Halogenase Engineering for the Generation of New Natural Product Analogues

Halogenases catalyze the incorporation of halogen atoms into organic molecules. Given the importance that halogenation has on the biological activity of small molecules, these enzymes have been subjected to intense engineering efforts to make them more suitable for biotechnology applications. The ability to biohalogenate complex molecules provides, in principle, the opportunity for rapid generation of a series of analogues with new or improved properties. Here we discuss the potential and limitations of using halogenases as biocatalysts, including recent advances in engineering halogenases to generate halogenated natural product analogues.