Hexachlorobenzene Monooxygenase Substrate Selectivity and Catalysis: Structural and Biochemical Insights.

Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), as one of the persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and a possible human carcinogen, is especially resistant to biodegradation. In this study, HcbA1A3, a distinct flavin-N5-peroxide-utilizing enzyme and the sole known naturally occurring aerobic HCB dechlorinase, was biochemically characterized. Its apparent preference for HCB in binding affinity revealed that HcbA1 could oxidize only HCB rather than less-chlorinated benzenes such as pentachlorobenzene and tetrachlorobenzenes. In addition, the crystal structure of HcbA1 and its complex with flavin mononucleotide (FMN) were resolved, revealing HcbA1 to be a new member of the bacterial luciferase-like family. A much smaller substrate-binding pocket of HcbA1 than is seen with its close homologues suggests a requirement of limited space for catalysis. In the active center, Tyr362 and Asp315 are necessary in maintaining the normal conformation of HcbA1, while Arg311, Arg314, Phe10, Val59, and Met12 are pivotal for the substrate affinity. They are supposed to place HCB at a productive orientation through multiple interactions. His17, with its close contact with the site of oxidation of HCB, probably fixes the target chlorine atom and stabilizes reaction intermediates. The enzymatic characteristics and crystal structures reported here provide new insights into the substrate specificity and catalytic mechanism of HcbA1, which paves the way for its rational engineering and application in the bioremediation of HCB-polluted environments.