Degradation of β-hexachlorocyclohexane by haloalkane dehalogenase LinB from Sphingomonas paucimobilis UT26

beta-Hexachlorocyclohexane (beta-HCH) is the most recalcitrant among the alpha-, beta-,gamma-, and delta-isomers of HCH and causes serious environmental pollution problems. We demonstrate here that the haloalkane dehalogenase LinB, reported earlier to mediate the second step in the degradation of gamma-HCH in Sphingomonas paucimobilis UT26, metabolizes beta-HCH to produce 2,3,4,5,6-pentachlorocyclohexanol.