Scope and potential of halogenases in biosynthetic applications

A large and diverse series of halogenated natural products exist. In many of these compounds the halogen is important to biological activity and bioavailability. We now recognise that nature has developed many different halogenation strategies for which well-known enzyme classes such as haem oxidases or flavin-dependent oxidases have been adapted. Enzymes capable of halogenating all kinds of different chemical groups from electron-rich to electron-poor, from aromatic to aliphatic have been characterised. Given that synthetic halogenation reactions are not trivial transformations and that halogenated molecules possess pharmaceutical usefulness, it will be worth investing into further research of halogenating enzymes.