Macroalgae are an important source of volatile halogenated organic compounds, such as bromoform and dibromomethane. The mechanism by which these compounds are formed is still elusive. We report that the brown seaweeds Laminaria saccharina, Laminaria digitata, Fucus uesiculosis, Pelvetia canaliculata, and Ascophyllum nodosum and the red seaweeds Chondrus crispus and Plocamium hamatum contain bromoperoxidases. The intact plants are able to brominate exogeneous organic compounds when H202 and Brare added to seawater. Further, we show that the brominating activity of the brown macroalga A. nodosum, which contains a vanadium bromoperoxidase located on the thallus surface, occurs when the plant is exposed to light and not in the dark. The rate of bromination of exogenous organic compounds in seawater by this plant is 68 nmol (g of wet alga)-1 h-1. HOBr is a strong biocidal agent and we propose that the formation of HOBr by this seaweed is part of a host defense system.

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The conversion is described of phenolsulphonephtalein (phenol red) to 3,3',5,5'-tetrabromophenolsulphonephthalein (bromophenol blue) by bromoper-oxidase from the brown alga Ascophyllum nodosum. This reaction provides a convenient assay for the detection of bromoperoxidase activity in vitro. Bromoperoxidase was shown to be stable under turnover conditions for three weeks at room temperature, catalyzing the bromination of phenol red into bromophenol blue. When stored at room temperature in organic sol vents such as acetone, methanol, ethanol [present up to 60% (v/v)], and 1-propanol [40% (v/v)], bromoperoxidase was stable for more than one month. As far as we know this is the first example of an oxidoreductase which displays such great stability. This enhances the applicability of the enzyme in organic synthesis.

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