposed that accounts for the products formed from both the 2,4,6-trihalo- and p-halophenols. Finally, we note that this is the first case of a peroxidase known primarily for its halogenation ability being shown to also dehalogenate substrates.