Detection of halogenated organic compounds using immobilized thermophilic dehalogenase.

Environmental pollutants containing halogenated organic compounds can cause a plethora of health problems. Detection, quantification, and eventual remediation of halogenated pollutants in the environment are important to human well-being. Toward this end, we previously identified a haloacid dehalogenase, L-HAD(ST), from the thermophile Sulfolobus tokodaii.

Characterization of a recombinant thermostable dehalogenase isolated from the hot spring thermophile Sulfolobus tokodaii.

A putative dehalogenase, L-HAD(ST), from the thermophile Sulfolobus tokodaii, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant enzyme catalyzes the stereospecific dehalogenation of L-2-haloacids with similar levels of activity as its homolog from mesophiles. L-HAD(ST) remains fully active after being incubated for 4 h at 70 degrees C and tolerates extreme pH conditions ranging from 4 to 10.