Vanadium bromoperoxidases are one of the few classes of enzymes that requires vanadium. The active site features a vanadium oxide center attached to the protein via one histidine side chain and a collection of hydrogen bonds to the oxide ligands.[1]
Vanadium bromoperoxidases have been found in bacteria, fungi, marine macro algae (seaweeds), and marine microalgae (diatoms) which produce brominated organic compounds.[2] It has not been definitively identified as the bromoperoxidase of higher eukaryotes, such as murex snails, which have a very stable and specific bromoperoxidase, but perhaps not a vanadium dependent one.[3] While the purpose of the bromoperoxidase is still unknown, the leading theories include that it’s a way of regulating hydrogen peroxide produced by photosynthesis and/or as a self-defense mechanism by producing hypobromous acid which prevents the growth of bacteria.[4][5]
The enzymes catalyse the oxidation of bromide (0.0067% of sea water) by hydrogen peroxide. The resulting electrophilic bromonium cation (Br+) attacks hydrocarbons (symbolized as R-H in the following equation):
R-H + Br− + H2O2 → R-Br + H2O + OH−
The bromination acts on a variety of dissolved organic matter and increasingly bromination leads to the formation of bromoform.[6] The vanadium bromoperoxidases produce an estimated 1–2 million tons of bromoform and 56,000 tons of bromomethane annually.[7] Partially in the polar regions, which has high blooms of microalgae in the spring, these compounds have the potential to enter the troposphere and lower stratosphere.[8][9] Through photolysis, brominated methanes produce a bromine radical (Br.) that can lead to ozone depletion.[10] Most of the earth's natural organobromine compounds arise by the action of this enzyme.
^Butler A, Carter-Franklin JN (February 2004). "The role of vanadium bromoperoxidase in the biosynthesis of halogenated marine natural products". Natural Product Reports. 21 (1): 180–8. doi:10.1039/b302337k. PMID15039842.
^Moore RM, Webb M, Tokarczyk R, Wever R (15 September 1996). "Bromoperoxidase and iodoperoxidase enzymes and production of halogenated methanes in marine diatom cultures". Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans. 101 (C9): 20899–20908. Bibcode:1996JGR...10120899M. doi:10.1029/96JC01248.
^Gribble, G.W. (1999). "The diversity of naturally occurring organobromine compounds". Chemical Society Reviews. 28 (5): 335–346. doi:10.1039/a900201d.
^Hill, V.L.; Manley, S.L. (May 2009). "Release of reactive bromine and iodine from diatoms and its possible role in halogen transfer in polar and tropical oceans". Limnology and Oceanography. 54 (3): 812–822. Bibcode:2009LimOc..54..812H. doi:10.4319/lo.2009.54.3.0812.
^Saiz-Lopez, A.; von Glasow, R. (October 2012). "Reactive halogen chemistry in the troposphere". Chemical Society Reviews. 41 (19): 6448–6472. doi:10.1039/c2cs35208g. PMID22940700.