ABSTRACT
Halogenated compounds represent a large family of valuable materials widely used in all sectors of the chemical industry as synthetic intermediates, solvents, flame retardants, antifouling, pesticides and as active ingredients in health care from blood extenders to anticancer drugs. Enzymatic halogenation is a relevant step for bioactivities of many natural products, and in principle, the number of halogenated metaboilites supposed the equal number of halogenating enzymes; however, only a few halogenases have been described and characterized to date. Vanadium haloperoxidases are halogenating enzymes that can be found in bacteria, fungi and macroalgae where they catalyze the oxidative halogenation of electron-rich organic substrates. Flavin dependent halogenases are part of the monooxygenases group that have been identified in bacterial and fungal biosynthetic pathways. Halometabolites are naturally synthesized by a broad spectrum of organisms, from microorganisms, plants, insects, marine invertebrates, to mammals, including human.
